It was all fine, until.... Ptsd episode out of the blue

[Connerh]

I have been managing my Ptsd (rape and b abuse trauma) for 8 years. I am sure you guys will all know how hard that is, and that I am also very proud of myself.

I have had 1 major episode since then, which was triggered by bullying and sexual harassment at work. That was dealt with a few years ago and things went back to normal, and I was thriving! It helped that I was able to remove myself from the people & situation, allowing me to draw a line and get some closure.

Recently it has been triggered again. I got physically ill and have pain in intimate areas, this has triggered another milder but psychologically worse episode. I call it mild as I didn't recognise it for what it was to start off with (good ole friend denial) and when I did my brain was really hard wired against intimacy. Having come to terms that it was another episode, I am not in the fortunate position to remove myself from any external triggers.

I don't know what I can do, to go back to a more happier place - does anyone have any advice???

 

[MyWillow]

My psydoc and psychologist encourage me to notice and acknowledge my body’s response. To tell my body I’m listening. To do what I need to do - curl up with a blanket and the dogs and cats or cry or drink tea or garden or walk. It might take 4 or 5 gos to find what I need.

I work close to full time and get triggered almost daily so it’s pretty exhausting.

 

[Connerh]

My psydoc and psychologist encourage me to notice and acknowledge my body’s response. To tell my body I’m listening. To do what I need to do - curl up with a blanket and the dogs and cats or cry or drink tea or garden or walk. It might take 4 or 5 gos to find what I need.

Thank you for that. It took a few months to listen, and now going to do the above

 

[ChildofGod]

Welcome, Conner. Have you tried medication?
When I can't think of anything helpful, and I need to pull myself out of a funk, I pretend that there is a whole world of only me. (Because too many things are related out of memory and fear.)

It's hard to face triggers. I am replacing courage over fear, even though I am scared too much. I am physically safe, but I don't feel that I am safe.


Maybe just take it one tiny step at a time. You have support here with very kind people.

 

[Friday]

I am not in the fortunate position to remove myself from any external triggers.

The upside is that’s actually pretty impossible, although a lot of people have to learn that the hard way... since anything present during your trauma can become a trigger; the beating of your own heart, the time of day, the way a shadow falls... all trying to avoid triggers usually does is shrink your life until it’s just you in a room by yourself and still symptomatic as blazes.

However, one can worth with triggers & stressors... eliminating triggers one by one (instead of avoiding them, removing the association & response entirely, by chipping away at them), and there’s a helluva lot one can do with both stressors & managing stress.

PTSD & Stress management
- The ptsd cup explanation

Triggers & Stressors
- Stressor vs. Trigger - What Is A Trigger?
- How to use triggers as a means to recovery?

 

[digger]

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