Hi all,
I visited my GP about a month ago about my trouble sleeping and my fear while in a vehicle (driving or passenger), he spent a fair amount of time, asked many questions, and his conclusion is at very least mild PTSD. The waiting time to see a psychiatrist or therapist here is pretty long, so I'm still waiting and haven't gotten a solid diagnosis, but I've got to say that all I've read fits strongly. I want to get better, so badly, for myself and my husband, but with the waiting time I'm outta luck for professional help. Trying to work on it myself in the meantime.
As for the backstory....VERY long story as short as possible: two years ago I was a passenger in a pickup truck rollover on black ice while working. The driver was fine, according to the doctors and such I was fine too...."minor neck strain". I went back to work, expressed that I still hurt, and was nervous with driving. I wasn't given any slack for any of it and all of the doctors told me the pain was normal and would go away. Eventually I quit largely due to the pain and the fear and got a less physically active job. Several months later the neck pain got even worse and one day I woke up unable to turn my head! I could only look to the right. It took 6 months to get even 60% mobility back. During that time my driving fear was worse though I assumed it was because I could barely look out the windshield, never mind do a shoulder check. It didn't help that the only way to get to ANYTHING is by driving down the highway since we live out of town. I spent about 3 months not driving at all and 6 months not working (to make matters worse worker's comp refuses to believe that the neck problem was associated with the original accident). My neck problems have abated to a point (still have some chronic pain, muscle spasm and hypermobile vertebrae), my driving fear from the accident has gotten worse. My feelings about it all have leaked into the rest of my life too and, though my husband is too sweet to let on usually, I know its making me miserable to be around.
I know my overt "trauma" isn't quite so traumatizing as what I've seen that some of you have been through, and I keep thinking I should just "suck it up and get over it". I've tried, it hasn't worked, professional help will come if and when they decide to give me an appointment. I honestly don't think the truck accident caused the bulk of this...it was the aftermath that has lasted for so long that has made it worse. So here I am....trying to do what I can for myself and coming to those who will probably understand it better than my husband and likely better than most therapists would....
So yeah....sorry for the long post, but that's me, a little more verbose than necessary. Look forward to reading about and meeting you all.
I visited my GP about a month ago about my trouble sleeping and my fear while in a vehicle (driving or passenger), he spent a fair amount of time, asked many questions, and his conclusion is at very least mild PTSD. The waiting time to see a psychiatrist or therapist here is pretty long, so I'm still waiting and haven't gotten a solid diagnosis, but I've got to say that all I've read fits strongly. I want to get better, so badly, for myself and my husband, but with the waiting time I'm outta luck for professional help. Trying to work on it myself in the meantime.
As for the backstory....VERY long story as short as possible: two years ago I was a passenger in a pickup truck rollover on black ice while working. The driver was fine, according to the doctors and such I was fine too...."minor neck strain". I went back to work, expressed that I still hurt, and was nervous with driving. I wasn't given any slack for any of it and all of the doctors told me the pain was normal and would go away. Eventually I quit largely due to the pain and the fear and got a less physically active job. Several months later the neck pain got even worse and one day I woke up unable to turn my head! I could only look to the right. It took 6 months to get even 60% mobility back. During that time my driving fear was worse though I assumed it was because I could barely look out the windshield, never mind do a shoulder check. It didn't help that the only way to get to ANYTHING is by driving down the highway since we live out of town. I spent about 3 months not driving at all and 6 months not working (to make matters worse worker's comp refuses to believe that the neck problem was associated with the original accident). My neck problems have abated to a point (still have some chronic pain, muscle spasm and hypermobile vertebrae), my driving fear from the accident has gotten worse. My feelings about it all have leaked into the rest of my life too and, though my husband is too sweet to let on usually, I know its making me miserable to be around.
I know my overt "trauma" isn't quite so traumatizing as what I've seen that some of you have been through, and I keep thinking I should just "suck it up and get over it". I've tried, it hasn't worked, professional help will come if and when they decide to give me an appointment. I honestly don't think the truck accident caused the bulk of this...it was the aftermath that has lasted for so long that has made it worse. So here I am....trying to do what I can for myself and coming to those who will probably understand it better than my husband and likely better than most therapists would....
So yeah....sorry for the long post, but that's me, a little more verbose than necessary. Look forward to reading about and meeting you all.
