PTSD and Trauma recovery

[Apocalipstic]

I totally get the feeling shut down emotionally thing! Right there with ya!

[Andrew, Jr.]

Tony,

I am so very sorry you endured that trauma. I will be praying for you.

PTSD is not something that just goes away, or if someone tells you to grow up or something rude along those lines - they have not a clue as to what it is to endure the trauma.

As for the shutting down experience, we all go thru that. Oh yes. We all do it. It is our body's way of giving us a "break". You will find yourself "zoning out" too. Another sign of the trauma.

I wish you peace and love, dear brother.

Namaste,
Andrew

[Apocalipstic]

I am overdone, I have been hitting myself in the head with the phone.
I need to stop that.

[TenderKnight]

Andrew, Thank you very much for your post. I have actually experienced the zoning out thing lately. I know it doesn't just "go away".. but part of me wants it to just go away, lol.

Jen, I hope your head doesn't break the phone.. lol (kidding, gallows humer here.) I hope that you get some time out time soon.. I have no idea exactly what you are going through, but if possible, a break from it might help. Even if it's just a little you time in the tub or on a walk somewhere.. My thoughts are with you.

OK, now I want to share what happened last night right outside of my apartment. I'm walking home and I'm half a block away and I see a lot of movement like right in front of my door. I of course go hyper aware and can sense some upset with them.. I get to the door and it's a couple of the homeless guys that hang out at the coffee shop down stairs and some other guy. The other guy is holding his finger. My first thought, "oh shit, i don't need this" but.. being who i am, I ask what's wrong. After a lil evasivness, it turns out, the guy tried to touch/mess with/looked at wrong, one of the homeless men, who promtly slashes his finger open with the blade he always carries.

I go upstairs, get the alcohol, bandages, and some bandage tape and come back down to let the cut guy clean up. The whole time, JC (the guy that cut the other one) is kinda circling and taunting the guy. Long story a little shorter, I think the guy will need stitches and I think JC has a little more respect for me.. lol

All during this, I'm calm, collected.. But another part of me just wanted to shut down and run. I told the cut guy that last week, I helped a guy that almost bled to death, "you may need some stitches, but you aren't going to die. (lower voice) and don't mess with crazy homeless guys with knives," he laughed and calmed down a lot.. He ended up walking away.

I just have to wonder why my Higher Power is setting these things in front of me. I wasn't able to sleep last night until i knocked myself out with nyquil. I've been clean and sober for over a year now and I'm going to pick up my program a bit.. Cause this shit is driving me to want to check out in big ways Talking about it helps a lot, but it is taking a toll and i can tell.

Love and Light,
Tony

[Apocalipstic]

Tony, it sounds like your neighborhood is scary. I would be terrified. I bet you tense up every time you enter your street now?

I totally get what you are saying about remaining calm though. In a crisis, I am calm and organized, then after if when I freak out and can't sleep and so forth. I have done the Nyquil thing before.

I won't go into my whole situation, I don't want to trigger anyone, but I was abused as a child while living in a country which was at war with itself including a coup and martial law and my mother died under bad circumstances and we moved to the US the same week and the abuse escalated...there have been periods of abuse or trauma since then that tend to escalate my symptoms. Feb of last year my father (abuser) died and dealing with all his stuff, selling his house all that has stressed me to the max.

One of the things I have always feared is the phone ringing....well, our receptionist has been layed off at work because of the economy and I am now responsible for answering then phone, and after idiotic call after even more idiotic all, I have started hitting myself in the head with the phone...In know it is insane. My therapist knows and wished I would get laid off work. I can't quit because I have been here 12 years and my G/F lost her job recently and is home going to school full time and my insurance and so forth.

Sorry I am rambling, I kind of feel nauseated.

[TenderKnight]

(((((((((((((((Jen))))))))))))))))

Wow, that does sound stressful There is nothing I can say or do to make it "better", but just know that you are in my thoughts.

No, not really stressful to go out on the street (although, I have been making every excuse NOT to lately, except to go to work.. hmm ), and honestly, the neighborhood is pretty calm.. lol. It just seems like I am running into these events. Bah..

