Staying calm when something major happens

[ZachWasHere]

Hello to all.
I am simply wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar. I'm always on guard(expecting the worst to happen at any moment). Some of the smallest unexpected sounds can have the power to trigger a panic attack(car door shutting next door, etc). Once I almost punched my brother-in-law because he shook me awake one morning. By the time I opened my eyes and recognized him, I had a fist cocked back ready to swing in the direction of his head. But when something major actually does happen, I'm calm. One guy tried to rob me a knife point a while back. Being on the lookout constantly I spotted him reaching into his pocket and pulling the knife out as he was about to pass me by. I managed to get the knife out of his hand, and put him on the ground. I don't know if it was a P.T.S.D. type response that I had, as it was automatic, but I had no fear whatsoever. I was CALM! Has anyone else had this happen. Is this simply a part of P.T.S.D.?

 

[SophiaWisdom]

Yep. Same.

I actually signed into this form on my phone, in public, which I never do, because I'm still a little jittery from a homeless man screaming obscenities at me last week one of the few times I was out in public by myself.

I have spent years traveling by myself so it is a little frustrating that I am in the state now where I'm nervous to be out in public alone. Even when I'm with a friend and meeting new people I can get shaky.

It definitely is the C PTSD plus the work I'm doing in my therapy now that keeps things up for me. This forum helps a lot.

As for the calm during actual crisis events – this is also a common trait of ours. We have to go into survival mode at that time so we are able to use our adrenaline or whatever neurological responses to get through it.

I wish I had some answers but unfortunately I'm in the same boat. I am beginning EMDR are right now and we do a thing called calm place so that's the only thing I can think of and I'm going to practice now. Are you in therapy too?

 

[Kintsugi]

I'm the same way--jittery, hyper vigilant, and over-anxious generally, sometimes even very emotionally fragile/sensitive for no apparent reason, but when shit hits the actual fan, I tend to be extremely composed and calm. I do often freak out after the imminent danger has passed, although sometimes it takes days or weeks for me to react to the prior stress.

I've always assumed that, if not a PTSD thing, it's a prolonged exposure to Trauma thing.

 

[Renestel]

Hello to all.
I am simply wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar. I'm always on guard(expecting...

I can definitely relate! Everything used to make me jump, I still have my head on a swivel when Im outside of my house, and trust no one I dont know really well. Then several months ago my husband and I heard a huge bang outside of the side of our house and while we both immediately ran out to see what was going on, we saw cops going down our street, my husband said we left the door open, dogs were inside and the cop said a guy was running from the cops. I immediately ran in the house, grabbed his gun threw in the clip, cleared out the house and grabbed the dogs. I was like a machine. I usually have so many emotions, fears, hesitation or in stressful situations I will freeze--but in an emergency I didnt even think. In a calm and protective state.
Ive been going to therapy for a year and a half now, I can tell you that in time and with hard work, you will be less jumpy day to day. But the alertness has always stayed with me and Ive begun to embrace it more. It helps save us. You were two steps ahead when that guy attacked you. Im so sorry that happened but give yourself a pat on the back- you fought back and were even calm while doing it.
SSimon- I think your last sentence is quite possible and interesting. (Prolonged exposure vs. PTSD) Something to chew on for me.

 

[Tornadic Thoughts]

**Raises hand*** Another one here. Super sensitive in every way shape and form, but can magically rock my functioning levels during crisis moments, although I try to avoid them like the plague.

Oddly enough, I think part of me used to subconsciously seek out folks creating chaos that often lead to crisis situations as a way to help myself actively avoid confronting and working through my own inner crises, if that makes sense. My adrenal glands sure are glad that's over, along with kicking the caffeine to the curb and learning how to breathe.

I also find it weird as f*** that folks happily and eagerly pay people to scare the bejeezus out of them in haunted houses and such. Homey don't play that. If you scare me in any manner, be it on purpose or by accident, do not be within reaching distance. The folks who think it's cute and playful to scare others really pluck my nerves, too. Even a loud sneeze can send me over the edge.

