Sexual Assault Help around anniversaries

[IAHC]

Hi everyone,
I’m new here so bear with me. I got through the anniversary of my trauma yesterday and felt fine, but today it’s really hitting me hard. My trauma occurred 3 years ago and I was hospitalized last year. I feel weird asking for help as I’m not nearly as close to needing hospitalization like I did a year before and it’s not even the date of the event so i shouldn’t be having problems? I don’t know what to ask for for help, how to open up or even just how to cope with this. I’m feeling a lot of grief and panic right now, and have no idea why. If anyone has any advice or even just their own stories about how they got through post anniversary days that would be very appreciated.

 

[sunisstillshining]

Hello! Welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear of the trauma that you have experienced, and the way that you are feeling now. Sometimes the trauma and flashbacks of the event come back at times you least expect it. For a while the sight of men over 6 foot tall or the aroma of Old Spice Cologne was enough to trigger me. I found that a licensed counselor was able to help me. Who knows, there may be times when I have to go back. Do you have any contact with a therapist from your hospitalization last year? Or have you tried any of the help lines? For example the crisis text line? 741741? Hope that helps.

 

[Lucycat]

Hi there @IAHC and welcome to the forum. I am sorry that I have not replied sooner.
It seems to me that this year you had an extra anniversary to deal with. Not just the anniversary of your trauma but also the anniversary of not being well last year. That is a double whammy and it is not the same thing. One piles on the other - so well done you for getting through that. Hopefully next year will be less of a problem. The passage of time does help and you will eventually get to a time when you have to work hard to remember the date of the anniversary. It is a good feeling when you get that far - and you will.

 

[bellbird]

Hi @IAHC .
A belated welcome to you.
How are you feeling now?

 

[IAHC]

Hello! Welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear of the trauma that you have experienced, and the way that you are feeling now. Sometimes the trauma and flashbacks of the event come back at times you least expect it. For a while the sight of men over 6 foot tall or the aroma of Old Spice Cologne was enough to trigger me. I found that a licensed counselor was able to help me. Who knows, there may be times when I have to go back. Do you have any contact with a therapist from your hospitalization last year? Or have you tried any of the help lines? For example the crisis text line? 741741? Hope that helps.

Thank you for the help and information. I do have a therapist but decided to try a new therapy (ETT) that seems to have helped people before on top of regular therapy. Thank you for giving me the crisis line, those have always been helpful for me.
I appreciate your response and help!

Hi @IAHC .
A belated welcome to you.
How are you feeling now?

Thank you, I’m doing better. Not necessarily having issues with anxiety anymore but a minor depressive episode that definitely isn’t one of the worst the I’ve had

Hi there@IAHC and welcome to the forum. I am sorry that I have not replied sooner.
It seems to me that this year you had an extra anniversary to deal with. Not just the anniversary of your trauma but also the anniversary of not being well last year. That is a double whammy and it is not the same thing. One piles on the other - so well done you for getting through that. Hopefully next year will be less of a problem. The passage of time does help and you will eventually get to a time when you have to work hard to remember the date of the anniversary. It is a good feeling when you get that far - and you will.

Thank you for your kind words and support. I didn’t consider a double effect of two anniversaries, that would explain why this year seemed especially hard. I appreciate the message of hope, and I’m looking forward to that day where details and specifics of the trauma start to fade and the weight starts to lessen. When my moods or symptoms are bad, it’s nice to remember that people do get to the other side of this. Having people remind me is extremely helpful so thank you!