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Natural Disaster Anyone Elses Ptsd Caused From A Natural Disaster? Specificly A Tornado?

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trav

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Hello all,

I was wondering if anyone else's ptsd was caused from a natural disaster. More specificly a tornado. I only ask because I'm in need of help with controling my triggers or rather my reaction to them, and I was wondering if anyone else with experience with this could lend some insight.

My big triggers are the weather. Unless its a sunny wind free day I have trouble. The more severe the weather the worse. Even if you didn't get "tornadoed" if you get triggered by the weather I'd like to hear what you've found helpful.

Depending on the weather my symptoms can be as "mild" (I use that term loosly, its actually quite annoying and infuriating) as being easily distracted, iritable, difficulty concentrating and almost no short term memory. To panic attacks and having to look out the window a couple times a minute to make sure it the trees arn't about to fall on me, to at they're worse being absolutly certain that I'm going to die. Throw in a healthy dash of flashbacks that coincide in severity with the severity of the weather/anxiety and you've got yourself a very rough/basic idea of whats been going on lately. Also if you've got any tips for getting rid of nightmares I'd appreciate it.

Thanks for reading,
Travis
 
Hi Travis, my PTSD resulted not from an Act of God as such but I awoke choking from smoke.
My home caught fire in the middle of the night in a heavy thunder storm.

Even if I do not know the date, my body remembers the anniversary each year of the past 17.

My triggers are fire...smoke...even a waft of cigarette smoke can trigger a reactive depressed feeling.
During thunder storms I often watch TV with the volume way up.
I avoid sleep at these times as my experience is that of horrible nightmares and night sweats.

I have at times heard crackling fire and seen and smelt smoke when there was none, during a wild storm.
Hmm, I just realized that storms are a trigger for me...wow...I didn't know that...thanks Travis.

xxx Evangeline.
 
Hello trav. My PTSD was initially caused by Hurricane Katrina. My weather-related triggers include strong winds, thunder, lightning and the appearance of any type of weather warning scrolling on the t.v. Some of the things I have experienced include: I moved far from the beach, but, in any storm, I repeatedly check the windows or stand in the doorway and inspect every cloud for potential trouble, until they are gone. I have forced my friends and family into the basement unnecessarily for hours a few times. I refused to get into a car at all on days it may rain.

Some of these things have subsided or lessened in severity over time. I have learned to self-talk myself into continuing with normal daily chores on rainy days and just pull the car over when I start feeling too overwhelmed. I try to find somewhere fun to stop and grab an ice cream or something. Of course, I still won't sit by the window and I focus on the objects INside to keep from being carried away by fear. If the t.v. is scrolling, I turn it OFF. You really only need to read that thing the first time it goes by. I only suggest that my loved ones come with me to the basement now and I don't go as often. I also don't get mad at myself for going. I have less to worry about down there. It really isn't that unreasonable. Finally, try to remember those things you used to enjoy on a rainy day. For me, it was spending the day in my robe, reading a book or watching a favorite movie. I try to go do those things in a room with no windows. Then I get the good feelings I once associated with that kind of weather without torturing myself watching for the bad. It takes a lot of effort sometimes, but it has improved things for me, and there are times when I have no reaction to the trigger at all anymore.

I hope you find things that work for you. In the meantime, be kind to yourself. The things you are experiencing are a completely acceptable reaction to an unusual experience. Remembering that has made a huge difference for me in every aspect of this experience.
 
If you find an answer on here I too would love to know. I went thru the Joplin, MO may 22 2011 EF5 tornado. I was on the 8th floor of St Johns Hospital that was hit. I was holding my newborn son whom was only 16 hours old. I too to this day am terrified of any stormy weather. I am a out the window watcher, constantly looking at radar on my phone. I'm pissed that day changed me. I used to love storms. Not anymore.
 
