Can Baby And Wife Trigger Ptsd?

[abqbronco03]

I was diagnosed with PTSD in 2010 after I returned from my combat tour in Iraq. I thought it went away when I was redeployed in 2011, but now i'm wondering if its back and back with a vengeance? Let me explain...

We just had a baby in October (exciting), but overtime as my wife nags me about little things (crap in my eyes that don't matter) and now my baby won't sleep and is always making her baby noises and crying, I feel my jaws clench and I can feel my stress levels going through the roof. At times I feel like I just want to punch the living bejezsus out of something because i'v thoroughly over-stressed. Add on that I was involuntarily separated from the military and am still unemployed. I recently feel that I become easily agitated and just feel like beating the crap out of something.

Can my nagging wife and crying baby be pushing me to the brink of busting? I actually at times now have had bleeding sinuses (or at least every time I blow my nose I am blowing out bloody mucus), at times can feel my heart stop and then restart, and sometimes I have trouble breathing and find myself gasping for air.

Any advice or help or recommendations?

 

[anthony]

Your answer to that is not a trigger, but more your daily stressor intake. This answers your question best: [DLMURL]https://www.ptsdforum.org/c/threads/the-ptsd-cup-explanation.13737/[/DLMURL]

If you want a deeper understanding, read the PDF document attached at: [DLMURL]https://www.ptsdforum.org/c/threads/understanding-ptsd-by-anthony-parsons.13878/[/DLMURL]

 

[Shellbell]

I agree, your family are a stressor. My husband and children are often stressors. In fact they are good daily stress as well as bad stress. It all adds up and causes overload.

Triggers are things that directly relate to my trauma.

 

[discarded]

Under normal circumstances a crying baby can stress the best of us out, add PTSD to the mix and it would not be unexpected that it is heightening your stress levels. Your wife is probably still very hormonal as well and what might seem like a little thing to you is huge in her eyes. Her stressors are just different to yours. Go for a walk if it all gets too much. Try to talk to your wife about how you are feeling and that you may need to get out of the place sometimes. At least you have acknowledged there is an issue here and you may be able to come up with a solution that works for everyone.

 

[Abstract]

It may help to also look at the information about the PTSD cup and it overflowing.

Sorry to hear that things are so hard. Babies are incredibly stressful. It sounds like you need some boundaries and conversation with your wife.

 

[99Phoenix99]

Not a trigger but definitely a stressor.

I have a puppy. And good God sometimes I just want to punt it. I NEVER EVER would BUT when potty training is going really badly and I'm having a really bad day as it is... all I see is red.

For me it's good to recognize that it's not actually JUST my dog that has me feeling that way. It's my dog in conjuction with EVERYTHING else. And I shouldn't take it out on the poor thing. Just taking that moment to asses what it is I'm really annoyed at can help take the stress from dangerously close to exploding rage down to a manageable pissed.

Find a way to calm yourself down in that instance. Some people go out for a smoke. (I don't recommend that) but the action of going out, getting out of that situation and taking a deep breath is soothing. Some people might have a punching bag hung in the basement or garage.

Honestly it sounds like you have A LOT going on ALL AT ONCE. The baby, the wife, the military and I'm more than sure you have other things going on as well. It's overwhelming. I'd say try to differentiate your feelings for each situation. Because when you figure out what you feel for each instance then it's less likely your feelings for one problem will bleed into another.

Or you might just need to vent all of your problems. Not necessarily to have someone give you advice (or you might want some) just so you can get it off your chest. It's not good to keep it all on. Because everything will compound and explode all at once and probably at a most inopertune moment.