How do you feel when your ptsd is mentioned in public ?

[Cactus Bloom]

I’ve been on disability for 7 years now so I don’t see too many people. What’s interesting is that I dissociate all of the time especially when I leave my house. I become someone else when I’m around others so I’m very disconnected from myself and my experiences and don’t have a filter. Some funny examples are about one time I went with my mom to help her take her two cats for their shots at the vet, so she introduced me to the vet and of course one of the first things people ask is where do I work. I blurt out I’m on disability and that throws people off and I think they’re uncomfortable to ask for what so I don’t say anything unless they ask which most don’t. But, it’s my mom or the person I’m with that seems more embarrassed or uncomfortable about me saying that so they will jump in and tell the person about the job I worked at previous to being on disability. It’s like I have a body shield on when I’m around people so nothing can bother me and I’m not afraid to talk about me having PTSD but I don’t say why. I use the opportunity to give a fast “education” about it if that makes sense? But, when I did work I honestly didn’t know I had PTSD because I was so numb to everything at work but suffered a lot out of the presence of people. My mental health had deteriorated drastically where I couldn’t “act” any longer. I do find it extremely hard being around people for very long because I get overwhelmed and overstimulated so I stay in my home pretty much all of the time. I haven’t done any healing work so I honestly don’t have any control over my fight/flight/freeze survival mechanisms. I definitely don’t have healthy boundaries for myself so I tend to overshare with people so to protect myself from myself, I stay away from people. Basically it’s the family member or the person who asks what I do that are uncomfortable with the being on disability answer I give them.

 

[Recovery4Me]

@Fionas74 Thank you so much for your point of views.

I haven’t done any healing work so I honestly don’t have any control over my fight/flight/freeze survival mechanisms.

I understand.< Hugs if you accept

For myself there are many hard-wired instantaneous emotions. However, my free agency (having options of control) came in recognizing my run away train and putting on the brakes. It took therapy, guidance, practice, exposure therapy to some triggers, tolerance by the members here and asking questions to learn.

I remember even asking @anthony when I first joined if my choice of reaction concerning catching a fist thrown at me was PTSD or training. (Thanks again btw)

Luckily the staff has asked me for clarity (many a time) if my social cues went awry and then assisted me in information of PTSD Disabilty and threads with aids for healthier cognitive thinking. Having a voice with peer support made a difference within my practice of my choice of reactions... but I still struggle upon occasion. Tolerance on both sides can be key.

So perhaps in time, you might find the support here to help you believe there are choices for you with handling PTSD symptoms. Best of wishes and thank you again for your share.

 

[DarkOne35]

Hi! :hug: < Hugs if you accept!

Today in my Rental Office, the conversation came up for an Emotion...

Well, I don't feel embarrassed by the label itself, as even soldiers coming back from serving have PTSD. The thing that I get upset about is when the details of HOW I became a sufferer.... It's just something that I wouldn't want strangers (Unless it's anonymous like here online) to know about me.

 

[jmad]

Well, I don't feel embarrassed by the label itself, as even soldiers coming back from serving have PT...

This captures my feelings, especially since my PTSD is based on childhood trauma.

That's in public. There is also the community that I come from - one that is very stoic and has very little understanding of mental health. For some reason, I when I do tell people that I have PTSD I feel like they don't believe me. That I am just making it up. I don't know; it's likely a cognitive distortion.

 

[blackemerald1]

I when I do tell people that I have PTSD I feel like they don't believe me. That I am just making it up. I don't know; it's likely a cognitive distortion.

You know, sometimes it isn't a cognitive distortion it is just plain ignorance or some sort of grab from the latest media spin on PTSD and public perception. In the absence of any informed opinion unfortunately a lot of people make up their own facts and purport to know what it is etc.,

as even soldiers coming back from serving have PTSD

No disrespect to soldiers and all but here we go again with the PTSD & War theme.

I really wish the community could get the facts on PTSD and not simply write it off as a soldier thing. There are so many, many other circumstance's and situations humans find themselves involved with that result in PTSD.

Yes I not only do not tell anyone I have PTSD nor how I got it. I just don't want to discuss it really. That's why I have a professional to help me get through it.