Again, sending you some positive energy.

Dragonfly, thank you for your welcome and ((((((((((hugs)))))))))) right back atcha Sending Light your way too, hon.

-Tony

[Apocalipstic]

Originally Posted by TenderKnight

(((((((((((((((Jen))))))))))))))))

Wow, that does sound stressful There is nothing I can say or do to make it "better", but just know that you are in my thoughts.

No, not really stressful to go out on the street (although, I have been making every excuse NOT to lately, except to go to work.. hmm ), and honestly, the neighborhood is pretty calm.. lol. It just seems like I am running into these events. Bah..

Again, sending you some positive energy.

Dragonfly, thank you for your welcome and ((((((((((hugs)))))))))) right back atcha Sending Light your way too, hon.

-Tony

Thank you so much!

I hope we all calm down soon and get back to Peace and Harmony!

[Jet]

Hi everyone,

Just checking in before the weekend.
My journey into exploring and facing severe trauma began
18 months ago with the situation gaining intensity
and remaining that way for the last 3 months.

I'm proud to say I'm alive; I made it through
what had to have been the most frightening,
most difficult part of remembering my ordeal.

There were continuous body flashbacks; many
times I had to hold on to something and remind
myself that what was happening wasn't real,
but a memory.

The intensity has eased up quite a bit and I'm
able to sleep. But there are residual affects such
feeling isolated and wanting to be that way;
remorse, disbelief that I went through this,
and terrible feelings of victimization for
having been blindsided.

I have a terrible time coping with the
fact that anything at all could have happened
so unforeseen and left field.

I could have been killed, and to think that I
had a brush with death is a lot to deal with.
At the same time, I think these are painful,
but normal responses.

The past few weeks have been heart stopping
to say the least and it took incessant prayer
and what faith I have to face unconscionable
fears and memories.

Mine was a case of severe shock and fear,
to the point that my heart chakra is so damaged
it feels as though a sword has gone right through
my sternum and out the back leaving and "empty
space" in that area.

But as I remembered and moved through
the shock, I felt a sort of "fusing" as though
my insides are fusing back together and that
"space" is beginning to close—normal feelings
in my chest are returning and the recovery
process has begun.

I can't speculate how long this will take.
Until then, I hope you're all doing well.

Jet

[friskyfemme]

Originally Posted by Jet

Hi everyone,

Just checking in before the weekend.
My journey into exploring and facing severe trauma began
18 months ago with the situation gaining intensity
and remaining that way for the last 3 months.

I'm proud to say I'm alive; I made it through
what had to have been the most frightening,
most difficult part of remembering my ordeal.

There were continuous body flashbacks; many
times I had to hold on to something and remind
myself that what was happening wasn't real,
but a memory.

The intensity has eased up quite a bit and I'm
able to sleep. But there are residual affects such
feeling isolated and wanting to be that way;
remorse, disbelief that I went through this,
and terrible feelings of victimization for
having been blindsided.

I have a terrible time coping with the
fact that anything at all could have happened
so unforeseen and left field.

I could have been killed, and to think that I
had a brush with death is a lot to deal with.
At the same time, I think these are painful,
but normal responses.

The past few weeks have been heart stopping
to say the least and it took incessant prayer
and what faith I have to face unconscionable
fears and memories.

Mine was a case of severe shock and fear,
to the point that my heart chakra is so damaged
it feels as though a sword has gone right through
my sternum and out the back leaving and "empty
space" in that area.

But as I remembered and moved through
the shock, I felt a sort of "fusing" as though
my insides are fusing back together and that
"space" is beginning to close—normal feelings
in my chest are returning and the recovery
process has begun.

I can't speculate how long this will take.
Until then, I hope you're all doing well.

Jet

My dear,

I know alot of your struggle. I pray with you and for you in your healing.

God Bless You.

[Dragonfly]

BIG (((HUGS)))) to everyone here, new additions and regulars of this thread.

If life is a rollercoaster than PTSD is my loop de loops. Disoriented for that moment you dont know what is up or down.... spinning and dizzy today.

Everyone find peace where and when you can.