Explaining Your Ptsd To Others

[Deleted member 15881]

I've explained it to my family and they told me that one I should be over it by now and two I'm just using my symptoms as an excuse. Which honestly makes me not trust them, why would I tell them anything? I feel so alone, angry, sad, hopeless and apathetic.

I even tried to talk to my wife last night and was told that it's not her job to fix my problems, she went through it too but she doesn't complain like I do, she's over it so I should be as well.

 

[Zef]

souljah, great post. I just read an open letter that someone had wrote to the religion I was raise in explaining how horrible it was. It was horrible and beautiful at the same time, but it was very powerful. I think your idea is a great one and I might try my hand at it when I am feeling up.

Also, on PSTD. :) I used to say that all the time. Finally decided it stood for Pre-STD -- and then my wife and I had soem fun trying to figure out what a pre-STD would actually be. :)

 

[PTSD and Me]

You never know when the ghosts are going to come out. You never know when you are going to have to contend with a monster or ghost, and you have no control over when they come, and often times no way to stop them, even if they draw blood. Knowing this, how could anyone sleep in a haunted house, how could you ever invite someone into your haunted house?

I love this analogy! I completely relate to it, and I would add that any time there is a thunder storm or other outside relatively normal factor, you know the monsters are going to get all excited by it and start coming out of the woodwork. Brilliant!

 

[Zef]

Just thought of another analogy. . .

PTSD is like a normal with an injured toe. Sometimes, if you distract yourself enough, you can sometimes thing it isn't there, but as soon as you take a step, it starts hurting. You have stuff to do, so you walk on it anyway and do your best to deal with the pain. . .but is always there, nagging at you with every step. Everyone once in a while you stub the damn thing and there is no way to control your reaction. . .and then it hurts extra badly for the new few hours or days.

What do you all think?

 

[PTSD and Me]

Love it!

 

[Maggiemay]

Very interesting discussion. :)

I've been of work for last 14 weeks or so now, and *finally* last week got some answers & was diagnosed with Complex PTSD & BPD. On sick notes GP just been putting 'severe anxiety' which PTSD is - tis an anxiety disorder after all ;) Hard though as want to be truthful, especially to those of my colleagues I'm close to. I'm keeping the BPD hidden as been given mixed messages about it and such a dodgy area that's very unknown. But want to let them in about PTSD but have no idea what to say/ how to approach it - some know a little about what's going on e.g. flashbacks, panic attacks, blacking out & nightmares and nighttime antics. But I found personally, diagnosis of PTSD made me feel like things were finally starting to make sense & explains so much of what's been happening :) xxx

 

[Traumagirl]

Disallusion, I'm sorry that your feelings have been met with such coldness. You deserve to be treated much better. I understand how you're feeling because I have some friends and family who react the same way. Fortunately for me, I also have some friends and family who are supportive and look at this condition as a very difficult endeavor, equal to my husband's cancer. I believe that you deserve that type of support. Luckily, you can get that right here on this forum.

 

[saffy]

Ive only just connected my problems and my past. But on very rare occasions I do tell someone I normally say that I have some issues that I am dealing with that is related to things that happened in my past. I leave it at that. I find it gives them the option to ask to know more, if they are comfortable enough to or they are at least in the know without going into detail.

Saffy