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    Lexapro for ptsd

    I take Lexapro. 15mg daily. I have GAD, depression and PTSD. Let me take the time to address a few things here from my experience: 1) PTSD is rarely "cured". For most it is a life-long diagnosis like asthma or diabetes, in which a person manages the symptoms and hopes to stay in remission...
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    Forgiving ourselves...

    I hear ya. Hang in there. I had a bad day at work today as well :(
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    Forgiving ourselves...

    So today I'm forgiving myself for being triggered... I spent the whole day in active shooter/run-hide-fight/disaster training. Ugh. What a day! I know it's for a good cause, and training helps save lives, but it was hard to think about for the entire day. I will admit, it's not something I...
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    Gender fluidity

    I just wanted to express that I'm glad you feel comfortable enough to be out and be you. No matter what our gender identity or sexual orientation, we all deserve to be in safe spaces were we feel able to be ourselves.
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    What skills can't you do without?

    Remember, when doing something new, there is always a learning curve. Don't beat yourself up when you don't get the results you want right away. We are usually our own harshest critics.
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    Does anyone get triggered by the news and world events?

    Yes. There isn't anyone I know with PTSD who doesn't get triggered by the news. I get triggered by the mass shootings the most. But because of my job, I still have to watch the news. So I watch it, and then if my feelings get too intense, I take a break. I also find that reading the news is...
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    What skills can't you do without?

    I learned a great skill in grief counseling called, "Is this feeling useful?" So after a tragic death happens, we get a lot of feelings. When you get a feeling you're supposed to ask yourself, "Is this feeling useful?" So if it is, you pay attention to it, if it's not, you dismiss it. The...
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    A food thread - how are you doing with food?

    I'm doing better with food. I need to make friends with exercise again, though.
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    Can't stop feeling unsafe/hyper vigilance

    So I've gone through several medications, but the one I've been on the past four years is Lexapro (escitalopram). It's an SSRI. It's an anti-depressant also used for anxiety. I suffer from GAD, depression and PTSD, so it's appropriate. No one wants meds at first, and it is some trial and...
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    Have you ever told a friend offline you were struggling with suicidal throughts?

    I wouldn't tell just any friend, and I don't tell all of my friends, but I have learned that each person struggles with something. So if they're a good enough friend that they have told me about what they secretly struggle with, I usually feel safe enough to tell them about my battles with GAD...
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    Forgiving ourselves...

    It's okay to crash and burn as long as you pick up the pieces and get back out on the road.
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    Having embarrassing tantrums in front of therapist

    If you're going to throw a "childish tantrum" in front of anybody, the best person to watch it is a therapist. They're paid to do it, and they've received training to talk you down from it and deal with it. That said, I'm not sure "childish tantrum" is the best thing to call your flashbacks...
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    Uncomfortable dreams and what to make out of them??

    When something is bothering me or I feel unsafe, it always comes out in my dreams. I had uncomfortable dreams last night as well. In times of stress it occurs a lot, like once or twice a week, but normally its once or twice a month. It helps me to talk about it with someone; a therapist...
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    Forgiving ourselves...

    Sometimes that's all you can do
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    Forgiving ourselves...

    I hope everyone is forgiving themselves out there and being kind to their inner selves. Hugs to you all!
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    My emotional armour has battle damage

    I have been triggered by road kill before. I have also been triggered by a trash pile in an abandoned lot on the road-adjacent side of a fence (Each time I drove past it, I thought it was a dead body.) I feel where you are at with this. It is not easy...especially because I'm in the car...
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    Have you ever told a friend offline you were struggling with suicidal throughts?

    It's always better to let it out than keep it in. Sometimes I have intrusive suicidal thoughts as a result of the anxiety and depression that I had even before events happened to give me PTSD. When I have these, I immediately call a close friend and tell my spouse, and make sure I am not alone...
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    Can't stop feeling unsafe/hyper vigilance

    It does lessen over time, but once every so often, out of the blue, I will get the feelings of not being safe...like hair raising on the back of my neck. Meds have helped me as well, and therapy.
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    Other Fear of authorities, sirens, vans...

    Yes, I would also call it "rational" and justifiable. Trauma can be inter-generational. It's been seen with Holocaust survivors and their families, descendants of the "boat people" who fled Vietnam, Latin Americans who've migrated north using the "Beast", Mexican American children who've had...
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    Possibly unanswerable, trying anyway. looking for tips. how to not cry when sad?

    I'm sorry you're feeling sad :( I'm feeling sad, too. To avoid crying, I have switch my brain's channel. Do something that absorbs my attention to distract me. A warning though...I think many time when I avoid feeling sad, it comes out in anxiety. It's like I get anxious trying to...
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    Sufferer New member, feeling really alone

    Welcome! You might find this post helpful to you.
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    Were you diagnosed with another mental health illness before ptsd?

    That's so weird that you were diagnosed with DID before being diagnosed with PTSD. I've never met someone with DID who didn't have PTSD. Can a person even get DID without trauma?
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    Sexual orientation and traumas -- a place to share your struggle with sexuality

    Great thread! Although, I don't have a story of my own here to share, I have several LGBTQ family members, and I am an ally. I'm glad you all are finding strength here.
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    Forgiving ourselves...

    Maybe you can’t completely forgive yourself for this, but you can do something about it. Maybe get your daughter into therapy so she learns from your mistakes and doesn’t repeat them with your grandchildren. Maybe you speak or volunteer at a women’s shelter. All I know is that continually...
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    “how are you doing?”

    With PTSD I feel like it’s a war between needing to talk about (cause you know talking about it will help) and not wanting to talk about it because I’m F-ing sick of being in pain and want to be normal already. Sucky thing is, I don’t think the war ever stops...it’s just goes along with the...
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