Sufferer Exaggerated!! Startle Response Describes Me

[TTinKKerBBell]

My PTSD exhibits with EXTREME Exaggerated Startle Response. When my household Family members enter the room, when my name is called, when the phone rings, when the doorbell rings, I SCREAM!! - not a little yip or yelp, but a high pitched SCREAM!! so suddenly and loudly that I scare Everyone in the room with my scream. And my cheeks turn very bright red when I startle like this. When I turn on the television and I'm EXPECTING the sound, when I dial the telephone and I am EXPECTING to hear "hello" I, none the less, jump right out of my skin when I get these expected responses.

 

[Truckinjoan]

I understand! I jump out of my skin if someone taps me and I'm not expecting it. Sometimes I even swing.
Does it always happen for you or only if you are tired or spaced out?
TJ

 

[Zipperhead]

I get the startle response when I'm not expecting someone to touch me. Makes crowds annoying. But worst part is when I pull away from my wife. I've tried to explain it's just the startle response thing, but she takes it personnally every time. Great, more shame in my life, thanks Dear.

 

[Dee Morris]

I have a startle response but mine is more specific to nighttime. For a long time it was so bad that my ex husband couldn't even kiss me goodbye in the morning unless I was fully awake because of it. Odd that you are reacting to expected stimulus. Have you talked to your T about it?

 

[TTinKKerBBell]

No Truckinjoan I don't have to be tired or spaced out. It happens any time of day. As I said, I jump (big time) and I scream (very loud) but I've never swung at anyone - any black eyes or broken front teeth from the swings?

 

[TTinKKerBBell]

Aw Zipperhead, that's a tough one!! (about the wife) How else does Your startle response exhibit?

 

[TTinKKerBBell]

When You ask if I've talked to my T Dee- I wonder, do You mean therapist? If so, I'm not seeing one. Perhaps I should. This has been going on for ever so long.

Yes, it IS odd that I react to expected stimulus. I consciously prepare, tell myself to expect an answer (telephone), a sound (tv) - and I will think I'm okay but lo and behold!! I'll react every time with a very strong "jump". Thank goodness I only "jump" at those times and don't react with a scream on the telephone!!

Do You think Yours is more specific to nighttime because You're spent from Your day?

 

[Paranoid10]

I'll be honest to say that I haven't had a startle response to the extent of yours. My startle response incorporates loud noises, unexpected people touching me, and some mild paranoia. People think I'm a bit strange with my reactions to this. But considering that most of the people judging my behavior are not combat veterans, I can see why. : )

 

[Zipperhead]

Aw, that's a tough one!! (about the wife) How else does Your startle response exhibit?

I generally pull away from the touch. I think I'm confused when it happens until I figure out what happened. Then I look at my wife and see the hurt. And the shame starts. I'm fine if I see the touch coming. People don't sneak up on me often. But it seems it's more the touch that triggers then the unexpected presence. Working on it.

 

[maddog]

It's odd, sometimes I feel as though my mind and my body compete with each other in relation to controlling or, alternately, triggering that startle response.

In my case, in relation to being physically touched, I am extremely sensitive and tend to trigger horribly from such an action, particularly if it is unanticipated. But what's odd is that sometimes, even when I am anticipating it and am consciously schooling myself to be ready for the contact, my body startles and reacts almost reflexively with a cringe or shrivel away, almost as though I retain a physiological memory, complete with its own set of trigger stimuli and reactions, that is separate from my conscious cognitive memory and its own pattern of triggers and reactions.

In other words, sometimes it doesn't matter how hard I try not to or prepare myself, that startle response will happen anyway, which can be horribly embarrassing, very distressing and sometimes really upsetting, particularly when some part of me might be longing for the comfort or reassurance of the touch, yet cannot help but react defensively to it.

I'm not even sure if that made sense, having trouble explaining myself today.

Maddog

 

[Truckinjoan]

Totally makes sense Maddog. Like when you were a kid and you played "try not to flinch." Did you ever play that? Impossible not to flinch when someone has their finger near your eye even if you know they won't poke you!

 

[maddog]

Oh yeah, we played that... actually, a variation on that game was also very popular at my boardhing school for a while when I was about 14. The aim of the game was to shoot compass points into someone else's skin, and points were scored by the victim depending on the magnitude (or stoicism) of the reaction. The less the reaction, the greater the number of points.

How odd, I remember that I won every competition for a whole semester, easily. Physical pain like that never bothered me, and they didn't care about emotional reactions...

Maddog