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Poll When Did the Symptoms of PTSD First Appear, After the Initial Traumatic Event?

When Did The Symptoms of PTSD First Appear, After the Initial Traumatic Event?


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Claire, the military instills some of the symptoms of PTSD in all soldiers during training as they are requisites for life saving skills, ie. hypervigilance, alertness, awareness, etc etc.
 
I was an angry 6-year-old that grew into an angry violent teenager and then an angry (but not so much violent) adult. My first symptom was probably earlier than my earliest memory.

I guess my experience is different from most people's though. What, c-ptsd as opposed to ptsd?
 
I guess my experience is different from most people's though. What, c-ptsd as opposed to ptsd?

I think the difference was that C-PTSD is when the person has a long length of trauma due to a long period of abuse or torture. I could be wrong about that one.

Myself I can not remember when I stated showing symptoms. By the second grade I'd become a quiet shelled up child who was too afraid to speak and would break down into tears if I was merely touched. My Aunt told me that my mother found me crying after I got dirt on my hands and wrenched my arm out of its socket as she tried to pull my hands to the sink. That would have to be before I was 5 and my aunt also described other symptoms that she did not realize was anything wrong until much later in life. As far as I can remember I've always been this way. *shrugs*

jaa ne

Kat
 
I have had to live with Complex PTSD from a very young age. My childhood experiences have been compared to that of a concentration camp. Through years of therapy, support and self help I manage my life well. However each time I enter into another stage of learning I am reminded of some of the limitations I live with as a result of my childhood. These limitations are often rooted in concepts that I did have the priviledge of learning.
 
I was physically and mentally abused by both parents until I ran away from home at 17.
I tried to commit suicide by walking in front of traffic at 9 i think.
I was hit by a car and woke up in ER.
I had to fight 3 muggers 2 summers ago and then I started to really change.
I lift weights for strength against attackers.
I just went through 4 weeks of trying to make some money for Christmas for my wife.
I sold three fairly good priced paintings.
Still not enough, though.
I then began to start reliving childhood beatings. I was in bed screaming tying to protect myself from my father's belt buckle.
I am now seeking help in an adult men's therapy group.
I am less than optimistic however.
I can talk about this stuff until I'm blue in the face, and it only makes me feel more hopeless.
I think most therapy is ok for most people, but It just doesn't help me.
I have been to a shrink.
He would actually fall asleep "listening" to my problems.
I expect no empathy from anyone, and certainly no healing anymore.
I'll just have to tough it out I guess.
Thank you all.
It was helpful to read your stories.
 
Age 10-14...fathers sickness and ultimate death
15- violent sexual assault and attemped smothering

15-17- really bad depression...I think.

17-30.....functioned pretty well but made bad choices....poor self esteem most of the time. Allowed a lot of people to walk all over me. Schoolaholic and workaholic.

31 - Complete breakdown - Full PTSD ( After my signifigant other...at the time...his father developed a brain tumour and we took care of him (this was ultimately what my father died from) HUGE reminders...because I had a close relationship with him..He died and I fell apart (after doing palliative care nursing) The reminders were too much...because my emotions took over at that point.
 
not sure I've handled alot before I snapped like
ex-husbands adbuse broken bones sugery repaired face jaw broke in 4 places.
next standing next to a stranger I met that night when he was shot point blank in the face/
ex-boyfreinds beating me till I lost a child at 6 months aglong/then he raped me found out another baby then the tossed my $20. told me get rid of it
cancer / death od daughter at age of 3 years old / sons got involed with drugs
and other forms of breaking the law./ handled it all till the armed robbery in 2006 started in 1974 so it took me 33 years to find life has a name of ptsd
sally
 
Hi
I answered over a year but thats when i found out i had been through trauma and started experiencing the ptsd in full. The drugs i was given meant that i had amnesia about it for 12 years almost exactly to the day! While i had the amnesia i still had some of the effects of ptsd like poor memory, being angry, paranoia etc but i hadnt got a clue that there was anything wrong with me or what had happened. no flash backs, nor panic attacks etc untill i was triggered 8 months ago. Blanked it all out. So maybe the effects were immediate but i wasnt aware. They certainly werent the full blown effects im experiencing now.
 
I seem to have a delayed reaction.
I was able to push all my hurt down and keep it hidden for years, but
then it came bubbling up to the surface in full force, and threw my into panic attacks and seizures.
I had a traumatic childhood, from age 2 to age 18.
I was able to act like nothing bothered me for all those years, but around the time that I turned 19, I began experiencing a lot of severe forgetfulness, and feeling like I was in a dream. I am almost 32 now, and just a few years ago, I began having seizures.
They would throw me into a frozen state, and cause me to lose consciousness and recollection. I really wish I could stop these symptoms, but I can't afford therapy, and I really don't want to take medicine. I wish someone had an answer for me. I'm all alone over here, with no one to identify with. My only friend who has had a similar life, and who accepts me with all of my flaws is leaving our place of work due to a previous injury. I'm going to be so sad to be alone again.
 
I answered 1-3 mos. I started having intrusive thoughts and flashbacks after my first rape. I used to fantasize about getting revenge in extreme detail.

With my mom, I started semi-fighting back both with my words and sometimes I would hit her back. I had nightmares about her throughout my childhood until I became an adult and they became less frequent.

Anyway, the symptoms have been with me for as long as I can remember. The diagnosis came rather late.
 
3 to 6 months? But I didn't know why I cried hysterically sometimes. That was the first assault. I won't go into discription for it may cause distress for others. A year laterafter that injury I was writing up the clients medications & at the end of my shift I was trying to figure out what their ment & there. Two years in a row before I went to see the psychologist I've been seeing since 2001. In 2003 I was assaulted again & I don't have a lot of memory of exactly what were on that day but he was trying to kill me. Ok, enough for me.
 
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