Easily & Constantly Overwhelmed?

[Cornishgal]

I have been struggling with PTSD for many years now. I have " complex PTSD" according to a specialist. The older I get, the more coping ability I lose.

At this point, just being in my own home, doing everyday things, overwhelms me. I begin to feel very tired which advances to feeling faint. The only thing that helps is to go to sleep, as the fatigue is awful.

Just trying to read some of the posts here, has me feeling faint. Is anyone else like this?

 

[woundedsoul]

Yes, I feel overwhelmed frequently. Cannot function during these times. I also get overwhelmed reading posts here, so you should be careful and take a break if you start to feel overwhelmed or feel like you are going to faint. That's not safe.

It may be retraumatizing to you to read of other peoples traumas.

Lately I can only be on here for a brief time and answer only one persons post and then I have to get off immediately.

Perhaps someone else can define what this is if I am incorrect in assuming it is retraumatizing. In the very least it is extremely overwhelming for me too.

 

[Lady of Longbourn]

Yes, I feel overwhelmed a lot too but it is getting better!

I think therapy and learning your limitations will really help here. This seems pretty normal for PTSD, as I hear that a lot on the forum. There is even a really good thread I think you should read by the forum owner.

[DLMURL]https://www.ptsdforum.org/c/threads/the-ptsd-cup-explanation.13737/#post-173960[/DLMURL]

Take care.

 

[^^FlyingSolo^^]

Your not alone. I get exhausted half the time. Like I am right now.

Sometimes with PTSD it takes all our energy just to get through the day. :confused:

Solo

 

[piratelady]

You're definitely not alone. I get feel overwhelmed quite often and as it gets worse I begin to feel more and more tired. This site can also cause your symptoms to worsen symptoms just as woundedsoul said, so be sure to take a break from the forum on occasion.

Anthony has a post about that here:
[DLMURL]https://www.ptsdforum.org/c/threads/reading-forum-increases-symptoms.13886/[/DLMURL]

Try to get some rest and take care.

 

[Cornishgal]

Thanks everyone!

The thought about getting "re-traumatized" is something I never thought about, but it does make sense.

At this time in my life, I am unable to function at all. I seem to need to sleep about19-20 hours out of 24.

Multi traumas started when I was 19 and continued into my late 40s. I am now in late 50s.

All I can say for now ~

 

[brokenbones]

Yes, I feel fatigued all the time, too. However, and I say this with love, and only as a suggestion.. The more we sleep, the more tired we get. Exercise, even just walking around the block, gives us energy. It's a dangerous spiral sleeping all the time, because then you are more and more tired. Forcing yourself to get up, do what little you can, gives us energy. It sounds like you are using sleep to escape, and I want more life for you than that. Are you seeing a therapist? It sounds one could help, someone to help you out of this awful life you have right now.

My days are humble. I get up, make coffee and eat something and sit and read or look at email/internet for a few hours. I run errands here and there, then in the evening I eat a meal and relax and watch something on tv. While I read, I am pretty horizontal. So, I'm not Jane Fonda running around, for sure. My life is quiet and gently sedentary, because that's what my body wants and needs. I hope you are able to stay awake more, and feel better.

 

[DharmaGirl]

I also feel fatigued. I make a small list of things to do, and I'm happy when I get them done. I also have chronic pain, which is getting worse, and that makes me even more tired. I try to exercise, but I am in so much pain it is almost impossible. I haven't been able to get much sleep either so that makes it worse. Bleh.

 

[kers]

I also get overwhlemed. I can't, for example, schedule more than one or two things to do each day (ie, work and go to the grocery store, or work and go to the doctor--can't manage all three very well). It helps to set my goals, on paper, the night before. Then I check each item off the list as I accomplish it--anything else I do is a bonus. It also helps if I set up household chores as time-limited, like in 10-20 minute blocks of time.

 

[Traumagirl]

I get to the point where I have problems doing a full day of work. But, then I have a husband with cancer and three children to take care of. So many days can be torture.

 

[Deleted member 12723]

I lead a very quiet and simple life. I am a caregiver for my husband who is sick with parkinsons. I take care of him. It is hard on the days when my symptoms are acting up. We do not do very much.

 

[Mareah]

I also get overwhelmed easy. Sometimes going 2 the mailbox is overwhelming. I am in a faze of no sleep right now(very tired). Just the thought of going to walmart or outside is scary sometimes but I make myself go. Some of my sexual abuse happened at night, so i feel like I did when I was a kid. if I stay awake,I can keep myself safe.I know in my mind I am a adult now but sometimes I still feel like that scared little girl.
It's overwhelming 2 be overwhelmed day after day.