Triggered

[marooned]

Today, on my block, a couple of guys were parked smoking a blunt. It triggered me. I had a flashback to the time when I got robbed and almost assaulted. Now I can't sleep and I won't sleep until next morning, maybe more mornings to make sure I'm safe. I'm paranoid all the time about me and my family's safety. I can never relax. Why can't this world just be full of good people? I know there's plenty of good people out there, of course, but there's evil as well. It's a frightening world. I need someone to talk to.

 

[bellbird]

Hey @marooned .
Getting triggered is really awful, eh? I can totally relate to the feeling of not wanting to sleep.
Do you know any grounding techniques to try and help you to separate the flashbacks from reality? Are you in therapy at all?

 

[marooned]

No, i'm not sure why my psychiatrist hasn't set me up with a therapist yet. And not really, grounding doesn't help me that much, unless i'm doing it wrong. But yes, it's horrible. @bellbird

 

[bellbird]

Do you think you could talk to your psychiatrist about seeing a therapist? It seems like if you're wanting/needing someone to talk to, therapy could be beneficial for you? (it has been in my experience :)).
The forum is great for talking too, but I feel like both are important tools :)

One of the most helpful grounding techniques for me is to name things that I can see in the room around me; either naming random objects and describing what they look like, or picking a colour and naming every object in that colour that I can see. Sometimes I tell myself that I'm safe, out loud, even if I don't believe it.
I hope that you're able to get some sleep eventually, and I'm sending you gentle hugs, if accepted :)

 

[Harmonics]

No, i'm not sure why my psychiatrist hasn't set me up with a therapist yet. And not really, grounding...

My therapist suggested I make a list of all the helpful techniques I can use when I am triggered. Once I am triggered, I can't really think straight to remember what to do. I have the list printed in a large font, making it easy for me to read at that point. At first, it was hard to remember to use it when I was triggered. Over time, I have come to rely on it. There are numerous techniques on it, so if one does not work or does not feel right at the time, there are lots of others to choose from. And if, after trying one thing, I don't see the results I am looking for, I move on to another technique. It has really helped, and it makes me feel more like I have some control after being triggered.

I also agree that getting in to see a therapist would be an important step in your journey toward balance and healing. Having that part in your support team can make a huge difference.

 

[Still Standing]

Hi Marooned,

How are you doing? Have you relaxed some and gotten some sleep? Being triggered and being on guard is tough. All the suggestions in the above posts are excellent suggestions for you to try to self-calm. Most important though, is to be in the care of someone who is a trauma expert, be it a psychologist or clinical therapist. It can be draining and hard to go it alone after a trauma. I highly suggest that you seek the care of someone you can talk to and someone trained to deal with PTSD. Do ask your psychiatrist for a referral. And I am glad you found this forum. It is a great place to be for support, education, and encouragement. Keep us posted on you are doing.