Can Ptsd Make Us Dumb?

[Philippa]

I mean no offense to anyone here, I'm just trying to work out whether ptsd is partly the reason for some of the dumb things I've done since I found out I had it...or if it's just getting older, braincells dying, being human:D,etc?

Things like going and buying a Tesla Purple disc off the Internet, even after I already knew years ago that it's probably just some scammer off the internet making big bucks charging $10 a pop for these little purple discs that Tesla supposedly invented, which can harness universal energy and help with health issues etc...and THEN, telling my brother about it...which is basically like going up to the meanest person you know and ASKING them to laugh at you and humiliate you in front of their friends for being a sucker!

Is it possible that having ptsd can make us over ride our regular instincts to not fall for dumb stuff...or am I just a sucker?:oops:

 

[mysihba]

Very possible. Can be a form of disociation or avoidance. I do many stupid things. Sometimes I will go, in my mind, to some pretty off the wall places, to escape. Managing money is hard...impulse buys, and I just don't always have the correct judgement for important things re business, etc.

But, that purple disc may make you healthy by....tomorrow

 

[mysihba]

Hey, it's not that bad...if you hadn't told your brother (:)

 

[Philippa]

Hey, it's not that bad...if you hadn't told your brother :))

Yeah, I could've done without telling him that. Why in GOD's name would I tell HIM of all people?:roflmao:

 

[mysihba]

Well, we do learn as we go. Most people we can't really talk to at all. A sad reality.

 

[Philippa]

True.

It's strange because every now and then I can take a step back and see where my judgement is sound, and then there are other times like this one, where it's totally off?

 

[freakofnurture]

Well, you've gone and written 'kick me' on your back. I'd say that's not stupidity but a mild form of self-abuse.
It's a lot less destructive/risky than sleeping with undeserving partners or using drugs, but it achieves a similar goal.
I do the same in my relationship sometimes by picking fights to make me feel unloved and afraid that my husband will hurt me.

'Stupid seizure' would be a nice name for a symptom, though :D
"I shouldn't talk to you right now, I'm having a stupid seizure."

 

[Ted Moen]

PTSD doesn't make us dumber, but one of our symptoms is acting based on emotional reasoning. Emotional reasoning is "I feel this, so I need to do that." So what an old feeling intrudes into our current situation, we feel a need to do something that make no sense in our current situation. I have a tendency to buy a new golf club or some kind of techie thing when certain moods and feelings are passing, even though I have no logical need for the item in my current situation. Then I have to bring it home and show it to my wife :rolleyes:

Ted

 

[Philippa]

Well, you've gone and written 'kick me' on your back. I'd say that's not stupidity but a mild form of self-abuse.
It's a lot less destructive/risky than sleeping with undeserving partners or using drugs, but it achieves a similar goal.
I do the same in my relationship sometimes by picking fights to make me feel unloved and afraid that my husband will hurt me.

'Stupid seizure' would be a nice name for a symptom, though :D
"I shouldn't talk to you right now, I'm having a stupid seizure."

Yeah, I think this is it actually, and I think I did it as a direct result of having cut off my father recently.

I knew chris was pissed at me for doing this, and I know well enough that if I don't want someone to have certain information they could ridicule me with, it's simple...just don't tell them...but I did.

I think you're very right here. The last guy I dumped was totally abusive verbally and emotionally to me, in the same way that my father was, and having dumped him, and trying to work towards being healthier, I thought I'd moved away from all that, but it seems like I can come up with very devious ways to abuse myself, which don't require actually getting into abusive relationships...I can just draw on abusers that are familiar to me and do something that is guarenteed to give me what I feel I must deserve on some level.

Whilst consciously I am working towards being healthy in body and mind, unconsciously my self-destructive side has other ideas.

I think it's also why I do this on the other forum I'm on...pick fights and argue with people over stupid stuff...so they will reject me. So they will stop supporting me to change and become happier, because I'm just so darned used to feeling down and miserable...happiness has always felt like this alien concept to me...what's that? They all want for me to be happy and have tried to help me in many different ways to start looking at all the limiting beliefs which are keeping me held down. Also, PDers can be very annoying:D

Thankyou for this insight freakofnurture, I think it's spot on.

 

[The Albatross]

Tell me more Ted.

 

[Philippa]

PTSD doesn't make us dumber, but one of our symptoms is acting based on emotional reasoning. Emotional reasoning is "I feel this, so I need to do that." So what an old feeling intrudes into our current situation, we feel a need to do something that make no sense in our current situation. I have a tendency to buy a new golf club or some kind of techie thing when certain moods and feelings are passing, even though I have no logical need for the item in my current situation. Then I have to bring it home and show it to my wife :rolleyes:

Ted

Haha...yes, I think this is part of it too. Thanks Ted.

 

[Philippa]

God, I'm just totally self-abusive/self-destructive. I think I've been in denial this whole time. I thought I was healthy?:confused: