I Was Involved In An Armed Hold Up A Year Ago

[josh_brown1988]

Hey everyone my name is josh and I was involved in an armed hold up a year ago.

I was a manager of a fast food store when two guys came in one with a knife and one with a handgun and held my store up threatening me and the other two girls working that night.

I have now been struggling to get over the PTSD and depression for a year and feel I am getting nowhere.

I knew one of the guys that held us up, I was good friends with him in primary school but hadn't seen in for a while, I am now really worried as he gets released from prison next April and he lives 2 Min's away from me.

I struggle every night with nightmares/flashbacks and I have also lost my social life and friends during the past year.

I have been hospitalised for 11 weeks and tried EMDR and weekly psychologist visits I guess I am here just to discuss with people how they get through the day to day living with PTSD.

Hope someone can help me????

 

[amethist]

Hi josh

Welcome to the forum.

There are many ways to get through your days, keeping busy any way you can is one way. Though not always possible when you are tired from not sleeping well, due to flashbacks and nightmares.

It is a year before this guy will be back, so this gives you quite a while yet before you need to think about this. Maybe you could put your energy into your recovery for the next 6 months, then you may be able to look at this in a different way.

Recovery and learning to manage your PTSD is not a short term thing. An example of how long this could take, Trauma August 2007 - Very few flashbacks/nightmares, beginning to manage most issues day to day alone, but still struggling April 2010. This was a road traffic accident with minor physical injury's.

Other people could get to the same stage in half the time, some could take longer. In other words, it can depend on the type of trauma and the person them selves. You have to work at it, you have to push yourself further each step of the way. You may take 4 steps forward and then 2 back, but still moving forward. It does take time and it does take lot of effort, but it is up to you how much effort and how hard you are prepared to work at it.

It is hard and you will still find the going tough, no one is going to tell you it is easy, what they will tell you is that it can be done.

Take care and good luck.

Amethist

 

[josh_brown1988]

Sorry about my punctuation and spacing will remember this for future posts....

 

[dhawkins78412]

Sorry to hear you were robbed by armed men. I think that would give anyone ptsd. I'd be in the flight or fight mode. Like the others said, you have to work through it. I went to group many years ago and they said the way out is to go thru it. Panic attacks, flashbacks, and all. Don't hate yourself for how you feel and act now. Easier said then done. I have insomnia and have to take meds to sleep. It takes time and I'm no where close to being cured. Take your time and take care of yourself.

 

[traveldiva88]

Hi there,

I'm new to the forum, and I wanted to tell you that I too was a victim of violent crime and know how you are feeling. I had several incidents of violent trauma over the last 8 years, which I'll post on when I introduce myself, but I wanted to say that you are not alone.

One of the things that happened to me was a violent mugging that involved physical assault when I was 20. I was studying abroad in Latin America and was grabbed from behind, choked and pulled to the ground, while a second person robbed me.

A couple of years later, working as a high school teacher, I broke up several violent fights and we had a school shooting in the cafeteria.

All this violent crime has left me shaken and with major anxiety and PTSD. I see a therapist weekly, but struggle none the less. I just wanted to let you know that I understand what you are going through. We can handle this. We will get better, we just have to work through it. I just wanted to sympathize and tell you that I know how you are feeling and that you are not alone.

 

[alyxa]

Hi Josh,

So glad you have found the forum. I feel a bit better just since finding so many people who I can relate to. I have done about six months of EMDR. It sure has helped and I look forward to when I can do more of it. For me, it helped lessen the flashback intensity. It has come back sometimes, too. But I am holding onto hope! We are survivors.