# Anxiety Disorders > Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) >  >  Flashbacks and Triggers

## Chantellabella

Does anybody deal with flashbacks or triggers?

I have both pretty often. I can be just at work or something and boom, I get hit with a flash of some memory right in my face. Or sometimes I'll be fine and something I see or hear or even smell will send me to a moment 30 years ago and I find it hard to remind myself that it's not happening now. 

I know this forum is for anxiety, but it sure would be nice to find a few people who could relate.

Thanks,

Cindy

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## L

Is it always the same event? Have you ever looked into PTSD?

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## Ironman

I would think there should be a progression on how we should react less each time.  Each time it comes up, it should make us less nervous than the last time.  Talking about it would help, too.

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## takethebiscuit

You have described enough for it to be my professional opinion that you may have PTSD. I recommend you speak to your doctor/therapist about this if you have not done so already. 

Whilst they share many similarities and PTSD can cause social anxiety, what you've described indicates anxiety caused by specific trauma(s). This needs to be treated. It will significantly improve your life if you deal with this with the help of your doctor/therapist.

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## CityofAngels

Weird thing for me is I get more flashbacks/nightmares when I'm happy how my life is going. When I'm depressed I rarely get them. One more thing making getting better harder.

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## Chantellabella

Thanks guys. I am in therapy and they are lessening. And I agree with CityofAngles. I get more when things are going right. My therapist says when things calm down in my life, my inner self decides it's time to remember things and deal with them. But it's not fun at all. Especially if it happens at work.

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## CityofAngels

> Thanks guys. I am in therapy and they are lessening. And I agree with CityofAngles.* I get more when things are going right.* My therapist says when things calm down in my life, my inner self decides it's time to remember things and deal with them. But it's not fun at all. Especially if it happens at work.




I'm glad I'm not the only one. Once my life was going really good and I had a nightmare about being raped by a biker gang. That sort of killed the positive wave I was riding.

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## Chantellabella

> I'm glad I'm not the only one. Once my life was going really good and I had a nightmare about being raped by a biker gang. That sort of killed the positive wave I was riding.



Yeah, it's hard to ignore something like that.

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## SmileyFace

Once in a while, yes. Definitely not as bad nowadays than it used to be, but when I do experience flashbacks and triggers today, it feels just as uncomfortable as the last one.

There are times periods of time where I'd have nightmares where I'd "relive" the events that have traumatized me, and most of the time that feels just as bad for me personally because everything feels SO real  ::\:

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## davidjvista1

I've been experiencing triggers and flashbacks recently,
My therapist has been helping me with memories that have been suppressed but I now can remember things, things that were just terrible but hopefully in time I will do better. My panic attacks we think are from trigger memories of harmful things in the past...

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## Chantellabella

Thanks GrumpyCatFan and davidjvista1 for sharing your experiences. Flashbacks and triggers are really annoying, huh? And people look at you like "why are you upset? It's not happening now?" They can't see that even though it isn't truly happening on the outside, your body is making it happen right in front of you. Body memories bring fear, anxiety and sometimes terror for me and it's hard to explain to people that somehow, yes, it's happening to me right now. At least in my body and mind.

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## *Swept Under The Rug*

I suffer from PTSD. 

 Living with PTSD is no fun at all. In my circumstances I feel as I constantly live in fear. Multiple reasons for this disorder and constant fear of getting hurt. Triggers that come from so many area's in a what should be normal day. typical things such as comments people make, something on the television, articles in the newspaper. Without the ongoing issues in your own head, or anniversaries of such events. 

I've got to the stage where I feel the fear is unbearable, living that way on a day to day basis is horrific. It makes it so hard to be able to calm down and have a normal day, the slightest thing triggers you and before you know it you are full blown out of control and either in or heading for a panic attack. Then I'm ready to flight, get away from everything, close myself off, shut down. Even though in a strange way Im hurting myself by closing off, the thought of coping or dealing with a situation you fear is petrifying. 

On the otherhand, where do you turn? People dont want to listen to your problems, or you are looked upon as being crazy. Its hard to believe that anyone can even relate or understand whats going on in your head. How do you turn off constant fear? Bla.. it all sucks.. 

The hardest thing of all... is knowing that there is no way to remove these issues from your life. Hopefully we can learn to cope better and when or if I do, lets hope coping will last forever.

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## takethebiscuit

I do not receive any money for promoting this resource and I think it's a great resource for people who suffer from PTSD, want to get help but feel daunted by the whole task of getting that help. This resource is made by one of my inspirations in psychotherapy, Andrew T Austin. Andrew's work is well know and respected in psychotherapy circles and well respected by the clients he sees.

