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.
Hi, this is my first post here.
I'm a 20-year-old male who has recently been diagnosed with PTSD after telling my doctor about what happened to me and the flashbacks I've been having.
So, long story short, I experienced a rape in my childhood that gave me PTSD. My wrists are a huge no-no area for me, and every time someone touches them/grabs them, flashbacks come and make me curl up into a fetal position, cry, and shake uncontrollably.
My question is this: How does one attempt to have triggers not affect them anymore?
I just ended a relationship on great terms with someone I really like (irrelevant), who is very aware of this trigger, but accidentally triggered me on a few occasions (not their fault; I don't hold it against them and never would), and it is such a hard thing to avoid touching someone's wrist sometimes that it is sort of a problem.
I need advice on maybe not just this specific trigger, but just overcoming triggers in general.
I'm a 20-year-old male who has recently been diagnosed with PTSD after telling my doctor about what happened to me and the flashbacks I've been having.
So, long story short, I experienced a rape in my childhood that gave me PTSD. My wrists are a huge no-no area for me, and every time someone touches them/grabs them, flashbacks come and make me curl up into a fetal position, cry, and shake uncontrollably.
My question is this: How does one attempt to have triggers not affect them anymore?
I just ended a relationship on great terms with someone I really like (irrelevant), who is very aware of this trigger, but accidentally triggered me on a few occasions (not their fault; I don't hold it against them and never would), and it is such a hard thing to avoid touching someone's wrist sometimes that it is sort of a problem.
I need advice on maybe not just this specific trigger, but just overcoming triggers in general.
-
My day...today...misplaced my debit card...didn't realize it until I got to the register after shopping to a full cart. Used a different debit card and pulled apart everything looking for missing debit card before I left parking lot. Got home, dropped keys. So now I have a missing debit card, missing keys. A full cartload to unload and put away. I got everything put away.Dumped purse for a...
-
I don't really know how to label this but I having a rough week and I can't say it's one thing.... I have a lot on my plate which is nothing new and I try to cope in many positive ways and do but I still have my moments.My kids more so my daughters talk to me about everything which I know it's cause of comfort and we are close.... however I really struggle with the venting about their dad which...
I am sorry you are having horrible flashbacks. Do you take any meds for symptoms of PTSD? It sounds like you might be seeing a doctor or therapist for to help with your symptoms?
In my person experience, which is from war, I could not handle this on my own. I take meds and I am in therapy. I have progressed a lot over the past year. It is a lot of work, but I do believe that PTSD can be cured if you are willing to put the time and effort into it.
Take little steps and you will get there. Mindfulness, deep breathing, mediation, self-care, and self-soothing are important and really helpful. It will feel weird at first, but it will come.
One of the most helpful things for me has been trying to find something to be grateful for each day.
Hope you find some relief soon and I hope you find this site helpful.
About your wrist..
You need something that will snap you back to the present. Remember the exercises I did with you? Touch, smell, or do something completely unrelated with the past and repeat over and over "no one can hurt me" and "I am an adult." When you begin to remember what that man did say out loud "you can't hurt me anymore." Yell it even if you have to. Anything to take power back from him.
Close your eyes, imagine you're with someone you trust, and keep repeating that. Just like when we did over at your house. It takes a lot of practice. You'll get through this.
http://www.pete-walker.com/flashbackManagement.htm
If there as an easy, standardized formula for overcoming triggers, I am not aware of it. I have tried a few solutions that made the claim which produced such disastrous results that I am defensively skeptical of such claims.
In my personal approach, I believe the problem is not the trigger but the volatile mix which the trigger is catalyzing. Without that volatile mix, the trigger is only hitting an empty chamber. There is no explosive reaction. As long as the volatile mix is festering in my psyche, there will more than one catalyst (trigger) which can set it off in addition to the danger of the toxins spreading to other places in my system.
My own approach begins with awareness and observation. I watch until I can identify the wound in need of healing. Not all wounds are created equal. My next step will vary with data collected during the awareness and observation stage.
Strictly my personal approach. Allot of sharing about different approaches goes on here. Take what works for you and leave the rest.
Gentle support while you find what works for you, Armatage.
Again, welcome to the forum.
I honestly am still working on not being triggered, or on dealing with triggers so I don't fall down, fall over, and/or fall apart. Avoidance only works with obvious stuff (I don't watch certain types of films or TV). Everyday or unexpected little things (like someone blocking me into an aisle at the store, which is why I stopped going to stores) are much more difficult for me.
If you have a therapist, hopefully one specializing in trauma, that can help. I'm about two years into therapy for PTSD now, and can handle a lot that I couldn't even two years ago. So therapy, persistence, (meds in my case) and DS PTSD have been invaluable.
Gentle healing to you,
Leo