Poll What Is Your Worst Symptom?

[batgirl]

Just curious what everyone believes to be their worst symptom of PTSD, the one you hate having the most. If you had a choice to remove one symptom completely, which one would you choose? Personally I was diagnosed on the severest end of the scale, so I've experienced all of the symptoms above severely. However, I chose nightmares and sleep disturbances as the worst, because it effects the amount of rest I get and therefore effects everything else. If you choose a symptom I haven't mentioned, please share what it is here if you feel comfortable. I purposely did not include an option of "many different symptoms" because I figured virtually everyone would vote for that option in that case! :p

 

[kers]

I chose dissociation/depersonalization. I can handle the milder forms, but even then it's quite a bother to feel detached/unemotional or fuzzy when I'm trying to have a conversation or do a "normal" activity. On the worse end of the scale, feeling dead or outside of myself is wretched. This often leads to self-harm, which makes me feel crap as well. I dissociate quite often on a daily basis and it makes my life feel very unconnected and pointless. It also creates quite an obstacle in my healing--I spend a lot of time and energy "mentally leaving" when I need to stop and face things.

I was tempted to check hypervigilance, as it causes quite a bit of anxiety, but I'm learning to self-talk my way through the worst episodes. Similarly, sleep disturbances suck because they kick the rest of my symptoms in, but I've been getting betterr on that front, too, so it's not all the time.

 

[Claire]

I chose sleep or lack of. For the same reasons as you mention Evie, everything else is worse if I haven't had much sleep or if I've had a bad night, nightmares etc.

 

[janis362529]

I choose negative thinking low self esteem because that is what feeds my anger. I get jealous of my kids for having a normal childhood so then I get pissed at them over nothing. I am constantly trying to be better because I feel like I am constantly being judged

 

[Portabella]

Nightmares and Sleep disturbance, Insomnia. When I have nightmares, I get into a terrible cycle of insomnia and it bleeds over into my days making me unbearable and irritable.

 

[Marlene]

I chose 'another symptom not mentioned' and that symptom is anxiety. That may be a real 'No shit, Sherlock' thing to say since PTSD is the nastiest bitch of all anxiety disorders. But for me all the other symptoms listed don't kick up unless my anxiety has spiked. Then it's basically a free-for-all until I can get my anxiety back under control.

 

[batgirl]

Oh DUH I should have had anxiety as an option... shit. Sorry. I knew there was something I was leaving out...

 

[Deleted member 93]

For me the hardest to cope with is the panic attacks when I think I am dying. Not like the rest is a picnic, but full blown panic is the hardest. And anxiety with the pitter patter of the heart. That just sucks.

 

[batgirl]

Damn I really wish I would have included anxiety and panic as a symptom. It's such a major one to have slipped my mind, and I have problems with it too. Oh well too late to change it I guess.

 

[anthony]

I just added anxiety for you Evie.... issue fixed. Super moderators and above can change polls if required.

 

[sparta21]

My worse symptom is awful self esteem. I was forever told I was rotten and worthless, and I've internalized it. My deepest depressions come from this. Along with the distorted belief that I'm useless and unlovable. Yep, this one's a bugger for me.

 

[Miander]

I chose anxiety because it is always here for me. I think it effects every part of me, how I feel, how I relate to people and the world, decisions and choices...I can't think of one thing it doesn't effect, everything else is specific to what's going on that particular moment. Do anxiety attacks lead to panic attacks, or can they happen independantly, at the same time?