It's not a cure and it's not a substitute for finding a therapist/talking to your doctor about the issue. But if it helps people on here so much the better:

http://www.posttraumaticstressdisorder.tv/

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## Equinox

Yes I experience flashbacks a fair bit, the triggers are usually out of the blue as mentioned. I also have PTSD related nightmares a fair bit, they can put me in a bad mindset the following day because I usually recall my dreams.

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## Ironman

The flashbacks can also be trained to get smaller reactions.  Anything like overcoming anxiety takes time and patience.
My PTSD came from my bad church experience.  I fear the same issues when I encounter new people.

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## compulsive

I would not say I have PTSD, but flashbacks, yes frequently. As opposed to making me feel like i'm in the past, they make me believe that that issue is now an immediate danger now and I start having the same anxiety symptoms as a present issue. 

As far as how it starts each time: I remember hearing what people have said in the past in my head or getting this jump of suddenly remembering something and then the anxiety following.

What do PTSD flashbacks start as?

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## Chantellabella

> I would not say I have PTSD, but flashbacks, yes frequently. As opposed to making me feel like i'm in the past, they make me believe that that issue is now an immediate danger now and I start having the same anxiety symptoms as a present issue. 
> 
> As far as how it starts each time: I remember hearing what people have said in the past in my head or getting this jump of suddenly remembering something and then the anxiety following.
> 
> What do PTSD flashbacks start as?



I used to do that............feel as though it's happening just as it did years ago. One way I was able to combat that was to remember I'm no longer powerless and can protect myself. That helped the shallow breathing and panic subside.

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## compulsive

> I used to do that............feel as though it's happening just as it did years ago. One way I was able to combat that was to remember I'm no longer powerless and can protect myself. That helped the shallow breathing and panic subside.



Yeah something like that could be helpful. I say something similar like "its not real" "its just images". Try to remind myself of that I guess.

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## VickieKitties

The nightmares have been bad lately.  It's just memories, not current reality.  I tell myself it's not real, the past is behind us, etc.  The smell of cigarette smoke is the worst, gets me all the time.

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## takethebiscuit

> The nightmares have been bad lately.  It's just memories, not current reality.  I tell myself it's not real, the past is behind us, etc.  The smell of cigarette smoke is the worst, gets me all the time.



The nightmares have been bad lately. And the smell of cigarette smoke gets you all the time.

Nightmares and triggered by a particular smell. Are you in therapy/under doctor's care? 

There are things that therapists can do to help stop the nightmares.

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## takethebiscuit

> I would not say I have PTSD, but flashbacks, yes frequently. As opposed to making me feel like i'm in the past, they make me believe that that issue is now an immediate danger now and I start having the same anxiety symptoms as a present issue. 
> 
> As far as how it starts each time: I remember hearing what people have said in the past in my head or getting this jump of suddenly remembering something and then the anxiety following.
> 
> What do PTSD flashbacks start as?



If you don't think it's PTSD then the flashbacks you speak of may be more "bad memory/emotional pain" type things.

Couple of questions if you wouldn't mind answering them:

1) Have you recently experienced a period of disassociation or "numbness" where you have found it hard to associate into memories and or the feelings that are happening in your body. If you feel upset have you been able to locate where that upset feeling is in your body?

2) Can you maintain a sense of where you are in time when these "flashbacks" happen. Are you always aware you're remembering something from the  past or do you react as if bad things are happening to you in the moment?

3) What is your response to these "flashbacks"? Do you react as if your life is under threat and do all you can to protect yourself or are you able to handle things in a more controlled manner?

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## takethebiscuit

> I suffer from PTSD. 
> 
>  Living with PTSD is no fun at all. In my circumstances I feel as I constantly live in fear. Multiple reasons for this disorder and constant fear of getting hurt. Triggers that come from so many area's in a what should be normal day. typical things such as comments people make, something on the television, articles in the newspaper. Without the ongoing issues in your own head, or anniversaries of such events. 
> 
> I've got to the stage where I feel the fear is unbearable, living that way on a day to day basis is horrific. It makes it so hard to be able to calm down and have a normal day, the slightest thing triggers you and before you know it you are full blown out of control and either in or heading for a panic attack. Then I'm ready to flight, get away from everything, close myself off, shut down. Even though in a strange way Im hurting myself by closing off, the thought of coping or dealing with a situation you fear is petrifying. 
> 
> On the otherhand, where do you turn? People dont want to listen to your problems, or you are looked upon as being crazy. Its hard to believe that anyone can even relate or understand whats going on in your head. How do you turn off constant fear? Bla.. it all sucks.. 
> 
> The hardest thing of all... is knowing that there is no way to remove these issues from your life. Hopefully we can learn to cope better and when or if I do, lets hope coping will last forever.




