Search results

Thank you so much! Yes, it’s been the most long and difficult journey of my life, and I guess, whilst it’s a group of close friends who have known me since childhood, they haven’t seen me in my relatively recovered state since the attack. In fact, it’s probably the first time since the event...

I think you’re right. I think because I was so heavily traumatised for a long time (and I still am for an extent), and they saw me go through a lot of that, they probably thought like I might still be on the edge! I’m genuinely in a good place at the moment, but I suppose they didn’t know that...

Hi folks. I wasn’t quite sure which room to put this in, so I went for general. A few days ago, it was the anniversary of the terrorist attack I survived. We had a nice memorial event, and there were a few people who had survived other attacks there and I made some fantastic connections...

Feeling alone when surrounded by people is such a common experience with PTSD sufferers. I often look around a room and feel like my trauma has made me a different species to everybody else. You are certainly in the right place to connect with people who understand. We are a friendly...

Thank you. Yes, I am definitely going to be more selective as to who I tell now. And also need to remind myself that “no” is a complete sentence if somebody asks me to talk about it. Thank you. I’ve booked the time off as annual leave at the moment, so didn’t need to give an explanation. But I...

Hi all. I started a new job 6 months ago, and I've been trying to be a "new me", and try not to dwell on my PTSD. However, the anniversary is looming, and last year it threw me into a complete spin. I want to tell my team, but I also don't want to dwell on it, as last time I opened up to a...

Hi folks, I have an occupational health review coming up at work and I'm really worried about it. There's nothing they're having to put in place, and the therapist said that he was struck by how much self-awareness I have about how I can best look after myself. But I just can't help getting...

UPDATE: I was meant to go into London on Sunday for this musical theatre club thing that I really really enjoy. But I had such a panic attack the night before, I couldn't bring myself to go. I was utterly convinced that something bad was going to happen, so I had to tell them I had covid...

It's a weird one, because most trauma, people wouldn't dream of asking about. But I think because it's something that's in the news means its fair game for being asked about. Even people who are usually really kind and sensitive have asked me what I actually saw. I need to get better at just...

I was referred for this, but by the time it came around, it was the middle of lockdown and I was staying with my parents in a tiny, safe, little village, so I didn’t feel the need to take them up on it. They said if I ever need it in future, I can skip the assessment and go straight in with the...

This is true. I had a chat today with someone from a victim support charity, and he was brilliant. I think just knowing that how I'm feeling isn't uncommon, and also being able to talk about how I was really feeling. Because I have incredibly supportive friends and family, but there are some...

That makes sense. Honestly, whilst you might not be best qualified to help, you are being a lot more help than I've had from anyone in a while. I much prefer the idea that it is part of my life, rather than part of me. Because saying it's part of me makes me feel like I will never feel better...

Thank you so much. I think I've spent 5 years successfully pushing it down, and not actually processing, because every time I've had counselling/CBT etc, I've come out and gone "Right, that's that then. Fixed." I don't like the fact that it will always be part of me, so I just keep pushing the...

I think I need to think of it like that a bit more. It feels like a setback because I'd convinced myself that I'm fine now and that it was all done and dusted and the anniversary wouldn't bother me. But I think I need to accept that it will never be done & dusted and I will never be fully over...

Hello, I've been off here for a while, but it was recently the 5 year anniversary of a terrorist attack I witnessed. There was a lovely commemoration on Westminster Bridge, and a reception in parliament for survivors/families of victims. And I thought this would provide some closure, but it just...

Thanks, that would be really helpful to strategise on how best to explain my symptoms. I went back to the mental health service and said that I was struggling. They gave me a couple of charities to approach, and I had a meeting with a charity that specialises in helping victims of terror...

My stupidest trigger... the movie 'Shrek'. I stopped for a few moments to look at the Shrek's Adventure attraction as I was about to walk over Westminster Bridge, and I thought how weird/awful it looked. If I hadn't stopped for those few seconds, I would have been right in the way of the attack...

I'm struggling a lot at the moment with feelings of rejection, and taking things a bit too personally. A group of friends went to the theatre without me. My estate agent mentioned that my flat wasn't the cleanest when she came for inspection. The charity that have been supporting me haven't...

Very true. Took me ages to accept mine.

It was during one of the meditation techniques that my T was using that I started noticing. I didn’t really think anything of it at the time, but hard as I tried, I couldn’t visualise what he was asking me to. I just kind of thought it out in words/abstract concepts in the end, as I didn’t want...

I have two traumas that are pretty closely linked. I didn't realise the first trauma was actually a trauma when it happened, I just figured I was over it. Then I had treatment for the bigger trauma, and it was sort of helpful, but didn't really 'solve' the issues, because I still had the first...

Hello. I was wondering if any of you guys have noticed changes in your imagination since your traumas? I hadn’t really noticed until recently, except that I lost interest in reading (I used to be an avid reader). But I thought that was down to feeling low. But I read an article about...

I've just taken a look at RAINN and my PTSD wasn't brought on by that. It was brought on by witnessing a terrorist attack. I got in touch with a couple of charities though and I'm hopefully seeing somebody on Monday to see what kind of support they can offer.

Thanks @Freida - I'm glad I told my mum as well. I've been getting snappy at her and my dad recently and it's good that she now knows why.

There isn't anywhere I can go on breaks. I work in a large office where all the meeting rooms are free and the break room is always busy. Even outside areas usually have people walking through. From the ones I've looked into so far, their office hours tend to be 9-5, and annoyingly ours are...