Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Support Group
Find support with others who have gone through a traumatic experience. Whether you have chronic or acute PTSD, we are here for you.
I've never posted here, I hang out in the bipolar disorder group....so forgive me if I sound like I have no idea what I'm talking about when it comes to ptsd. I know it's a very complicated painful affliction and I'm sorry if I trigger anyone or come across as insensitive.
I am wondering if my anxiety and mixed states that I chalk up to bipolar could be ptsd as well. I know the 2 are often diagnosed together.
If you suffer from both, which came first and was one brought on by the other? What are the symptoms of both together?
I had an especially traumatic manic episode that I cant get past no matter what I do. I did some things that I find absolutely disgusting and horrifying. I don't have nightmares but certain situations and thoughts trigger horrible anxiety, I feel trapped in a waking nightmare sometimes, and I avoid people and situations that remind me of things that would trigger me. I feel stuck in my head constantly reliving the things I did and playing what if. Regret is not even the word. I feel consumed with remorse and regret.
I'm sorry because i understand ptsd is from something that happened to you unfairly that you didn't ask for. I committed these atrocities by my own free will, technically. But i guess i feel like a victim in so many ways. I had no idea what i was doing, it's like my evil twin locked me in a closet, wrecked my life and then left me to step back into reality and pick up the pieces.
It's been months and some days are better than others but I feel like I deserve to suffer so I always will. Payback, karma, whatever is hiding in the shadows constantly like a weight on my whole world. I have no self esteem and have deserted all my friends.
I see a pdoc and am now medicated for bipolar, my manic episode was my first sign of bipolar brought on by antidepressants after what was then thought to be post partum depression. So it's not like I knew I was manic. I wasn't off my meds and "asking for it". Mentally ill. Bam. Out of no where.
Is this just guilt compounded by bipolar depression? Are my mixed episodes just bipolar mixed episodes or is it the effects of ptsd mingling with depression? Or is it plain old anxiety that so often comes along with bipolar? I plan on bringing this up with my dr this week but just wanted any thoughts you guys might have. Thank you.
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I'm feeling down,, and got alot on my mind right now. I got grief going on, on top my depression and anxiety and now I got to worry about somewhere to live since I can't afford living here since my mom passed. So many bad things have happened since my mom passed. One thing after another it seems. Yesterday our fence fell from a storm that hit, had to call someone to prop it up. Thank...
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Just wanted to give a thank you to Mid, Arfie, Malibumark, Greeneyes, Mlro, Girlincalif, and Suncloudjd! You all always have such helpful tips and advice, but I always forget to write on my posts when I see you post, lol. I would lose my head if it wasn't attached to my body, lol. Thank you all so much! I'm starting to use my AI app as a sounding board again. I used to use it as that before...
For What its Worth, PTSD is listed as an anxiety disorder and I just-a-patient agree with the classification. Which of the symptoms belong to which dx in my colorful psych portfolio? ? ? Fuck if I care. I'm just looking for relief, one symptom at a time. I'll leave the classifying to the experts.
The emphasis in treatment for me in my rediagnosis was on my PTSD nightmares. In particular, those coming from having survived a car bombing as a civilian overseas. At first Seroquel was prescribed for my nightmares, but it contributed to serious permanent kidney damage. Then Prazosin, which is processed by the liver, was prescribed for my nightmares, and it's really worked well without causing any more kidney damage.
Other than that, I'm with arfie about the chicken or the egg thing as to whether my symptoms were bipolar and genetic or whether they were trauma-based and due to something done to me. Bipolar disorder does run in my family and I have family members who have the diagnosis. I belonged to a face to face bipolar support group for 5 years while that diagnosis was the emphasis for me among my doctors, and I don't regret it. It's what got me here to this PTSD support group, after all.
Comparing, though, the 12 years I was diagnosed bipolar and took those meds to the 11 years I've been diagnosed with PTSD and have taken meds for nightmares, the better decade has been the latter. The nightmares bothered me the most, so I'm most glad for meds for them.
I'm not saying I'll never go back on lithium or some other bipolar med, however. Like arfie says, I'm looking for relief for symptoms. As for the chicken or the egg answer, I'm leaving that to my Wikipedia angel to answer definitively in the afterlife.
I was first diagnosis as bipolar..... When I was in the hospital a pdoc recognized that I was disassociating ..... xo