We are all different and no therapist or doctor would ever promise anyone a "cure". But from what you write I think you are not aware of the things that can be done to help and support people with PTSD. There's a lot of exciting work going on at the moment in areas such as PTSD and anxiety with many success stories and evidence based trials showing support for the work being done. Overcoming PTSD is not easy and it's a serious problem that can cause a lot of pain. I should know. My accident triggered a lot of problems for me. I had 15 panic attacks in one day just because it snowed and I had my accident whilst walking on snow and ice. 

Andrew Austin is a good therapist to get in touch with if you have PTSD. He inspires much of the work I do with clients and I look to him as an inspiration. Get in touch with a therapist/see your doctor about your PTSD. Your mental health is priceless and there are things that can be done. We don't know what will and what won't work for individual people but giving new things a go is a lot better than living with the symptoms and effects of PTSD.

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## takethebiscuit

> Weird thing for me is I get more flashbacks/nightmares when I'm happy how my life is going. When I'm depressed I rarely get them. One more thing making getting better harder.



Could be because depression can have a numbing effect on emotions and memories making it difficult to access and process emotions/memories.

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## compulsive

> If you don't think it's PTSD then the flashbacks you speak of may be more "bad memory/emotional pain" type things.
> 
> Couple of questions if you wouldn't mind answering them:
> 
> 1) Have you recently experienced a period of disassociation or "numbness" where you have found it hard to associate into memories and or the feelings that are happening in your body. If you feel upset have you been able to locate where that upset feeling is in your body?
> 
> Dissociation , frequently. Emotional numbness, frequently. I have some ability to memory recall if I force it and I cant feel anything for situations and then when I get these flashback things suddenly it hurts. Inability to locate emotions: never.
> 
> 2) Can you maintain a sense of where you are in time when these "flashbacks" happen. Are you always aware you're remembering something from the  past or do you react as if bad things are happening to you in the moment?
> ...



The same way I would react to something that makes me really anxious. So OCD compulsions and extreme avoidance physically and mentally.

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## VickieKitties

> The nightmares have been bad lately. And the smell of cigarette smoke gets you all the time.
> 
> Nightmares and triggered by a particular smell. Are you in therapy/under doctor's care? 
> 
> There are things that therapists can do to help stop the nightmares.



I'm not in therapy or currently medicated.  The last time my gp tried to medicate me I think she screwed it up, so I'm afraid to let her remedicate me.  She keeps recommending therapy but I'm not really comfortable discussing anything right now.  It's a whole can of worms. :/

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## takethebiscuit

> I'm not in therapy or currently medicated.  The last time my gp tried to medicate me I think she screwed it up, so I'm afraid to let her remedicate me.  She keeps recommending therapy but I'm not really comfortable discussing anything right now.  It's a whole can of worms. :/



I understand that you're not really comfortable discussing anything right now and it's a whole can of worms. If you've been recommended therapy and you've been experiencing nightmares and your quality of life has been reduced by what you've been experiencing then I strongly advise you consider therapy options. It's your decision of course.

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## takethebiscuit

> The same way I would react to something that makes me really anxious. So OCD compulsions and extreme avoidance physically and mentally.



Thank you for explaining further. In light of what you've said I think you may well be experiencing PTSD related symptoms. If you're not already doing so, please consult your doctor and a therapist about this issue.

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## Chantellabella

I've been plagued with flashbacks and triggers for the past month. This is what's causing the insomnia.  ::(:

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## nemmm3

I've had flashbacks of something that happened to me.I haven't had them lately but just after this happened I had pretty bad ones.

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## merc

After my daughter's 6 surgeries were finished, basically we were done with the major repairs and more into coping with her routine, I was watching something on television and this medical show came on and I didn't  change the channel and this dark curly haired little girl who although from Pakistan reminded me of my daughter came on.  She was having a hole in her heart fixed. The hallway for the surgery looked just like the one my daughter was in for her first surgery. The pre-op room very similar and I was there back in pre-op with the crazy pacing surgical nurse the strange outdated looking sink, the hustle and bustle and I remember what it smelled like. Thank God I was alone I just sat there and cried for hours. My therapist said it was likely a PTS flashback.  When she was going through all those surgeries, especially before they knew what was wrong with her, the first surgery, there was so much going on. I kept pushing back emotions waiting for the next surgery and the next. I barely remember my son as a baby. It's like I woke up one day and he's two.The therapist said that I probably never processed the grief of having a child almost die and I was too busy with caring for three children  and waiting for another surgery to deal with it.

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## func

> And the smell of cigarette smoke gets you all the time.



Same here. >.>

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## Chantellabella

> Hello,
> You know i also have this moment sometimes but it is quite different like when i walk or sit alone then i something comes very fast on my face it happen in just 1 one 2 sec but i feel like shaky and amazed at that time...



I agree that it is like that. It is not very fun. I hate when it comes on for no reason and then you sit there shaky like it just happened.

