Auditory

[inner-peace]

I'm still struggling with my diagnosis of PTSD(c) - and only now coming to accept it. Something that I have experienced for many years and never questioned until now, is hearing someone call me, a shout, or cry which occurs only as I fall asleep and wakens me briefly until I realize it wasn't for real. I've put this down to dreams, but now worry it may be something more sinister, or because of what I've recently been told...another part of PTSD. Is this something similar to a flashback, is it something to be concerned about or something that happens to everyone? I only experience it when falling asleep and at no other time.

 

[Elle80]

Hi, inner-peace.

I get auditory flashbacks, which may be what you`re experiencing.

Is there a chance that going to sleep may trigger a traumatic memory, which in turn is triggering this auditory flashback (if that`s what it is)?

Sorry, not sure I`ve been much help, here.

elle.

 

[Powder]

My flashback (lucky to be aware of only once occurrence) was purely auditory. It was not reoccurring but flashbacks generally come on as just sound, touch, or visual.

I'm sorry you're having this happen and had to learn to live with it regularly, whatever it is. It sounds like flashbacks to me, but I'm not a doctor, just someone who has had it happen.

Once question out of curiosity: did this always happen or did it start after being on an SSRI, like Effexor, for a while? The reason I ask is that the falling asleep auditory hallucination I got on 30 mg of Effexor was exactly like what you describe. I heard a baby crying. Although my psychiatrist said it was a hallucination from too much Dopamine in my brain due to the Effexor, I now wonder if it was flashbacks from being left to cry it out. It was the same for several nights; it sounded faint and distant and got closer until I realized it was not coming from a neighbor's but my own mind.

Again, I hope you are getting some relief. I'd look at meds you may already be taking as making it worse? And then think about ones to make it better. :)

 

[Srain]

Muse, that's an interesting point about the Effexor, although I didn't experience that particular symptom with it, I did have other sensations while dosing down to get off of it.

Elle80, I'm wondering how long and how frequent you have these. I have specific audio sounds other than the constant "levels" that will come out as my father's voice or my brother's and those are (to me) flashbacks, do to other things that start going on at after that. It might be that when you are relax and in that state your mind is allowing you to remember things.

I am not a professional either but this is my take on it. I might begin writing these down and what you hear is said and how you are feeling at the time, to track them.

Good question.
Peace,
Rain

 

[inner-peace]

I'm not currently on any medication and unsure of when this started, I only know it's not a recent thing and just presumed these were dreams. Then there's always the underlying fear that it isn't PTSD related which is why I've never sought help for it - again, I'm new to all this and feeling pretty overwhelmed and scared by it all! Thanks for the responses.