And don't get me started about July 4th, supposed to be celebratory of "independence", but they continue to celebrate by using fireworks that they damn well know triggers a lot of the service folks they're supposedly giving all that thanks to. "Ummmm....gee thanks for the celebration and stuff....but I have to go now so I can barricade myself in a sound proof room for the night (if not the whole f'n week thanks to the random fireworks junkies) so I can hopefully maintain what few shreds of sanity I have left, but ya'll have fun now, ya' hear." You can't make this shit up. It's mindless as all get out.

 

[Sideways]

I've actually always assumed this is a human thing. The hypervigilance is definitely ptsd, but particularly when confronted with another person in danger, I respond crazy well, and seemingly a lot more helpfully than most of the people around me, but is that ptsd (or maybe a type of dissociation, because it's kind of like an auto pilot state for me) or just a survival response?

I've had a bad run with being first on the scene at a fatal car accidents. 3 in the last 5 years and counting. And each time, I've seemed as far from "distressed" as it gets. Park car with hazards on in a place that will stop other vehicles running over the person, Call emergency services (which was handing someone my phone and telling them to), assess who needs help and how urgently, start rendering first aid, direct traffic around the scene if someone else is rendering first aid. No thought required. My sister having a meltdown in the background? Tell her to wait on the side of the road calmly. People starting to ogle the dead body? Cover it with a blanket from my boot. Not thinking, just noticing and reacting.

Having worked in motor accident claims in the past, that type of response definitely isn't the "norm", but I've got more stories than I can count where people have handled serious traffic accidents freakishly well on the scene. People being removed from wrecks and given first aid, people providing support to an injured person that can't be pulled free till the fire brigade cut the car open, the list is endless...

Is that ptsd at work? I think that's just how some people react in the moment...

 

[Renestel]

I so agree tornadic on July 4th. I even live in a neighborhood where they arent allowed and some house up the street was going absolutely nuts with them, scaring the crap out of me and my dogs so I finally walked my butt up there and told them to respect people who have ptsd and knock it the hell off.

 

[Bryan999]

Hello to all.
I am simply wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar. I'm always on guard(expecting...

Part of it. Im the same way. Calm when everything is going crazy. Crazy when I should be calm. Bad trade off

 

[Freedomfighter]

Hello to all.
I am simply wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar. I'm always on guard(expecting...

Well, I know the noises are certainly PTSD symptoms. I am always amazed at how sudden loud noises trigger a major panic attack, major major.
A lot of times I am just so sick of the every day symptoms I think even if something major happens now I just immediately think of what I would do if that major thing happens instead.
PTSD sucks, that's all.

 

[Bryan999]

I was a soldier and a corrections officer. I used to embrace the fact that I was a go too guy when shit got bad. But now that im older and increasingly more isolated I have come to realize that I was only pretended to be liked because I did a good job in dealing with violent situations that other people either could not or didn't want to deal with. Nobody really needs me for shit unless some bad shit is going down. Im getting too old to fight anymore and I feel really useless and unwanted.

 

[desiderata310]

This is me in a nut shell. The small shit? I will go straight into panic/flashback. Put me in a major crisis? totally calm and level headed. Go figure.
Haven't had to test this in a while but I've dealt with idiots brandishing weapons, people attacking others, people falling and breaking hips/legs/etc, drunk people passing out and falling and hitting their head, run away lines, fires, people having epileptic seizures... you name it, I've probably seen it and had to deal with it first hand. (I've worked in theaters all my professional life) I AM the person you want there when the shit hits the fan.

BUT. Put me in a grocery store where I have to navigate through and worry about who's around the next corner? Put me at the door of my house? etc... I can't deal.

My therapist says this is typical.

 

[gealach]

Calm when everything is going crazy. Crazy when I should be calm.

^^THIS^^

A bomb can go off and I'll hardly blink, but if a mouse farts in a field across the street you'll have to scrape me off the ceiling with a spatula.

lights & sirens at work, no problem. Lights & sirens as a civvie, jump 5 feet and have a panic attack.