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## Nightingale

> After my daughter's 6 surgeries were finished, basically we were done with the major repairs and more into coping with her routine, I was watching something on television and this medical show came on and I didn't  change the channel and this dark curly haired little girl who although from Pakistan reminded me of my daughter came on.  She was having a hole in her heart fixed. The hallway for the surgery looked just like the one my daughter was in for her first surgery. The pre-op room very similar and I was there back in pre-op with the crazy pacing surgical nurse the strange outdated looking sink, the hustle and bustle and I remember what it smelled like. Thank God I was alone I just sat there and cried for hours. My therapist said it was likely a PTS flashback.  When she was going through all those surgeries, especially before they knew what was wrong with her, the first surgery, there was so much going on. I kept pushing back emotions waiting for the next surgery and the next. I barely remember my son as a baby. It's like I woke up one day and he's two.The therapist said that I probably never processed the grief of having a child almost die and I was too busy with caring for three children  and waiting for another surgery to deal with it.



Our daughter, twin to our youngest son, died in utero. The remainder of my pregnancy was one medical emergency after another, and even after he was born, he had a heart problem that consumed us for months. I think one of my coping mechanisms is to forget things - I have absolutely no recollection of his first year at all. I've looked at photos over the years to construct my own versions of memories. 

It upsets me because he's my youngest, and I remember every moment of my two older children's baby days. But not his - I lost that entire year.

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## sanspants

Does anybody else here get flashbacks from events that you wouldn't ordinarily consider traumatic? I get flashbacks from a bad breakup that happened over the phone, for example, and can't drive on that road at that time or I'll end up reliving it--despite being long over the woman who broke up with me. There is some "real" trauma in my past too, but for some reason it's the lesser-seeming ones that I flash back to, and that really get in the way of my functioning.

I aim to take this up with my therapist next week.

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## Chantellabella

> Does anybody else here get flashbacks from events that you wouldn't ordinarily consider traumatic? I get flashbacks from a bad breakup that happened over the phone, for example, and can't drive on that road at that time or I'll end up reliving it--despite being long over the woman who broke up with me. There is some "real" trauma in my past too, but for some reason it's the lesser-seeming ones that I flash back to, and that really get in the way of my functioning.
> 
> I aim to take this up with my therapist next week.



Yep. I get situations that replay over and over in my head. They weren't traumatic, but they bothered me at the time.

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## sanspants

> Yep. I get situations that replay over and over in my head. They weren't traumatic, but they bothered me at the time.



I know what you mean, but what I mean is having actual flashbacks for events that shouldn't matter so much. Regarding that ex-- When I drive down the highway, past the spot where I was cruising when she ended the engagement over the phone, I'm right back in that moment, reliving it, going through the disbelief and the grief all over again. 

I mostly have these flashbacks for relationships that ended in some sort of anticlimax, making them unfinished business. Anytime someone just dismissed me from their lives after we were very close, I seem to be somehow traumatized worse than when I was stabbed, etc. I'm guessing that on an emotional level, having the proverbial rug pulled out from under me is more damaging than the violating feeling of being physically assaulted. Perhaps that's because I've had absolutely no control in those emotional situations, whereas when attacked physically I could at least retaliate.

Does any of that make any sense?

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## Chantellabella

> Our daughter, twin to our youngest son, died in utero. The remainder of my pregnancy was one medical emergency after another, and even after he was born, he had a heart problem that consumed us for months. I think one of my coping mechanisms is to forget things - I have absolutely no recollection of his first year at all. I've looked at photos over the years to construct my own versions of memories. 
> 
> It upsets me because he's my youngest, and I remember every moment of my two older children's baby days. But not his - I lost that entire year.



I'm sorry that you had that experience. I blocked out many stressful things also in my past and it feels very surreal, like it didn't even happen. It has to be so hard though to realize that you missed a lot of your child's first year.

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## Chantellabella

> I know what you mean, but what I mean is having actual flashbacks for events that shouldn't matter so much. Regarding that ex-- When I drive down the highway, past the spot where I was cruising when she ended the engagement over the phone, I'm right back in that moment, reliving it, going through the disbelief and the grief all over again. 
> 
> I mostly have these flashbacks for relationships that ended in some sort of anticlimax, making them unfinished business. Anytime someone just dismissed me from their lives after we were very close, I seem to be somehow traumatized worse than when I was stabbed, etc. I'm guessing that on an emotional level, having the proverbial rug pulled out from under me is more damaging than the violating feeling of being physically assaulted. Perhaps that's because I've had absolutely no control in those emotional situations, whereas when attacked physically I could at least retaliate.
> 
> Does any of that make any sense?



Yep, it definitely does.  I truly believe that emotional scars are sometimes much worse than the physical ones.

