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  1. #16
    compulsive's Avatar
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    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?

  2. #17
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    Quote compulsive View Post
    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.
    The Hokey Pokey IS what it's all about

  3. #18
    compulsive's Avatar
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    Quote chantellabella View Post
    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.

  4. #19
    VickieKitties's Avatar Living irl
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    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.

  5. #20
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    Quote VickieKitties View Post
    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.

  6. #21
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    Quote compulsive View Post
    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?

  7. #22
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    Quote *Swept Under The Rug* View Post
    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.

  8. #23
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    Quote CityofAngels View Post
    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.

  9. #24
    compulsive's Avatar
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    Quote takethebiscuit View Post
    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?


    I know its in the past. However I also know exactly how the past event will put me in danger now. And the anxiety is in the present. That is what scares me.


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

  10. #25
    VickieKitties's Avatar Living irl
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    Quote takethebiscuit View Post
    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. :/

  11. #26
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    Quote VickieKitties View Post
    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.

  12. #27
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    Quote compulsive View Post
    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.

  13. #28
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    I've been plagued with flashbacks and triggers for the past month. This is what's causing the insomnia.
    The Hokey Pokey IS what it's all about

  14. #29
    nemmm3's Avatar
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    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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    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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