Yeah, think so, never diagnosed though

When I was 11 I was about out walking a neighbors dog when one formed a couple hundred meters from me … suffice to say not a fan of dark brewing severe weather … especially when out on the road …
 
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Hello trav. My PTSD was initially caused by Hurricane Katrina. My weather-related triggers include s...
We don't have bad tornados in Australia where I live but I was trapped in a bushfire which destroyed our home as a child and I have had other fires near our home Burning embers and sparks landing on our property. Wind and storms in the winter are fine for me but strong winds and hot weather are real triggers. The smell of smoke unless it is from a small campfire which I can see is well ccontrolled. Also sight of burnt trees and radio announcements re fire danger, fires etc. I get nauseus at the sight of burns even photos eg in first aid courses. I have recently started therapy but that has stirred things up badly
 
Not exactly, but I do feel I was traumatized by the 1974 Super Outbreak where there were 148 tornadoes in 13 states and mine was one of them. The sky was so black that I thought the world was coming to an end. I was 13 yrs old at the time.

I knew from a school essay that I had done, that a tornado had once blown a piece of straw all the way through a telephone pole once, so I was aware of the damage they could do. I was very afraid and I could hear the sound of a tornado in the distance. I never want to be in that situation again. Now I am very afraid of storms of any kind.

Prayer and preparedness are the only things I have found helpful, but there seems to be a shortage of "Emergency Shelters" around here. :(
 
I have not been diagnosed and have only recently begun to wonder if I have PTSD from tornadoes, especially since moving to Arkansas. Back in 2010, I had to drive across the country due to my mother being in the hospital. On my return trip, I drove from Missouri into Oklahoma at sunset, smack into an evolving thunderstorm. This was the first time I actually thought I was going to die as a tornado passed behind my vehicle, sliding it across the freeway. Since that time, I have more and more distress every time there is a storm, I cannot drive at night if it is storming, or even raining and breezy, without severe, paralyzing anxiety. Whenever this is a tornado watch posted, I panic and if there is a warning, forget it. I have a melt down, especially since we now have no basement. I drive my family insane and am not sure what to do myself to control this.
 
Hello all,

I was wondering if anyone else's ptsd was caused from a natural disaster. More specificly a tor...

Travis,
I struggle with a problem similar to yours. Almost 3 years ago, a tornado tore through my side of town when I was home alone. After the disaster, I had reoccurring nightmares that left me waking up screaming in the middle of the night. I am now afraid to be alone during any type of severe weather.
I, also, have the same weather triggers as you do. If any dark clouds are approaching I get slightly nervous and get obsessive about checking the weather radar. And don't even dare mention to me about rumors of a tornado, because that will just make it worse. I have gotten better with realizing that nothing bad is going to happen if it is just a thunderstorm.
Reassuring yourself helps. I just tell myself. "Its just a bad storm at the moment, but however, I will keep an eye on the weather channel to see if anything changes."
I still have yet to calm the PTSD symptoms for when a tornado actually happens. Just remember, Travis, that overcoming a fear can sometimes take awhile. Good luck!
 
Hello all,

I was wondering if anyone else's ptsd was caused from a natural disaster. More specificly a tor...

I survived the Dec 26, 2016 tornado. If I never have to hear that sound again I'll be really happy with my life. I had to go to therapy for my PTSD after I found myself sobbing uncontrollably in the bathroom at work because I LOOKED at the weather report and it said there was going to be bad storms. I don't know how much the therapy actually helped. I'm still having terrible nightmares, and am still very on edge every time another storms rolls through. This is rough.
 
Hello all,

I was wondering if anyone else's ptsd was caused from a natural disaster. More specificly a tor...

I just found this forum. I am a survivor of a tornado outbreak in the 70s that killed over 100 people. Our home was destroyed but we were not hurt physically. At the time I was not treated for PTSD although I had great parents who did all the right things. My school, however, did not. (It was a statewide event, but in my county my home was the only one hit) I was 12 years old when it happened.
I have the same symptoms...anxiety over weather, hyper-awareness, memory loss from time after the event, remember every second of the event. I have had treatment since and it has helped. I have found I have to be very careful who I talk to about it with.
Oh, and 7 years after the F5 tornado I was in a store hit by a F2 tornado reinforcing all the fear in my head. All the people who had told me it would never happen again were totally wrong.
 
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I do have anxiety over weather. I have a trigger due to a massive snow storm that essentially buried us. I started panicking about everything. We were literally trapped in our homes. I was already suffering from anxiety and exhaustion, so trying to manage through that ordeal didn't help. On my good days I couldn't care less about the weather. On bad days, I have to pray for God to walk with me as I try to get through it.
 
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