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## Chantellabella

Ok, so last Monday, I was standing in my yard when a neighbor started shooting through the fence, through both walls of my heavy resin shed, and the bullets were hitting my house. I had just stepped away from that spot about a minute before he started shooting. I tried screaming at him to stop. Not sure why I didn't run for cover like my cats did. 

I pulled a chair to the fence and looked over it. The guy(s) were far into their house and were shooting blindly out of their back door. They were so far back, they couldn't hear me screaming for them to stop. I dragged the chair to another spot and screamed again for them to stop. All the while they were shooting more of something. 

I've been shot at by real guns and have been caught in gang fight drive bys. I knew it wasn't a gun, but it was something so powerful it was hitting my house. I didn't know at the time I looked over the fence that it was going through the fence and my shed before hitting my house. In other words whatever it was, was high powered. 

When I looked over the fence again,  and screamed, the guy finally heard me and came out. He said he was shooting at a target. I told him he was hitting my house and told him to stop.

After he stopped, I saw that he shot up my shed right at the very spot I poked up my head. In other words, it was sheer luck I didn't get shot in the head or lose an eye. Needless to say I called the police and filed a petition for the guy to be charged. 

Since then, I have suffered PTSD symptoms all over again. Jumping at everything, not sleeping, scared to go outside. 

After several days of the symptoms and after several days of working with idiots, I finally said, "I'm not going to let that asshole scare me from my own backyard." So I've been in my yard a lot the past few days just daring that [BEEP] head to fire a shot. He did on Monday and I called the cops again. 

I know it will all work out. I just have to not let this trigger past trauma. I don't want to give a stupid asshole that much power over me.

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## QuietCalamity

> After several days of the symptoms and after several days of working with idiots, I finally said, "I'm not going to let that asshole scare me from my own backyard." So I've been in my yard a lot the past few days just daring that [BEEP] head to fire a shot. He did on Monday and I called the cops again. 
> 
> 
> I know it will all work out. I just have to not let this trigger past trauma. I don't want to give a stupid asshole that much power over me.




W O W.  :argh: What an idiot your neighbor is!!! I hope he gets arrested or at least a big fat fine. That is such a reckless thing to do! And it must have been so scary, especially with your past (Getting caught in a drive-by??!!!!). 


You are so great at standing up for yourself, Cindy. I can't even imagine!

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## Chantellabella

> W O W. What an idiot your neighbor is!!! I hope he gets arrested or at least a big fat fine. That is such a reckless thing to do! And it must have been so scary, especially with your past (Getting caught in a drive-by??!!!!). 
> 
> 
> You are so great at standing up for yourself, Cindy. I can't even imagine!



I wouldn't call it standing up for myself so much as doing a pretty stupid thing.  ::):  I'm not sure why I went after him rather than run. I guess it's fight or flight and I chose fight. 

I joked at work that they don't have to worry if a shooter walks into our business. It seems that they will have plenty of time to run while I'm up in his face going, "Stop shooting!"

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## sanspants

> I wouldn't call it standing up for myself so much as doing a pretty stupid thing.  I'm not sure why I went after him rather than run. I guess it's fight or flight and I chose fight. 
> 
> I joked at work that they don't have to worry if a shooter walks into our business. It seems that they will have plenty of time to run while I'm up in his face going, "Stop shooting!"



I salute you  ::): . And I would have called the cops too. As useless as they often are, even the local blockheads would recognize that it's not alright for someone to endanger your life while randomly blowing holes in stuff! I had a gun in my face on my 30th birthday, and my only thought was that the convenience store parking lot would be a really ridiculous place to die. Nonetheless, I found myself yelling at the guy, "Look at the toughguy who needs a gun because he can't fight." 

Had I experienced a drive-by like you did, I'm not sure I'd have had the guts to say a word lol. Has the un-neighborly situation calmed down over the last 24 hours?

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## Chantellabella

> I salute you . And I would have called the cops too. As useless as they often are, even the local blockheads would recognize that it's not alright for someone to endanger your life while randomly blowing holes in stuff! I had a gun in my face on my 30th birthday, and my only thought was that the convenience store parking lot would be a really ridiculous place to die. Nonetheless, I found myself yelling at the guy, "Look at the toughguy who needs a gun because he can't fight." 
> 
> Had I experienced a drive-by like you did, I'm not sure I'd have had the guts to say a word lol. Has the un-neighborly situation calmed down over the last 24 hours?



Nope. Just the opposite. That happened Monday before last and this past Monday he was shooting again in his backyard. Probably at the woodpeckers on the pole because I didn't hear the shots hit anything. Not until he gets consequences will he get the message. Unfortunately consequences haven't seemed to happen yet............if at all. Depends on whether some guy decides if it's "worthy" to charge him for reckless damage. This is why I finally quit being a counselor in the Juvenile Justice system. I truly believe the only people who get justice are the rich and loudmouthed. I'm sure this guy's parents are lawyers. He's a student at the college. Due to a ton of circumstances which is the part I can't talk about, it's just really iffy if I even get anything for the holes shot in my shed.

As for what you said to that guy at the convenience store, now that's brave! I could just see us both in somebody's face going, "Oh no, you did not just do that."  ::):  I'm sure I would be cocking my head and shoulders back while I was doing it also. I can be pretty scary when I get the New Orleans street badass on.

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## sanspants

Oh, yeah, I see what you mean. Rich people can get away with whatever they want, it seems. Especially if their parents are somehow part of the city council, chamber of commerce, or whatever. But I'll save you from my "police corruption" tangent : P 

Whenever I see locals buying bigger and bigger guns, I think to myself: I'm sorry about your penis.

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## merc

> Our daughter, twin to our youngest son, died in utero. The remainder of my pregnancy was one medical emergency after another, and even after he was born, he had a heart problem that consumed us for months. I think one of my coping mechanisms is to forget things - I have absolutely no recollection of his first year at all. I've looked at photos over the years to construct my own versions of memories. 
> 
> It upsets me because he's my youngest, and I remember every moment of my two older children's baby days. But not his - I lost that entire year.



I know where you are coming from. I don't have really strong memories from my third child's first year or two. I do have one or two which I treasure. I would feed him in the middle of the night while watching Conan O'brian and it was peaceful and nice.

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## sanspants

Mine seem to be happening almost at random lately. The trigger seems to be Facebook, of all things. I'll see a trigger on there, and then HOLY [BEEP] I'm right back in the moment. Facebook is like a whole sea of triggers, but I kinda have to use it because the boss uses it to schedule work meetings.

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## Ironman

> Mine seem to be happening almost at random lately. The trigger seems to be Facebook, of all things. I'll see a trigger on there, and then HOLY [BEEP] I'm right back in the moment. Facebook is like a whole sea of triggers, but I kinda have to use it because the boss uses it to schedule work meetings.



Fakebook is a mess!

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## sanspants

> Fakebook is a mess!



Indeed. The unpredictability of it really gets to me. It's like living nextdoor to everyone you've ever known, and not knowing who may be knocking on your door at any minute. Lately what has been causing me to flash back to bad moments, is Fb suggesting I add my ex-fiancee as a friend. Over and over. There's no way to block that function of Fb either. Per my experience, it will suggest that you add whoever has checked your page lately. I'm assuming that she did-- since there are plenty of other people with whom I have more in common. Normally those would be the ones Fb would suggest. 

There are many more aspects to the issue than that, as you can imagine.

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## Misssy

Get a new email, make a new work related facebook account so all your ex-neighbor's plumber's niece's pet sitters wont be able to stalk you.  I have a facebook but haven't added any family or friends due to being worried about what will happen if I connect it all together.

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## Ironman

> Indeed. The unpredictability of it really gets to me. It's like living nextdoor to everyone you've ever known, and not knowing who may be knocking on your door at any minute. Lately what has been causing me to flash back to bad moments, is Fb suggesting I add my ex-fiancee as a friend. Over and over. There's no way to block that function of Fb either. Per my experience, it will suggest that you add whoever has checked your page lately. I'm assuming that she did-- since there are plenty of other people with whom I have more in common. Normally those would be the ones Fb would suggest. 
> 
> There are many more aspects to the issue than that, as you can imagine.



Wow - that's scary!  ::(:

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## Chantellabella

> Indeed. The unpredictability of it really gets to me. It's like living nextdoor to everyone you've ever known, and not knowing who may be knocking on your door at any minute. Lately what has been causing me to flash back to bad moments, is Fb suggesting I add my ex-fiancee as a friend. Over and over. There's no way to block that function of Fb either. Per my experience, it will suggest that you add whoever has checked your page lately. I'm assuming that she did-- since there are plenty of other people with whom I have more in common. Normally those would be the ones Fb would suggest. 
> 
> There are many more aspects to the issue than that, as you can imagine.



Yeah, I got rid of Facebook because my sister-in-law started talking to the kids at my work. My world had gotten way too cozy with each other. 


Speaking about triggers......................man I've been getting triggered all over the place. Anybody know when the whole trigger thing is done? I made a list of all my buttons just to see what it is and why it is that I'm set off like that. I guess it just takes awhile to resolve things that are so entrenched that I automatically react in my body.

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## sanspants

> Yeah, I got rid of Facebook because my sister-in-law started talking to the kids at my work. My world had gotten way too cozy with each other. 
> 
> 
> Speaking about triggers......................man I've been getting triggered all over the place. Anybody know when the whole trigger thing is done? I made a list of all my buttons just to see what it is and why it is that I'm set off like that. I guess it just takes awhile to resolve things that are so entrenched that I automatically react in my body.



