Poll Do You Have Difficulty Reading with PTSD?

[hapa_gurl87]

I sometimes have difficulty reading because of the stress my ptsd creates for me. I also wonder if that's do to the side effects of my medication. I notice when my eyes hurt it's hard to see much with them and I've noticed over the past few month how my vision fluctuates from being clear to blurry. Sometimes things can be so blurry when I'm zoned out but when I bring myself back to focus I can see clearly.

 

[Diore]

I voted "sometimes". Thankfully, I've become better about reading now - but for a few years it was a nightmare, and a very puzzling one because I used to be a total bookworm who devoured any reading material I could get my hands on. Then all of a sudden reading became tedious, something I resented and would only do if forced to (like for class. And on that note, my heart especially goes out to those of you trying to get through university like this.)

But I think my difficulty was more emotional than concentration. I remember distinctly feeling silenced as I read - the recurring intrusive thought would be something like: why do THEY get to be heard, but not me? If I was reading a bad/difficult writer, this would lead me to mentally tear apart their work in the most angry, critical, unforgiving way (which is not in character for me). If I was reading a good writer - especially of fiction - I would become intimidated by the illusion they were creating, feeling like they were using their craft to insidiously take over me. The "journeying into other worlds" that I used to love so much about books was the very thing that became threatening. :(

By the way, has anyone else here experienced this sort of emotional difficulty with reading?

 

[CafeAulait]

Sometimes I can read and re-read a sentence and not understand it. When I do read, I must be calm and I must do so in a completely quiet atmosphere. Even the ticking of the wall clock is enough to distrurb my reading.

 

[NarcSis]

I voted no because when I am 'symptomatic' (Anxious) reading is the last thing that I would think of to do - it requires too much concentration, sitting still and 'thinking'; things that I am short on if I am anxious.

Any other day, I actually enjoy reading and when i am having a good day, I can read half a novel.

 

[naturalfirebrand]

Reading Problems

I never used to have problems reading. I recently started on quite a few meds, seeing what works and what does not. The one thing they all have in common is I cannot focus enough to get what I am trying to read.

My therepist recomended a book he thought would be helpful 4 weeks ago and I have only gotten halfway through chapter 2. I just moved and have unpaked 17 boxes of books so far so this is very new.

I cannot even focus on the newspaper which has been a ritual with my morning coffee for the last 30 years. The fact the papers have gone downhill to the point there is almost nothing to read makes it even more frustrating.

Linda

 

[growingpains]

I am currently a uni student, and I find that the worse my PTSD gets, the harder it is to read, and to type on the computer. Words get all mixed up and out of order. Even here on this forum, when I post, I need a spell-check to sort things out!

Same here, I am studying at the uni using my 3rd language which is a challenge in and of itself, but then with PTSD it makes it hard to both think of the translation and what information I need to take from the reading. I am always up for a good challenge.

 

[goingonhope]

I voted No, because though I too often have difficulties reading none of the reasons why I too often do so, result from me having Ptsd.

 

[anni]

It is sometimes, here. The instruction manuals are just a complete nightmare, such as those remote control programming things. That frustration can really make me cry sometimes.

I agree that the long, rambling paragraphs like one sometimes sees in the forum end up making no sense at all, and you just give up. When I first joined, I was given an infraction warning for not making clear paragraphs. Here. especially, it makes perfect sense to insist on clarity.Beyond being just plain polite to communicate well, it seems clear to me that we need to respect what a trigger it can be to read something confusing.

As far as reading for pleasure, I haven't read a new book in years because I can't concentrate. I re-read books I liked in the past.

Thank you for the poll and thread, although seem to be behind the times a little!

Anni

 

[NIKI]

I chose always. But that was not always the case. I use to love to read as a child because it let me pretend I was somewhere else than where I really was.

Now, I have a very difficult time reading if it is alot of reading of any kind and if it is written without paragraphs it is impossible, I can't even try.

 

[shadowchaser]

Nothing to do with my ptsd actually. I'm dyslexic. I read most posts twice just to make sure I caught them correctly. And as strange as it sounds I type with my eyes closed to keep me from typos. Or at least as many as I get with my eyes open.

 

[Darkness Shines]

I voted sometimes. If I'm anxious and worrying about something I find myself reading the same thing over and over because my eyes are seeing the words but my brain isn't comprehending them. It was bothering me earlier today because I was trying to research something important and not comprehending the information I found. Frustrating.

I like to read when I'm doing good, though, and generally do OK with it.

 

[alliuce]

Hello fellows!

I have the Same trouble reading and concentrating SOMETIMES, maybe it only strikes me as strange but nobody here seems to have been able to overcome this. If you have...pls tell me how, I know PTSD manifests itself differently in different individuals but this problem does unite us and I cant help but wonder if there is a general way to handle it.

/Al