How much wood could a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?

On a serious note...

Were you the one who posted "25 years of living hell"?

How are you today?

Are you still living in hell?

Hey,
I laughed so hard thanks for breaking the ice.

Yeah I posted 25 years, and still in hell but depending on the day maybe hell is a little less fiery

I am so sorry about the hell you have experienced. 25 years is a long time to live in hell. I can relate.

For starters, what obstacles have you encountered to try to get out of this hell?

Well I guess the biggest obstacle was not being correctly diagnosed in the first place and thinking I was crazy for so long.

Sean,

Let's talk about what caused you to think you were "crazy" for so long...

Was it the diagnosis itself (was it personality disorder) that caused you to question your sanity?

well it was partly that but a lot of it had to do with not understanding what was happening to me. My brain would not shut off, images kept flashing through my head. I lost all my friends and things just kept happening. I lost interest in a lot of things there is a long list. God Bless, Sean

Ah ha!

So you didn't understand what was going on inside of you. Of course!

One of my therapists would tell me that she would me more concerned if I reacted normally. That made me feel better, I recall.

Once you understand what's going on, it's much easier to know how to help yourself. Do you agree?

What's it like for you now that you have a PTSD diagnosis?

Is it more consistent with your symptoms (I presume so)? Do you understand yourself better now (with the condition)?

Are you in therapy?

What sorts of things are you doing now to help yourself cope?

Where do you struggle the most?

You wanted questions.

I'm gibbon you questions. LOL

Hey phloxinsox,
Well let's see. I do feel a little better because ptsd does explain a lot of why I am the way I am. Just in starting process of therapy. Only thing is have to go through VA's red tape to get treatment, because in 93 I was mis-diagnosed with Borderline multiple personality, then splintered personality, then personality dis-order, then just kicked loose from service. Coping is my and my wife's biggest problem because my prior coping skills were drinking, isolation, etc.

I am not as familiar with MPD (now referred to as DID); but understand enough to see how the two DXs could be confused, as splitting off is dissociation...very common with PTSD.

With hope, you will find a good therapist. I know (recalling) that therapy isn't easy.

What are the biggest challenges you encounter and what are you presently doing to cope?

New challenges is instead of hospitalization or isolation I am giving VA a try. Also pushing myself to do small things like walking and go to store. Also I am so blessed with a wife that sticks by me.

Small steps, Sean. Seems you are keeping the goals small and manageable. And what a blessing it indeed is to have your supportive wife by your side.

God bless!

I know this is an old post but....

I am curioius... and you wanted questions... and I have questions:

Can you tell us what event(s) caused you to have PTSD?

Strangely enough I had a very traumatic life, at 10 I had and accident with a head injury, then later several traumatic events that brought back the symptoms and at last a 3 year interaction with (we lived together) a narcissistic immigrant woman...

The amazing thing is that you find yourself mentally ill with PTSD, you realize that when it happened you were helpless, you couldn't prevent it from happening and that now you can't do much about it on your own and you need professional help to deal with it.

I had no idea that a person could do all that damage to me....