Hello  ::):  I've been hearing rumbles around the workplace about people flashing back more through the cold seasons. I put it together like this: Many have seasonal affective disorders during Winter. So with them inevitably come increased symptoms of depression and greater anxiety -- which lead to feelings of weakness and susceptibility to flashbacks. 

It's a great big chain reaction, methinks. I can really only speculate since these are my "safe" seasons.

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## Chantellabella

> Hello  I've been hearing rumbles around the workplace about people flashing back more through the cold seasons. I put it together like this: Many have seasonal affective disorders during Winter. So with them inevitably come increased symptoms of depression and greater anxiety -- which lead to feelings of weakness and susceptibility to flashbacks. 
> 
> It's a great big chain reaction, methinks. I can really only speculate since these are my "safe" seasons.



I think you're right about it being worse in the winter. And actually, I moved last year from a place that got really cold to a place that gets only slightly chilly. I've not been as depressed this winter, so you may be on to something. I tend to hate Oct because that's when the cold would blast in before. It was almost 80 today where I am now.

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## cathering

yes I am with you. I understand the triggers can be smells, sounds, places, things people say or just something that bring back the pain. and it hurts it literally hurts to remember in the brain the painful experience you want to forget and your brain works hard hard on making you forget to help you cope. the triggers can set off headaches too, thinking about the event that causes the ptsd or anxiety or panic... i am going through a bit of it at moment . black out happened today and a powerbox blew up banging a  few times and smoke and it was bringing back pain to me from as a child later. the smell even of fire burning and the fire siren coming and lights blacking out. 

the cyclone warnings also and all the flash flooding panics me. or my cat getting sick and off his food ... 

my panic attacks are shocking at present bad head feelings and not wanting to think about being in ambulance with stroke or chest pain... cuz i have chest pain and have to remind myself its not real its just anxiety. 


or is it?

go back to the doctor soon.  fear of all kinds come over me over health and flu injection and my ear and noises and medications... 

fears of all kinds that i am dying and something is wrong... but so far mri and ct scans and blood show nothing wrong...

i want to protect me and my family and pets. 


help me get more money and better coping skills, better money managment and get doctors help with super fund issues to get my money.   fear of being let down again and messed around by a unknown evil person. 

things my mum said to me today that this doctor would not want to know me... cuz of our class and status in life// i have to learn to think less more... afterall i am on a disability pension and who would want a loser like me? why is she so right and can't be proved wrong for once.

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## Chantellabella

> yes I am with you. I understand the triggers can be smells, sounds, places, things people say or just something that bring back the pain. and it hurts it literally hurts to remember in the brain the painful experience you want to forget and your brain works hard hard on making you forget to help you cope. the triggers can set off headaches too, thinking about the event that causes the ptsd or anxiety or panic... i am going through a bit of it at moment . black out happened today and a powerbox blew up banging a  few times and smoke and it was bringing back pain to me from as a child later. the smell even of fire burning and the fire siren coming and lights blacking out. 
> 
> the cyclone warnings also and all the flash flooding panics me. or my cat getting sick and off his food ... 
> 
> my panic attacks are shocking at present bad head feelings and not wanting to think about being in ambulance with stroke or chest pain... cuz i have chest pain and have to remind myself its not real its just anxiety. 
> 
> 
> or is it?
> 
> ...



One of the things that helped me with worries like this was a worry jar. I know it sounds silly, but it actually worked. I got an empty gallon water jug and covered with construction paper. I even wrote on it "worry jar." Somebody else had given me this idea. Then I sat down and started writing out all my worries on little slips of paper. I hadn't realized just how many worries I had. No wonder I was stressed out all the time. 

Once I filled up this jar with these slips which counted to be over a 100, I sat down to read each one. If it was something I had absolutely no control over like some horrible accident of one of y kids or a plane hits my house (I live close to an airport). I put it in one pile. All I could do with that pile is pray that nothing really bad happens to them or me.

Then I had a pile like if a tornado should come or someone should break into my house. That pile was things I could do to be slightly prepared. I fixed a closet door lock so that there is no handle on the outside and you need a key to get in. The handle is on the inside. I did this so my special needs granddaughter would not go shopping in my closet. When I realized it could also serve as a safe room, I made a plan if I heard an intruder to bring my phone into this closet, lock it from the inside with no key on the outside. That way I had a chance to call 911. I also have a designated place for a tornado warning. In other words, this pile had things that I could try some preventative measures to feel a bit safer.

The third pile was things that I had a little more control over. Money, reaching out to people, going somewhere. Even though I worried about these things, I made plans on how to deal with them in baby steps. Save 10 dollars each paycheck, maybe call a person, or force myself to see a movie alone. 

I started finding that these worries didn't seem so daunting. It was like I had some control over it. And the things I had no control over were then seen in reality. I figured I could choose to worry over what I had no control over, or I could take the time to make plans for what I could, or work on accomplishing baby steps with the easier ones.

Sorry for the tome. I've been working on these things myself, so I understand how you feel overwhelmed.

Cindy

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## cathering

thanks great ideas, yes the recent cyclone and the water damage down stairs to some furniture really did trigger some worries for me we are in the process of cleaning however some are much more worrisome with internal water leaking etc...

and my health a worry to me much the same feelings of worry over issues in my ear or head etc that has had me worrying about meningitis or tumors or cancer etc.. so far this have come up clear they tell me i am a hypochondriac which is better then being really really ill ...

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## Member11

> ...



I can relate, I had a pretty bad childhood where I was mentally and physically harmed. But I don't get flashbacks where I see what happened to me, I only get what I felt at the time but those emotions are quite painful. I don't tell people about my triggers anymore as I found that they will use it against me if I do.

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## Chantellabella

> I can relate, I had a pretty bad childhood where I was mentally and physically harmed. But I don't get flashbacks where I see what happened to me, I only get what I felt at the time but those emotions are quite painful. I don't tell people about my triggers anymore as I found that they will use it against me if I do.



Yeah, I made a button pushing page on my site, then hid it because even though it was good to figure them out, I didn't want to publicize it to people. I've been hurt too that way.

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## 1

Done

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## Rawr

All the time. I have many flashbacks & triggers due to bullying growing up. One of my biggest triggers is when people near me start laughing cause I think they're laughing at me just like back in School. Another trigger is when people ignore me. Just makes me think of the times my father ignored me at the door coming to visit him. Last but not least I hate when people argue or yell around me. It just really makes me feel bad.

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## Total Eclipse

I think my PTSD is mainly in the healing processes, however I have slip ups and exacerbation's with the trauma when triggered. Currently dealing with 3 "triggers". They have been taking over every part of my life, and I sit and dwell from the triggers. During these episodes I feel panic attacks most of the day and vivid day-dreaming and bad dreams. It has also caused so much stress it's onset seizures. Today I was just reading something online when something I was reading processed in my brain differently -- and then 100 thoughts went in my mind as my mind decided to connect things and I started to shake. I cried in bed for almost 2 hours... and now scared to even leave my room...  ::(:  ... I'm pathetic....  ::(:

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## Chantellabella

You know what's really sad? I've been reading a kid books series for 7 years now. I started it at my last place of employment with that abusive supervisor. A new book came out and as I was reading it last night, it kept bringing me back to that abusive place of employment. Then I had nightmares of her all last night. 

Now I can't decide if finishing the book is worth it. I'm going to try it one more night and if I again dream of this women verbally abusing me all night, I may just hang up the series. It's getting a little lame anyway and after almost 40 books in the series, how many perils can two kids get into. 

But I want to make sure it's the book that I'm no longer interested in reading and not because of the trigger. Because if it's the trigger, like hell will I give it up and let that [BEEP] ruin it for me.

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## Chloe

My boyfriend had to switch off a movie last night (not for the first time) because a man was possessed and did something nonconsensual and when the woman ran to the shower took photos of her and then later proceeded to go all the way with her again nonconsensual this then caused a huge anxiety attack that followed me from last night to this morning. Quite a few movies have ended this way such as paranormal activity 2 (violent male figure) or jack reacher (eyes). I thought movies had to have warnings for triggers especially on things such as rape or sexual violence ?? May consider emailing Netflix as a suggestion 

These either set me off on anxiety or panic attacks and I'll randomly remember these things at later dates almost as if I can see it like my eyes are the TV if that makes sense never really thought of calling them flashbacks but don't want to self diagnose

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## Total Eclipse

> My boyfriend had to switch off a movie last night (not for the first time) because a man was possessed and did something nonconsensual and when the woman ran to the shower took photos of her and then later proceeded to go all the way with her again nonconsensual this then caused a huge anxiety attack that followed me from last night to this morning. Quite a few movies have ended this way such as paranormal activity 2 (violent male figure) or jack reacher (eyes). I thought movies had to have warnings for triggers especially on things such as rape or sexual violence ?? May consider emailing Netflix as a suggestion 
> 
> These either set me off on anxiety or panic attacks and I'll randomly remember these things at later dates almost as if I can see it like my eyes are the TV if that makes sense never really thought of calling them flashbacks but don't want to self diagnose



You should check imdb they have a "parent guide" that basically lists everything on a movie that can be trigger. Example: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083564/...e?ref_=tt_ql_7

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## Chloe

I would too, I went to the movies last night with a new friend don't think he was to impressed at me jumping and shaking every time the abusive dad in the movie shouted. Don't go to the cinemas that much with him anyways so doesn't bother me too much it's Just if we're at at home watching them  ::\:

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