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.
20 minutes ago, the fire alarm system went off in the hotel I stay in -- bells & whistles ... lights & sirens.
Naturally, I grabbed a few things, and trucked down to the parking lot, but ... pretty soon ... the Fire and Police Departments hauled into the lot, lights and sirens.
I flashed back to the SWAT team, and all the guys in full tactical gear, pointing their guns at me, and snapping my neck 180 degrees, to get eyes on the sniper that had a bead on me.
Now, I'm just sitting in my bed, sobbing and shaking pretty uncontrollably. Gonna' take a Clonazepam ... drink a glass of wine ... and bring myself back down.
What has been your worst trigger, and ... how did you get through it ??
I'm not sure that cigarettes, prescription meds, and alcohol are the BEST thing, but ... "Whatever gets you through the night....."
I wish you all health, strength, and peace.
Naturally, I grabbed a few things, and trucked down to the parking lot, but ... pretty soon ... the Fire and Police Departments hauled into the lot, lights and sirens.
I flashed back to the SWAT team, and all the guys in full tactical gear, pointing their guns at me, and snapping my neck 180 degrees, to get eyes on the sniper that had a bead on me.
Now, I'm just sitting in my bed, sobbing and shaking pretty uncontrollably. Gonna' take a Clonazepam ... drink a glass of wine ... and bring myself back down.
What has been your worst trigger, and ... how did you get through it ??
I'm not sure that cigarettes, prescription meds, and alcohol are the BEST thing, but ... "Whatever gets you through the night....."
I wish you all health, strength, and peace.
Fortunately, I've never been addicted to anything, so ... at least for now ... that's not a concern.
I think you couldn't BE more right about the need to connect to sensitive, caring, DECENT people. I'm just ... not sure I'm ready for that, yet.
I don't look for the good in people, right now. I expect the worst. I know that's a cognitive error, but ... it just isn't time.
And ... as so many of you would understand ... even my closest friends throw out lines like "You're out of there, the District Attorney deferred prosecution against you, and your house is in escrow. Why is it you still can't sleep ??"
If only the removal of a few trauma-related stressors ended PTSD, huh ?
I'm still thinking that ... if I can (I was already medically disabled, when all this happened, am battling fevers, fatigue, insomnia, and sight-threatening eye issues) ... I may run away, to somewhere in Latin America.
People really ARE people, but ... if the whole environment changes ... I'm convincing myself that I can look around me and see KINDER people.
At this point ... everybody I encounter ... seems to pose an imagined potential threat.
I'm glad the therapy has been such a help for you. I no longer have the $100k that you referenced, and know there are no quick fixes for these issues.
I'm hoping some kind of Hail Mary pass ... will start things in a better direction.
For now, though ... one hour at a time.
Thank you for your encouraging and well-written post.
I wish you peace, health, and strength.
One of my big triggers is someone telling me I am too sensitive. I was told this all my life and taught not to cry despite any sort of abuse that was going on or sexual torture. When someone now tells me I am too sensitive, it brings me back into all of that mess. I actually asked my therapist if I am more sensitive than others. She said she didn't think so. But one of my friends tells me that anytime I have a reaction to what she says rather than taking the responsibility on herself for being hurtful. I even told her what my therapist said, and she still says I am too sensitive. It really hits a nerve.
All a caring, compassionate, empathic person has to do is read up on "invalidation" to know that .... saying somebody is "too sensitive" will NEVER help, and nearly always hurt.
I'm sorry.
*I* actually think *I* may BE "too sensitive ..." but only because the world is chock full of insensitive and narcissistic people.
We keep on keeping on....