Triggered - How Long Does It Last?

[Blackjack]

I was very suddenly and very strongly triggered in the early hours of this morning. Reacted really badly to it, kept crying, felt sick, was dizzy, awful flashbacks and panic. I eventually went to sleep after swallowing pain killers and Ativan. Felt really exhausted when I woke up and not up to doing much but made myself do a few things as hubby and mother around. However, am home alone at the moment and it has all started up again. Been crying now for well over an hour, feeling dizzy and shaky again and can't pull myself together.

I feel totally exhausted and scared at the moment and was wondering how long you have found your triggers last and how long to recover from one. This has been my longest one yet and I think the biggest. Have tried grounding, breathing exercises, distraction by watching tv, reading, meditation, but none of it is working. Getting panic coming in big waves. Can hear my own heartbeat racing in my ears which is driving me mad and scaring me. Just want to go to bed as I feel really unwell again like I did last night but can't as the others will be back soon. Need to get my act together.

 

[Deleted member 12723]

What triggered you? That may be the point to trace back to and then with new awareness be able to defuse it and be able to calm down.

 

[Friday]

It very much depends. It can be minutes, where my symptoms rocket skywards and I grab hold and slam them back down to earth hard, or it can be months when instead of getting control over myself I'm either feeding into the whole mess and making things worse, or doing nothing to effectively stop things going from bad to worse. My average, however, tends to be about 3 days of hit hard and then dealing with both that & the aftershocks from that.

 

[Deleted member 34328]

So very sorry about this! It's awful isn't it! I'm sure you must feel very vulnerable and scared. We all "have been there done that" but no one else is you. When my triggers and anxiety sky rocket like that, I've been encouraged by my T to focus on the physical elements. If you have a straw, try to sit with your head down and breathe slowly through the straw. Acts as though it's a paper bag, but will slow down your heart rate and bring some control. The trigger itself can be traced and figured out when you have some alone time to work through it, but I would focus more on calming your physical and emotional situation first.

You can do this! Hang in there... keep posting. I've recently had a similar experience and it truly is beyond awful!

 

[Blackjack]

Thank you for the help and the support. I really appreciate it. I have been physically sick three times this afternoon, I can't get warm, am hyper vigilant and feel on the verge of tears all the time. I know exactly what caused it and why but I would rather not say as it involved one of our lovely forum members and I would really hate them to know as it was not their fault at all.
I haven't experienced a trigger episode like this before, it feels totally overwhelming. Like I have been hit by a truck. I went to speak to my neighbour an hour or so ago but I couldn't bring myself to leave the house. I have never had that happen before. Heaven knows what will happen when I got to go to work in the morning. This is when I really notice having no meds, I really need some help :cry:
Having to try and hide it from the family is so hard and just makes it worse :(

 

[Deleted member 34328]

I know. It's awful. one minute at a time (or one second at a time)

 

[EveHarrington]

Hi,
I notice that you have come to the board in crisis a number of times. Is there a reason why you aren't taking medication? I think that medication should be seriously considered when a person with PTSD is highly symptomatic.

 

[Blackjack]

Hi Eve, I was on citalopram but had to come off of them so that I could take the strong painkillers for my back injury. Doctor took me straight off them, no tapering or anything.
I am so sorry that I keep getting these crisis times, I hate it and really hate being a nuisance and bothering people but I have nowhere else to turn. In hospital at the moment so it could all change re meds again. Don't know yet, too tired to really care right now to be honest. Want to sleep but they keep waking me up for stuff

 

[digger]

Are you getting any psych support while in hospital?

 

[Blackjack]

I don't know yet Digger. Came in about 2am this morning, been on IV for dehydration and anti nausea. they still doing bloods and stuff. Took too many pain meds. Been admitted to ward. I have not mentioned my PTSD yet, scared of what it might lead to. Think they might know though, they mentioned psych assessment. Feel horrid

 

[digger]

I understand how scary and horrid it must feel, but I think psych assessment might be the best thing to happen now. You need support @Blackjack.

I know you are worried about your husband's reaction, but, to be blunt, this isn't going to get any better in a hurry and, if he doesn't already suspect there is more than physical stuff going on, then he's going to have to know at some point and decide whether he's going to get on board with supporting you or not. Keeping it a secret from him is, in my opinion, probably contirbuting to your stress levels. Perhaps giving him the opportunity to prove something other than your fears might not be such a bad thing, and will at least free you up to get support from elsewhere once it is out in the open.

 

[EveHarrington]

You're not a nuisance or bothering us in the least!

It's good that you're reaching out for help.

I just worry as I think that when symptoms are high, there is only so much that the forum can give in terms of support and it's imperative to get other support in terms of therapy and medication so that our systems can calm down.

I know that healing can be next to impossible when we're running all systems go! so that's why I was concerned for you. Sometimes meds really can help calm things down so that we can move forward in healing.

I don't know much of your story because I rarely go into chat anymore.