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Confused about isolation

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I keep reading in the supporter section about people trying to figure out how to deal with their sufferer's isolation. People asking to be left alone for weeks or months at a time. I don't understand it. I thought I "isolated," because I get to a point every single day that I feel like if I am not alone for 2-3 hours I might explode into a million pieces. But I would never disappear from my family or kids for a huge amount of time. I avoid them and feel guilty about it, but will make an appearance, talk to people and fake happiness. I thought my three hour sabatical was isolation, maybe not? What is it? What do people do when they disappear? Can you have ptsd and not isolate? Do people still go to therapy when isolating? I was diagnosed with ptsd, but always searching for reasons to convince myself that maybe I don't really have it.
 
I have never really had huge issues with isolation so, yes I think it is entirely possible to have PTSD and not isolate. I think a lot could do with anxiety levels and personality differences. Sometimes I want to be by myself at night after spending all day with my son and family but, I don't really consider this extreme or "isolation" per se. I think a lot of times introverts without PTSD isolate and need those few hours by themselves to recharge. I also used to have a friend who suffered from anxiety/depression and she would isolate a lot...that was something she struggled with. She would just ignore texts/messages on purpose when she was having a hard time I guess...I have also been told and have sometimes experienced with depression you have the feeling of not wanting to go out with friends, etc... however, being around others is often exactly what you need so, I was told to force myself to go out and be around people so, that's what I like to do constantly go out and surround myself and my son around other people, it helps me be more mentally healthy.
 
And I realize.. before ptsd, I was a definite extrovert. I feel like I have slid partially into an introvert plus a need to be alone more than before. So maybe I did change a bit. My husband finds it odd, how what I used to love (socializing) now causes anxiety and exhaustion for me.
 
This is a good point! I've always been introverted....

Again, I suspect this may be a brief way to cope with symptoms ( just for now) and giving yourself the space to feel/ do what you need to (while balancing family needs) (sounds SO hard) may be important ❤
 
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Isolation isn't one of the requisite symptoms of ptsd, so yeah, you can have ptsd and not isolate. Sorry!

It's just that isolating is one of the common ways that peoples ptsd symptoms play out. I used to be an extrovert, until I wasn't. I then busted out the isolation big time - systematically got everyone out of my life. I'm now working on a happy medium.

I think it's pretty normal to need time alone, healthy even. How much time alone each person needs to stay well is going to vary a lot.

That said, it may be worth exploring the little voice that's telling you that time to yourself is bad. Are other people entitled to time alone? If so, why doesn't that apply to you? Where is that coming from?

A friend of mine (who has cptsd) recently described to me how sue felt like a failure as a mother, robbing her kids of "quality time" if she took just a few minutes out to herself when her kids were around. It was really distressing for her, and in her case, she felt it was coming from the impossibly high standards she set for herself as a mum, standards which were ultimately self-sabotaging.

So, if you follow your line of thought when you think about needing time out for yourself, is it helpful? Or problematic? Where does that take you?
 
What do I do when I isolate? Feel better, honestly, being around other people for longer than an hour sometimes is hell for me. They talk too much, there's too much noise. They are too demanding, too busy. So when I'm isolating i'm relaxed, in a quiet environment, doing what I need to keep myself sane. Reading, sleeping, drawing, writing, sorting out my thoughts, self care. Not having any pressures to do what everyone else wants to do.

I don't go to therapy when I'm isolating, I basically stay put, at home, doing lots of self care. I cancel therapy quite a lot. Isolating for me, is therapy.

People are just too much, they wanna go here, do this, do that, go there, be in noisy places, drink! Argh! Just. STOP. I don't want to do those things so I isolate. It's too much strain. It's hell being around people who don't get it. They have too many expectations that I just can't live up to. So to hell with them.
 
Isolation isn't one of the requisite symptoms of ptsd, so yeah, you can have ptsd and not isolat...
I only feel guilty when my kids/husband are reaching out to spend time with me and I am finding excuses or distractions so that I can be alone. When my youngest told me she was cutting I immediately felt that my isolation from her and her isolation from the family was my fault. I have been making an effort to not push them away. It can be taxing and it builds up, but I try my best.
 
I've isolated my entire life, but i have complex ptsd/ developmental trauma (bessel van der kolk explains as where trauma meets attachment) from about 6 months old and never learned to trust or attach to anyone. Pple have always been a source of overwhelm and terror for me. If i have to go to school or if it's at a time i can handle work I go and then scurry back into hiding. It's only recently I've started processing my trauma enough that i can tolerate being around pple without constant terror. It's def an improvement, but it'll still take me a bit of time to see others as sources of love, comfort and pleasure so I don't yet seek them out. Still very much more comfy on my own. Sigh. What can I say, we all have different experiences.
 
I have cPTSD and for me isolating is a warning sign that im going downhill. I tend to not leave the house, avoid my friends and barely leave my room. Self care usually deteriorates also. I have only recently come out if a downward spiral of isolation and it is exhausting. Trying to make myself want to re contact with friends i had cut off from takes lots of energy and fear of rejection is strong.
 
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