Poll Do You Like Fireworks?

[Ed Norton]

As a person with a lifelong obsession with and love of fireworks, I would like to know the community's feelings about them. I know that many people who have PTSD are greatly stressed by fireworks but perhaps there are also people who love them.

If I ever get a chance to have a lot of land I plan on going back into my hobby legally and safely.

What are your feelings about fireworks?

 

[digger]

Love fireworks. Hate going to firework displays. But it's the people element that I have problems with, not the pretty bangy things ;)

 

[Deleted member 1860]

They stress me out! Its better than it was last year, but I still won't go to a display b/c they tend to be mad houses of people where I couldn't escape easily. With my luck I'd have an episode, be accused of disturbing the peace and be arrested! Then they'd ask me what my problem was, and when I told them PTSD, they'd accuse me of lying because I'm not a vet and have no reason to be so affected by fireworks!

I'm SO thankful that the 4th was on a Saturday this year b/c it keeps all fireworks displays to one weekend. When the 4th lies in the middle of the week, 1/3 of the displays are the weekend before, 1/3 are the day of, and 1/3 are the weekend after, with everyone in the county setting off their own fireworks throughout the week. Our neighbors set them off after midnight....Ya, I know its their right, but still rude....I mean c'mon, everyone knows you do it right after sunset! Its ok though, they have a party house and someone in the neighborhood calls the cops on them every time they have a party. It must suck for parties to end at 10pm LOL. I feel bad for the people building a house next door to them....they have no clue they're building next to a house like that.

 

[Friday]

Can you edit for multiple votes? :D

Yes & No (#1 aka ...tra-hig-ah-herrrr, well, stressor technically)

I absolutely love them most of the time. Everything about them. The beautiful display, the concussions & crack that boom or sizzle through my bones. All kinds of fireworks, too. From hand held sparklers to thousands of dollars of pretty in the sky. ((I also tend to love real explosions, although not always there, either.)) Either way, gets my blood singing and eyes sparkling. When I love them? I love them. Fun fun.

When I don't love them? I'm snarly as f*ck.

<edited for brevity, was thinking out loud a bit much>

 

[Fadeaway]

This year they made me more jumpy than normal. I think more than anything they just make me sad. As much as the idea of celebrating with a group of people appeals to me, I have too many damn issues for that. I spent a lot of time crying last night because my husband had to work and i just felt so lonely amongst the families and friends that got together. I felt like I stood out like a sore thumb because I was all alone.

Holidays in general suck.

 

[Weemie]

i hate them, but not because of ptsd. i have a load of sensory issues & loud noises/bright lights do not gel w/ my brain.

 

[Ronin]

Fireworks? Awesome, on their own.

The December times for them bother me more than fireworks themselves. Right now it's just all good, not the same time thing going on.

Not knowing the state of people setting them off? Bothers the hell out of me. I'm seeing ugly injuries where people are just having fuun. Cough.

So it's not as much fireworks as the combination of date / not seeing people / startle and not knowing what's up where immediately that bothers me. If I'm ready and know people are just having fun, nobody's having issues? Ooooh, beauty, let's bathe in the sights. ;)

 

[deer_in_headlights]

I like the visual display.

Sat. night (4th), I was driving while fireworks were going on, and I pulled over in a deserted place, turned off the lights, put on some soft music and watched the display. No noise, oh wonderful no horrible seizure-inducing, neurologically-overpowering ear-hurt/brain stabbing/primatively startling/frightening noise, just soft Bach and pretty colors.

Not surrounded by people drinking, screaming, excited; not trapped without a way to escape - perfect. Alone, with my own thoughts, feelings, memories - letting tears flow and not having to put on a fake face of celebration and happiness for everyone around me. Best way to see fireworks, for me.

If I have to watch them with a crowd and the noise, it's too much to bear and I don't have a word strong enough to say how much I hate the overwhelm. I can't take it.

 

[Purplemunchkin]

I answered for my hubby; he hates them.

He can cope if he's expecting them (although he still doesn't like them), but when it's sudden he tends to freeze. It's the noise more than the lights for him.

 

[Kefira]

I love fireworks. I just need to know they'll be happening and not be too close (or have my ear plugs but they only do so much with explosions). I like the displays as long as I'm with safe people to combat the crowd fear. I actually asked one of those people this year if we could go to fireworks together so I knew it would happen and I wouldn't freeze up at the last minute and stay home. He was surprised because I'd been grumbling about how much I hate all the unexpected one-off in the days leading up to and after the 4th.

Last year I was on the road alone and the hotel room I was in just happened to be on a hill with a view of one of the displays going on. Best fireworks ever- no noise, no people.

 

[falling_wave]

My PTSD is not combat related so I could understand how combat could make fireworks a trigger. I personally love foreworks. It's something similar to the roller coaster thing posted recently. They kind of give me an adrenaline rush that de-stress me and pulls me out of myself. I think it's the vibration they have inside of me when they go off it wipes all the other stuff out. It's the same reason I love loud concerts and roller coasters. Plus fireworks are just plain pretty to look at. I don't love the crowds or waiting all day though. That can really get to me but with good planning I can enjoy myself.

 

[reallydown]

Hate them. They trigger me.