post traumatic stress disorder

FadedRose

FadedRose

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I've been having really big issues with PTSD as a result of being stalked many, many years ago by an ex BF. For example I'll use my moms passing to describe what's going on. After my mom died I'd have panic attacks when I would see an ambulance heading towards my fathers home and I'd follow the ambulance, panicking the entire time. Another event I had was when I could not reach my father and I drove myself to the hospital in a panic that he was there and dying since my mother died so suddenly when I was 19. When this fear and panic grips me it's hard to shake. I had these PTSD episodes when I was 21 years old so it's been years since I've had any issues with anything...from the past.

I thought I delt with my stalking incident all those years ago and put it behind me but damn...I guess not. Here is what is going on and guys, I know this person very well and he's not stalking me at all. It's not that I think he is that is the problem. What is the problem is the fact that like my mother, certain things can trigger a PTSD episode and this is what has happened. It was a rather, or has been a series of rather incredible coinedences that I've ran into him a few times outside of where I typically see this person but he doesn't live too far from me so it is no big deal. The first time I saw him was behind my car. We were on the same road and he pulled up beside me. For some damn reason I started to panic and I got out my CD case and flipped through it just ignoring the fact he was behind me. Well, he pulled in front of me and turned around and looked at me, and drove off rather fast, making an ass of himself really. I was not impressed. The other time I was walking to a store through a parking lot and he showed up again but drove it towards me which I could not hear it until he was right up on me and didn't wave or anything just looked at me and drove off.

Now, I know what this sounds like and I can assure you and everyone else here that this is not happening. I've been truly stalked before and he isn't. I cannot mention or share where I know him from or anything else, not even in PMs so do not ask. I'd prefer to keep this as private as possible.

There have been other visits as well but I cannot share where those occur because that needs to remain private.

So, with these random appearances near me or behind my car...it has triggered PTSD from a past event and I find myself absolutly terrified to go anywhere by myself. If I even see anyone that looks like him I just panic.

This is getting stressful and I know it's just PTSD. Has anyone here delt with PTSD? if so, how can I break myself out of this damn thing? It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever gone through and the dumbest. I'm back to where I was all those years ago. Being stalked really does change your life, and even can affect you years down the road in which case I'm finding that out now.

anyone here have experience with this? PTSD in particular? If so how did you overcome it?
 
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Ummmmm, see a counselor?

I don't really understand what you were saying. I can understand losing a parent as I lost my dad when I was 20. I think I can understand the PTSD part as my counselor think I have PTSD from the time when I was working and things were going so badly. I have to push myself to look for a part time job. I don't know what you can do to prevent your PTSD except to stay calm.
 
Hope I'm not off topic here....years ago when I had an accident with a Semi on the Expressway...Nightmares were nightly, didn't want to go to sleep...and I could not drive on the Expressway for years. Going to work was a hassle, as I had to take the back roads which took much longer. The only way I could ride (not drive) on the Expressway was when someone else was driving, and even that put me in a panic whenever a Semi drove by....

If you cannot overcome ur PTSD, seeking therapy might be ur best bet. As for myself, I decided to face my fear of driving on the Expressway head-on after years of being afraid to do so. I still feel a little panicky at times, tho'., and avoid it as much as possible.

Good Luck!
 
I agree, I think therapy might help. You said the guy isn't stalking you, but you get upset when you see him, to me, this means it is a situational problem. When you are in certain situations you feel anxiety and are thinking fantastic thoughts, but the thoughts become fantasy. A professional might be able to better help with these issues. It's a tough situation and a hard thing to go through.
 
rockin'robin said:
Hope I'm not off topic here....years ago when I had an accident with a Semi on the Expressway...Nightmares were nightly, didn't want to go to sleep...and I could not drive on the Expressway for years. Going to work was a hassle, as I had to take the back roads which took much longer. The only way I could ride (not drive) on the Expressway was when someone else was driving, and even that put me in a panic whenever a Semi drove by....

If you cannot overcome ur PTSD, seeking therapy might be ur best bet. As for myself, I decided to face my fear of driving on the Expressway head-on after years of being afraid to do so. I still feel a little panicky at times, tho'., and avoid it as much as possible.

Good Luck!
Click to expand...

You're not off topic! This tread is not just for me but for anyone who has had experience with PTSD to share their experience and how they've overcome it. Facing the fear is one way to do it which I've been doing instead of avoiding the person when I see him I've been making myself talk to him because it's something I need to deal with. Your avoidance of the highway and what you described is a clear cut PTSD issue.

