You Know You Have PTSD When...

[Ellabella44]

When you turn off notifications of emails because they startle you often.

 

[Neverthesame]

When you have to have a light on 24/7 in order to sleep, but you also have a blackout shade on your window, because you can't sleep with the sun in your face either.

 

[Recovery4Me]

@Neverthesame ...I know, right? Me too!

When you forget that everybody doesn't sleep with the light on and ask where is my bedlamp?

 

[Ellabella44]

I'm opposite, I need it dark and quiet. "Things that go bump in the night" aren't as scary as what happened during the day when I was little.

When you see reaching out for help as bothering people since you don't matter much.

When you go to write something stressful to you and end up rephrasing the first part of the sentence instead of completing it. (just did that with the sentence above).

When you haven't had your hair cut since full onset of symptoms because the thought of someone behind you with scissors freaks you out. (at one point my mother used to cut my hair, so I guess that is explained)

 

[hodge]

Oh, Ellabella, I feel the same way, wow. I used to be scared of "things that go bump in the night," but now they are nothing to me compared to my flashbacks and nightmares. Lol, it took PTSD to make me no longer scared in the dark, how weird.

I haven't cut my hair, either. But not for the reasons you have. I am going to donate mine when I have 12 inches to spare.

 

[hodge]

I also turn my email off sometimes. It really triggers me when I see I have email.

 

[Deleted member 19804]

@SheilaKathy I'm very sorry to hear the same thing happened to you. I do have a diary here and I have written out quite some details in there. It is indeed quite helpful to write about it. Especially on a forum where so many people can understand you. Thank you for your advice and support. :hug:

 

[BlueDream]

You know you have PTSD when you tell your boss to f*ck off....and you feel like it was a good conversation!!

 

[Ronin]

You know you have PTSD when the night is the only time you feel really safe changing your location.

 

[Recovery4Me]

I know I have PTSD because I rarely feel safe.

 

[Ocean5]

When you haven't had your hair cut since full onset of symptoms because the thought of someone behind you with scissors freaks you out.

@Ellabella44
Once someone tried to trim me with a straight razor. I flipped out. Was basically get that knife away from me. I can only get my hair cut with electric clippers, or electric razor for neck. Nothing sharp. But I'm a guy so I guess that part's easier since I get buzz cuts.

 

[Ocean5]

- You know you have PTSD when you realized since you escaped you have always lived near a Police Station, or some type of law enforcement.

- When one of your goals is to learn self-defense training from Israeli Military called Krav Maga