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Sufferer Hi Everyone! Long-time Sufferer Trying To Get Thru College

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Hi there all. I've actually been reading this forum on and off for a few years but just decided to make an account and join the discussion. I'm a 20 year old film major attending a small private college close to home. I suffer from self-diagnosed PTSD. I believe I was sexually assaulted as a child by my best friend's father. In addition, I was raped last November by a close family friend. With the 1-year anniversary of that approaching, I've been having more and more panic attacks and dissociative episodes. I also suffer from bipolar disorder, general anxiety, and an EDNOS. My PTSD tends to mix with and influence all these other facets of my mental illness. I've opened up to a few close friends about last November but it's hard for me to talk about and I feel ashamed of how poorly I am doing mentally. In a way I just want everyone to think I'm fine and leave me alone. But I also know that I have two more years of college left and at this rate I won't be able to stay and graduate. I can barely even hear frat guys drinking and yelling without having a flashback. I'm in a group that tours around a lot to other colleges and I often have to stay in houses with all drunk, college-aged men and this getting harder and harder for me. Sorry to ramble on a little. I'm happy to meet all of you and I hope coming here will help a little! If anyone has any grounding/calming techniques for when you feel the panic coming on, I would appreciate that.
 
Im sorry to hear that. Have you tried to listen to soft music like smooth jazz or songs that have the sound of the ocean? Sunlounger is a very nice CD to listen to. He has two nice ones out one is called Another Day on the terrace and the other Sunny Tales. Or if you feel anxirty coming on when yiu are in a situstion, just excuse yiurselk and leave for a few min or however long it takes. Also exercise helps with stress and snxietyy as eell. Warm baths and showrrs help too or general massage also soft scented csndles with low ir dim lighting helps as well. Excuse misspelled words take them with love :-)
 
Build on/use those things that you notice calm you. Baths, meditation, nature, and calm people, help me.

Seeing a counselor, who believes me, and who is relaxing to be with, is also very calming. (At first therapy didn't work for me; I used 12 step groups, Incest survivors, Alanon, etc.)
 
@lisontheloose Welcome to the forum!

Many colleges and universities have great counseling resources and it might be something you want to look into. College is stressful and if you have PTSD increased stress does result in increased symptoms. Regardless of a diagnosis, you have something that is negatively impacting your daily life and it is important to know what it is as that will help you decide what direction you want to go to treat it.
 
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