For those who are unaware of what PTSD is here is the defintion including symptoms:

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a type of anxiety disorder. It can occur after you've seen or experienced a traumatic event that involved the threat of injury or death.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors
PTSD can occur at any age. It can follow a natural disaster such as a flood or fire, or events such as:

•Assault

•Domestic abuse

•Prison stay

•Rape

•Terrorism

•War

For example, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 may have caused PTSD in some people who were involved, in people who saw the disaster, and in people who lost relatives and friends.

Veterans returning home from a war often have PTSD.

The cause of PTSD is unknown. Psychological, genetic, physical, and social factors are involved. PTSD changes the body's response to stress. It affects the stress hormones and chemicals that carry information between the nerves (neurotransmitters).

It is not known why traumatic events cause PTSD in some people but not others. Having a history of trauma may increase your risk for getting PTSD after a recent traumatic event.

Symptoms
Symptoms of PTSD fall into three main categories:

1. "Reliving" the event, which disturbs day-to-day activity

•Flashback episodes, where the event seems to be happening again and again•Repeated upsetting memories of the event

•Repeated nightmares of the event
•Strong, uncomfortable reactions to situations that remind you of the event2. Avoidance•Emotional "numbing," or feeling as though you don't care about anything

•Feeling detached

•Being unable to remember important aspects of the trauma

•Having a lack of interest in normal activities

•Showing less of your moods

•Avoiding places, people, or thoughts that remind you of the event•Feeling like you have no future

3. Arousal

•Difficulty concentrating

•Startling easily•Having an exaggerated response to things that startle you•Feeling more aware (hypervigilance)

•Feeling irritable or having outbursts of anger

•Having trouble falling or staying asleep

You might feel guilt about the event (including "survivor guilt"). You might also have some of the following symptoms, which are typical of anxiety, stress, and tension:

•Agitation or excitability

•Dizziness
•Fainting

•Feeling your heart beat in your chest•Headache

If the PTSD continues I will not hesitate to ask to be put on anti-anxiety meds to get me over it. The ones in bold are what I've been going through since this poor guy triggered it. When I say poor guy I mean in a way that I feel horrible about it. I'm running from him like I think he's a serial killer or something and it's just not....right. I do not see him often where I do see him enough for me to contiually force myself to interact with him if so it'd help a lot. Staying calm during a PTSD episode has been my biggest battle. I do not enjoy having panic attacks.
 
Rockin,
My father is 76 and still suffers from PTSD from a car accident he was in when he was in his 20's. He should be dead from the accident but survived. He is afraid of speed when someone else is driving and not him and will not allow anyone who is driving him somewhere to go "too fast". What is too fast to him will vary but I've seen my father hold onto the interior handle in the car to the point his knuckles are white.

Vacation guy,
I seems that therapy will be a good idea if this doesn't quell on it's own. As for the episodes I would describe them as pure panic, feeling fear. I do not have fanastic thoughts, fantasty which would be another way to describe delusional disorder in which case it isn't. You are correct that this is situational most people who have PTSD it is but most people who have PTSD including me do not have fantasies about the current events that make their anxiety worse. That tends to be more common in those who suffer from paranoid schizophrenia. The best way I can describe it is by pointing to robins post about the fear of the highway. It's very similar for me only this deals with a person instead of an inanimate object. :)

As for the person I think hes a great guy and do not fear him personally. My fear is based on a past experience and has nothing to do with him. I never did seek therapy or help after my stalking experience many years ago. It was pretty severe. My parents involved the police I was only 17 when this happened. We had to get a restraining order against him. He harrassed me, followed me around, and did threaten my life. He did assult me but I'd prefer not to share here. I am now 29 and never had an issue until this poor guy as I stated in my OP made a couple of appearances out of no where and that is how it started with my ex-bf all those years ago.

For the most part I'm doing pretty well with it I think. Talking about it has helped, even typing it out has really helped since I shared it on here. If I'm still having stupid panic attacks I'll give it another month, I think I might as well seek help from a therapist who works with PTSD victims.

everyone here has mentioned it and appreciate the replies back. Thanks!

Feel free to share your experience with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, it's why the thread is here. :)
 
I've had panic attacks so bad, that I was actually clawing at the wall, could not breathe!...It took awhile for them to pass.

It's a horrible feeling, I know. Fear was the culprit....

My way of avoiding this, was mind-set...and not allowing anything to upset me so much that I would have a panic attack. Facing a "fear" head-one, can be too much for some people...but for others, taking it slowly, one step at a time can remedy it, as I did.

Good Luck, Jasapeth!...Take it slowly, one day at a time.
 
