I just realized that the medication I'm taking now is messing with the way I express myself. I can't explain things the way I want to. It doesn't come out the way I want it too. I may be gone for a while till it either settles down or I quit taking it. I feel so unclear in my mind. So lost. I will be back when I can think and speak straighter. For any one who is interested it is Desipramine and is supposed to help with the nerve damage in my legs. It is also an anti depressant not of the SSRI class. It works in a different way. I can not take SSRIs.
What do you consider normal. For many the way you live is normal. I had a very traumatic thing happen when I was 15. It changed who I am and it took 15 years to get over it. Because I had no one to help me with it. Basically it took 15 years for me to accept that it was Ok to feel the way I felt. We are a product of the sum of all our life experiences. We all have things in our life that influence how we feel and react. I have two friends who tried to commit suicide. There way of dealing with it is to accept it and tell themselves that it happened and can't be changed. I had to do the same with a small exception. I had to move some where that people didn't know me. You might call that avoidance but there was no other way. Ptsd is a replaying of the stress you suffered in the past. Either you work on forgetting it all or you work on just remembering the good points. I would guess that the reason it keeps coming up is more than just reminders on the news. I would guess that you replay the good times and the bad just crowd in.
I am still having issues with the ptsd and they seem worst lately with whats going on in the news. I am not sure how I am ever going to be able to over come it. I thought I was getting better but now it seems all fresh in my mind. The fight or flight response can be very paralyzing making it impossible to leave the house. I have not felt safe out there ever since my safe person my marine got sick and passed away. I would like to know is their anyway to deal with this and is their hope for me to lead a normal life???? I am really sick of being afraid and trapped inside my house.
Hi Red: I have had violence in my life too, seen things I shouldn't have seen. The old saying "time heals" is true to a certain extent. I'm extremely uncomfortable with t.v. programs showing violent sexual crimes, cruetly to children or animals. I can't watch them. I can't even watch a program to "save" animals. I have found other ways to involve myself. I donate to OSPCA - walked the dogs at one time - and report cruelty when I see, hear it. Most people don't want to get involved. I used to be afraid to get involved. I do now. They have no voice and I can no longer justify my sitting by and listening to their yelps, cries all day long. If I dwell on it, I cannot sleep. I don't go and yell at the owners, I do it in an adult way, offer my help first, then if the situation doesn't get better, call the autorities.
So what does one do? I surround myself with things that I love, do loving things and spread love around. I figure it's like a domino effect, the more love you send out, more love goes out from others and on and on. Like a ripple effect, more good vibes out there than negative ones. Sounds simplistic, doesn't it? I am only in charge of myself, so I have a choice to be loving or harassed.
When I get negative, disturbing thoughts, I yell out (in my mind) "stop" and focus on something else. It takes practice. Sometimes it doesn't work as well, but most times it does stop me from dwelling. I hope my example helps to explain a bit.
Two things that are not mentioned here are hyper vigilance and a exaggerated startle response. These are to of the symptoms I have in relation to my ptsd in additions to the other symptoms you have mentioned here. I am not sure how this program is able to help a person who has been a victim of a violent crime. If you watch the news or read the paper or listen to the radio there is always news of some new sexual predator on the loose. I really see no way to escape it and the fact that it is a very dangerous world out there. It seems to feed into the fear and fuels the symptoms related to ptsd of this type as does the war news to a combat veteran. I do have a hard time dealing with it and the ptsd. I am not sure if their are any real answers or solutions when dealing with ptsd? If their are any I would love to know?
I get something similar but different. I take mild trauma from ages ago and exaggerate it all out of proportion and then have trouble letting it go. And I know it's not real. I'm getting better at dealing with it but I want to talk to my therapist about it on Friday.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized
by the re-experiencing of a traumatic event. The person's response to the
trauma involves intense fear, helplessness, or horror. This disorder can occur
in individuals who have undergone a traumatic experience such as a physical
attack, rape, a natural disaster or an accident.
The
symptoms of PTSD are listed below and occur for more a period longer than one
month:
1 -
Flashbacks: the person relives the traumatic event in some way. Flashbacks may
be persistent thought or images of the scent or they may be vivid
hallucinations. Individuals experiencing PTSD may re-experience the traumatic
event over and over again.
2 –
Avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma: Individuals with PTSD actively
try to avoid anything that reminds them of the event. This can lead to
disruptions in their normal life including, avoidance of their family and
friends and anything or one that reminds them of the trauma
3 – Chronic
arousal symptoms: These symptoms can include but are not limited to sleep
disturbances, irritability, outburst of emotions or anger and difficulties in
concentrating.
Any
questions, comments or stories about PTSD? Post them here.
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