People here don´t know ptsd

[Cyberluddite]

Unfortunately my post was taken the wrong way for which I apologize. It was not meant to divide, m...

Additionally, some of us went through medical and psychiatric abuse. So this is a very valid concern, in terms of being triggered by cops and medical personnel. Thank you for clarifying, sometimes PTSD can cause communication breakdowns. We try to say what we mean, and we speak the same language, but the dialects are completely different.

 

[FragileGlass]

Additionally, some of us went through medical and psychiatric abuse. So this is a very valid conc...

I agree! I'm very conscientious that some of my negative and violent interactions would leave lasting effects on a patients memory. I also never mean to minimize traumas by stating my volume of events as means to show I have it worse or bad in any way. There is a fatigue that comes from the volume and it wears me down. 'Oh damn it, I can't deal with another dementia patient this month' or 'another violent patient and I'm gonna go beserk myself' is the mentality that starts surfacing.

 

[BM2A]

I think this thread is about how in real life our local communities often do not properly accept PTSD. There s a lot of stigma and ignorance around it. As there is with a number of mental health illnesses.
My community or even the whole city does not have a support group for PTSD.

Its particularly difficult I find in the workplace. Especially if i hear a colleague discussing a client with PTSD as though they are making stuff up or exagerating. This week Ive had to deal with a colleague actually state about a client we support "I hate these people who are all woe betide me about stuff that happened years ago, i dont think theres any such thing as PTSD". Everyone who knew me looked at me like uh oh theres gonna be murder! Im proud of myself I actually corrected her ignorance and set the record straight for PTSD sufferers everywhere. Without murder!

 

[EveHarrington]

Unfortunately my post was taken the wrong way for which I apologize. It was not meant to divide, m...

I think it's more a matter of being darn lucky that you have a support group just for PTSD. Most communities don't have ptsd support groups, as I know there are none around me and based on the posts I've seen, it's hard for others to find PTSD support groups too.

 

[Cyberluddite]

I agree! I'm very conscientious that some of my negative and violent interactions would leave last...

It tends to throw people off a little when they call me "crazy" or "idiot", and I tell them they may be right.

Apparently knowing the difference between "accepting the things you cannot change", and "changing the things you can", isn't an event native to this reality. Thankfully I've learned to poke fun at myself (after years of watching comedy films while growing up in the 1980s and early 1990s), because if you can't laugh at the squirrels, who can?

 

[The Albatross]

You'd be surprised how many times I'll be wearing my PTSD t-shirt, or be in a location where someone is wearing theirs... and we approach one or the other and say, "Hey... You??? Followed by the other's "Me too"... and then one or two others will pop up and we'll share a brief discussion in a waiting room or lobby or grocery store or something about management, treatment and such.

But can I look and tell? Not really, nor can they. Do I suspect at times? Yeah but it's largely a suspicion and it goes by without comment because to me it would be rude to ask (unless they're wearing a t-shirt like I do from time to time for PTSD awareness).

 

[Deanna]

Interesting tread. I don 't care how people view me with PTSD and most people know ( in my close vicinity) because I really don't care. I wish I would have known 50 plus years ago, but the thing is I didn't. I continued right on, without getting any treatment because I didn't know. Wish I would have at least the medications to be offered and maybe I wouldn't have made some pretty dump as& decisions. Now, close to 8/9 months in to this diagnosis. the medications really help me. I really don't know about therapy yet but picked a trauma survivor as far as a therapist. ( first T left the state due to a job transfer) So, okay... I have PTSD and I don't expect anyone who doesn't have PTSD to get me.. I've lived so long without knowing about it. People are just used to me.. but i was suffering.. so Im grateful for the oneness of what I find in these forums and meds. My boyfriend is PTSD too. We need space from each other which is fine with me. Other than that, I know of one other person and he is combat related. Sweet guy but very shy.

 

[New]

I think this thread is about how in real life our local communities often do not properly accept PTSD. The...

Would love to know what you said.

 

[anonymous]

When I was found out at work, the most common reaction I saw from people was, "Ooooh. That's what wrong with him." Most everyone knew I had some kind of of mental health issue, but nobody knew what specific issue it was.

On the other side of the coin. Only a few people treated me differently after learning I have PTSD. Even those weren't terrible, just forever awkward.
The stigma has been a non-issue, much to my surprise and relief.

Off topic.

For us uniforms we have encountered many situations of trauma that could or would trigger this entire forum in one way or another.

So this is a very valid concern, in terms of being triggered by cops and medical personnel.

I'm a little taken aback from this. Why is it different for emergency services personell to discuss the things that we went through?

Why is it our responsibility to prevent triggering other people here?
It works both ways you know.
Child abuse call that haunts you, can be triggered by a civilian recounting their abuse growing up. Just as a child abuse victim could be triggered by the details of the call.

If I get triggered by something I read here, that's my problem. I need to manage my own triggers.
I don't expect, nor will I ever ask to be tiptoed around. I don't want people to try to protect me from upsetting things. No one can protect me from my own mind.

Please tell me I misread this, that you don't feel we should suffer in silence because a bad call might trigger someone else?

 

[mumstheword]

When I was found out at work, the most common reaction I saw from people was, "Ooooh. That's what wro...

I absolutely agree! I think that is the empowering sentiment to broadcast. I did a mental health peer support course once and we were encouraged to tell our stories and at the same time told to be very careful, in case we might trigger people. I found it distressing that I was supposed to mind read and somehow I was supposed to take responsibility for people getting triggered, when publicly sharing.

I take responsibility for my mental health. I am triggered constantly, by abusive neighbors, where I live. There is no way I can.prohibit these triggers so I just use them as a way to gain insight into where I am at, in my recovery and what needs to be addressed with support. Triggers happen.

We are all strong, amazing, self-aware, self-responsible humans here, who happen to suffer from PTSD. And if we are not, we end up learning that taking responsibility for our own journey to recovery and being self-compassionate and mature, rather than constantly reactive, is far more conducive to recovery and well-being.

Be compassionate, but don't try to mind read about what might trigger others. It's not compassionate to yourself to do that. Self compassion leads to more compassion for others and that is more healing than trying to sheild others from the realities of life.

 

[WishfulThinking123]

I read the OP's post but, didn't read all of the posts in the thread so I apologize in advance if this was already mentioned before. Something I have found is in North America, PTSD has become a go to diagnosis in some circumstances and because of this fact and it being overly diagnosed when I say I have PTSD I'm not sure some people believe me. Also, another thing that also complicates things is I have difficulty processing my emotions and/or crying about my trauma at all (the disassociation) and this further complicates things because, when I do open up and express some of the things I have been through/PTSD, I say everything in a very matter of fact way...again not crying or showing emotion and I feel this just fuels people not really believing me that I am truly suffering.

 

[Supervixn]

Funny thing is...only those that have it can recognize it in others. If you do not have it you cannot see it, because you have no idea what to look for.

What's funny is I recognize what looks like some PTSD symptoms in a small few I've known in the past, but I didn't see it at the time. Now that I recognize my own illness I can see it better.

I don't think I'd ever be intuitive or perceptive enough to notice it in strangers unless it was very blatant. Even then, I'd assume otherwise and give it the benefit of doubt. Millions suffer from anxiety and other mental health issues that may look occasionally like PTSD but are a different beast entirely. You can't really know unless they tell you and if they themselves in fact know they have it. I didn't know for years.

For the rest I only expect them to understand what I tell them, and I have a formula for that. It has always resulted in support -

Please share your formula if you can! I have no clue how to explain PTSD to anyone without it... you may be able to help some of us out here with your formula! :)