I think you should see someone for help . I have post traumatic stress disorder from having a very abusive childhood , and when I did in a heated argument I feel that I have to keep moving so I will not be an 'easy target'. My dad threw things at me! I was in also in a horrible auto accident, my car was T boned on my passenger side, if it been my side I could have been hurt a lot worst or killed! I had horrible post traumatic stress disorder after that accident and freaked out if a car got 'too close' to my car. It took me about 10 years to not
freak out when I see car in an intersection . It sound like you're some kind association to what you're seeing or flashbacks , I really think you should see someone before you have an accident while driving.
 
One thing that helped me enormously in handling the distressing symptoms of PTSD was when my psychologist explained the brain systems involved (esp. the amygdala & hippocampus). When I understood how the "emotional brain" activates these bodily reactions, it helped me handle them better. It also helped me to realise that so much advice given to PTSD sufferers is rubbish as it's not based on actual biological facts of what PTSD is.

Two books (amongst many) I found particularly helpful were:

The Body Remembers: The Psychophysiology of Trauma and Trauma Treatment: by Babette Rothschild
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Body-Remembers-Psychophysiology-Trauma-Treatment/dp/0393703274]Amazon.com: The Body Remembers: The Psychophysiology of Trauma and Trauma Treatment (9780393703276): Babette Rothschild: Books[/ame]
41TOci8j0PL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA240_SH20_OU01_.jpg


The Emotional Brain: by Joseph Ledoux
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/EMOTIONAL-BRAIN-MYSTERIOUS-UNDERPINNINGS-LIFE/dp/0684836599/]Amazon.com: The EMOTIONAL BRAIN: THE MYSTERIOUS UNDERPINNINGS OF EMOTIONAL LIFE (9780684836591): Joseph Ledoux: Books[/ame]
41GjxyN36CL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA240_SH20_OU01_.jpg


But I must point out that I'm the type of person who likes to understand things in a fairly technical, indepth way. I like to read and read and read until I get to a well-informed place.

This approach doesn't work for all people. I heard of people who prefer to take a more intuitive and artistic approach. For some people, reading these books will be too difficult or boring or not relevant to them.
 
Thanks for the links to the books! I'm an avid reader and do prefer to read books such as these over books for the average joe. Anything that is medical or psychological I have actual jargon laden books used by professionals. They cost pretty penny though. Some start at around 100.00. I will be getting both of these books!

As for the PTSD episode I'm happy to say it's somewhat lost it's grip but is still there but not as bad. Hopefully within another month it'll go away but if not there is help out there.

Share your experiences!

I did not panic today, whew. :) and yay!
 
I think I did suffer from PTSD as a child because all of my life I had been terrified of heights and didnt know why. Recently, I went to Arizona in August to visit my family. I was chatting with my dad about my brother falling down a cliff in Sedona when he and his girlfriend went hiking. My dad commented that he almost dropped me over a cliff when I was like 4 or 5 years old. I was like, "What are you talking about???!!" He said that my mom was about to take a picture of my dad holding me near the edge of a very high cliff because the background was beautiful and then my dad had the good idea to play with me by pretending to throw me off the cliff. He said that as he picked me up and was ready to pretend toss me, he almost lost his grip and I was screaming beyond control. I dotn remember that but my mom did say that for months afterwards, I had nightmares about everyone falling over a cliff and dying.

Interesting...
 
shel90 said:
I think I did suffer from PTSD as a child because all of my life I had been terrified of heights and didnt know why. Recently, I went to Arizona in August to visit my family. I was chatting with my dad about my brother falling down a cliff in Sedona when he and his girlfriend went hiking. My dad commented that he almost dropped me over a cliff when I was like 4 or 5 years old. I was like, "What are you talking about???!!" He said that my mom was about to take a picture of my dad holding me near the edge of a very high cliff because the background was beautiful and then my dad had the good idea to play with me by pretending to throw me off the cliff. He said that as he picked me up and was ready to pretend toss me, he almost lost his grip and I was screaming beyond control. I dotn remember that but my mom did say that for months afterwards, I had nightmares about everyone falling over a cliff and dying.

Interesting...
Click to expand...
That would made anyone afraid of height ! I was afraid of height too! My dad would put me on top the refrigerator when I was a little girl and walk away from me and leave me there ! Dad would take us kids out to his yacht and put me on top the deck then he would get in the rowboat with my older sister and brother and start to row away from the yacht waving good bye to me!! I would out in the middle of the ocean thinking I was being abandoned and be crying and frighten to death! Daddy and my brother
thought it was a riot ! My sister would be really upset and worried looking!
No wonder I have PTSD! My dad did this to me all the time!!
 
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