How Long Do You Isolate

[Boco]

No, months don't slip by before I contact the people I care about the most. I go crazy if days go by and I don't speak to them.

Im just trying to answer your question. I can go months without realizing that i havent spoken to said person because im trying to keep my life together while dealing with PTSD and 2 other mental disorders, trying not to get fired from my job today, trying to gain ground in healing, keeping up with my weekly therapist appointments along with the remainder of my Drs. etc. I barely have time to watch much of tv let alone stop to realize i havent contact said loved one since early March. Time slips away as it is and that was my point with "its June already"...im sorry but calling said loved one is honestly not on my top 10 of my 'to do list' of the week.

Time slips away for us all but with all that we have to do and are trying to deal with, it slips away more.

but this is the supporter section so I'm referencing contacting a loved one.

I know its the supporter section and im trying to answer your question which seemed to be a question for PTSDers to answer: "How Long Do You Isolate" and as a supporter without PTSD, I am sure you remember to call loved ones. We have a ton more on us therefore should be given a bit more lax to contacting people.

 

[Bubej]

Of course everyone's said "OMG it's June already" but this is the supporter section so I'm referencing contacting a loved one. No, months don't slip by before I contact the people I care about the most. I go crazy if days go by and I don't speak to them.

But we DONT have PTSD. We're not going to understand why. It just is. If your sufferer isolates as a coping mechanism, it helps them manage a symptom. They aren't worried about us when they're symptomatic.

 

[Afije]

Right it's just that my question stemmed from the comment "..months, years go by before I wake up and realize" . That's all I'm asking. I just didn't realize that it could be so long without even realizing it. That's not how my brain works and that's why I'm trying to understand. It's very hard for me to understand how and why that much time can pass, especially when other aspects of life appear normal. The day to day struggle is what I don't know. It's why I'm here asking.

 

[Peviw]

Hmm. I'm trying to wrap my head this. You really don't know you're doing it? I mean, I didn't think it was on purpose, but I thought you knew it. I'm so confused. I just don't understand how you don't know. You don't know that you haven't seen or called someone?

Correct. It's a little bigger than losing track of time, at least, for me. I'll just not return messages, think I have, or have meant to have, and then, it's a year later. This is not a romantic partner, but actually has happened with a person who I consider to be as close as people get to me.

 

[Zebeh]

It's a little bigger than losing track of time, at least, for me. I'll just not return messages, think I have, or have meant to have, and then, it's a year later.

It is, it was just the closest thing i could think of that happens to everyone that a supporter could understand. Forgetting is another thing that seems to be a PTSD thing (many many threads about it) so that would have an effect here. Thinking we've text but forgot to. Meant to call but forgot to until 3am, advising yourself you will call tomorrow and when you wake up forgetting again...etc.

That's not how my brain works

Because you dont have PTSD. You are trying to put your reasoning to something you dont have. It doesnt work that way. The closest i could think of is time slipping away from us all but0 you didnt like that. If you read my comment above, it pretty well explains it for me:

I can go months without realizing that i havent spoken to said person because im trying to keep my life together while dealing with PTSD and 2 other mental disorders, trying not to get fired from my job today, trying to gain ground in healing,

keeping up with my weekly therapist appointments along with the remainder of my Drs. etc. I barely have time to watch much of tv let alone stop to realize i havent contact said loved one since early March.

Add forgetting to that too then you pretty much have someone that will likely not contact you for months, not realize it, and not disocossiated.

I just didn't realize that it could be so long without even realizing it.

Are you? It seems that you are taking my explainations of why i do it and throwing it out the window stating I dont do this so it doesnt apply. No you dont because you dont have PTSD and wont fully understand because you dont have PTSD but it would help you to understand if you didnt take explainations and toss them. If you wanted to vent about it, thats a different story but you asked specific questions and i am trying my best to explain them in a way that will help you understand.

To your very first question of is that dissocissation. Absoultly not. It is PTSD and dealing with a ton of things all at once.

 

[Iseka]

This is what i meant to highlight

and that's why I'm trying to understand

Are you? It seems that you are taking my explainations of why i do it and throwing it out the window stating I dont do this so it doesnt apply. No you dont because you dont have PTSD and wont fully understand because you dont have PTSD but it would help you to understand if you didnt take explainations and toss them. If you wanted to vent about it, thats a different story but you asked specific questions and i am trying my best to explain them in a way that will help you understand.

To your very first question of is thatdissocissation. Absoultly not. It is PTSD anddealing with a ton of things all at once.

 

[Afije]

I'm sorry I seem to be offending some people and that's not my intention.

 

[Zafoze]

seem to be offending some people and that's not my intention.

Im not offended, Im just trying to explain it and you are trying to apply logic of a sufferer to a you're point of view and it doesnt work that way.

Like I said, if you want to vent, thats a whole different story but you seem to be still asking and trying to understand so thats why im still trying to explain it.

 

[Jijut]

I guess I am a bit confused by isolation and introversion and I see where if you do both, like me, it could seem like a very lonely world.

I do not work and though I love my spouse I LOVE when she leaves for work and I have the entire day to my self. Isolation or introversion or both? Some days fly by and others I get lonely and look forward to her return...then often I wish I was alone again a few hours later.

I love when I have a day with no commitments on my calendar, probably so I can relax and my time is mine. I will hike with a friend once or twice a week but that's all I need by way of interaction. Not isolating if I do that?

Sorry to jack the thread but appreciate clarification.

 

[Meci]

Sorry to jack the thread but appreciate clarification.

Great question! Create a thread about it (inside or outside of the annoymouse area and inside PTSD area or on the sufferer's area) and I am sure many will answer you. It honestly depends on how you define isolation.

 

[Oja]

There have been several threads on how long sufferers isolate... It's one of the things that cause a lot of supporters to join the forum.

The answer is nobody knows. Everybody is individual.

It's a coping mechanism to deal with stress... So a sufferer will probably isolate until they are feeling better.

 

[Una]

I think it means that we're hyper-uber focused on simply feeling better (reducing triggers, symptoms, stress, etc).

Perhaps think of it this way. If you had a partner or parent or child who was sick and required non-stop care & attention, then yes of course your attention for everyone else would fall to the wayside. Your attention is going where it is needed most. But for us with PTSD, the attention is on ourselves as the afflicted. We're focusing on ourselves and our own health, as it should be.

I think that this is the most basic way to explain it.