I have this problem. There is a stretch on the highway where I start to panic. If I am not able to talk to someone while going through the area, I will have a full blown panic attack. If I could avoid the area, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, it's the main road to everything and no way around it. It's been almost 4 months since the incident....exposure isn't helping me.

I agree w/ you - in my book temporary avoidance can allow one to regain stability. I don't believe in forced exposure therapy. But I also don't believe in long term isolating.

I was re-traumatized about a year and a half ago while in my own small community, it occurred less than 10 minutes from my home. At first even going outside alone was freaky. Then I could go out but avoided the whole part of the community where the murders occurred. Now I'm down to just not wanting to go to the specific business where this happened.. I can be a block away and feel just fine. I did a lot of CBT work on reconceptualizing so that I could view my community as safe again. Can't imagine ever being comfortable going back in that specific place again, but that is no big issue in terms of being able to pursue normal activity again.

By the way, after the event my community did lots of memorial events right at the site, but the people who went were those shook up by just hearing this happened in their town. For someone who was there, surrounded by lifeless bodies of friends, I have no need to ever return to the site. I pay my respect to the dead w/ every flashback I have.

It is not just time that helps us heal but our own inner work at reconceptualizing and being in the present.

Dealing with trauma does not require liking everything about it. There are aspects that will forever be ugly to me and worthy of avoiding. There is dealing and there is rubbing salt in the wound.

The parts I feel the need to face proactively are the ones that follow me wherever I go in the form of nightmares, anxieties, irrational reactions, etc. If it is nothing more than identified discomfort in circumstances I can easily avoid, color me gone. I have more important things to worry about.

My room, and cheap motels. I cant stand being in there. My room isnt bad but a sketchy motel is instant panic

Well, I have severe ptsd. I moved to another state. but when i go to visit family i completley avoid certain areas. my friend got hit by a train and saw and heard it. I avoid that whole town. if i had to go near that train area or park i would freak. its normal to feel that way. at least you see it. i even had a dream last night where we had wrote rip john on a tree and i went up in my dream to see if it was there and swept the name off. its like putting it behind me. It doesnt matter how long it is sometimes ive been put through going through that area and fine. and other times i will go way out of my way to avoid this park just because of all the ptsd i experinced there. i have it all over this town. you have ptsd and it takes time but eventually you will get to a point of just reflecting but not freaking out like most do. After all i went through even moving to another state i dont want to socialize and just wanna not be noticed. its normal. hugs to you.

For the last several months I have an avoidance of bathing. I do take showers regularly but I seem to have anxiety over it. I can't figure out where it is coming from but I definitely do not look forward to a long shower or bath. Was never an issue in the past but now it is becoming a fight to get in the shower.