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

[AS1975]

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'd be inclined to agree, heightened situational awareness and constant vigilance is 'learned' behavior in this context. Training which is predicated upon people heading toward danger rather than away from it is another learned behavior, as is training which requires people to continue working until the job is done, regardless of what happens at different points in the process is also going to predict that those who do well in such training tend to 'cope' better than others, for longer than others, when things go badly wrong. This extended exposure, in my experience at least, coupled with effective response, has led to my PTSD being as severe as it is.

Put very simply, if I hadn't reacted so well at the time, I wouldn't have been in a position to have to react that way again (I'd have removed myself from the situation prior to the recurrence of danger). I reacted basically as I'd been trained to react, different context, but same 'type' of reaction.

Then again, I would have to say that incidents from childhood had a range of impacts, they wouldn't be classed as symptomatic of PTSD until after several extra incidents and several years of additional traumas.

 

[rightkindofme]

I'd be inclined to agree, heightened situational awareness and constant vigilance is 'learned' behavior in this context. Training which is predicated upon people heading toward danger rather than away from it is another learned behavior, as is training which requires people to continue working until the job is done, regardless of what happens at different points in the process is also going to predict that those who do well in such training tend to 'cope' better than others, for longer than others, when things go badly wrong. This extended exposure, in my experience at least, coupled with effective response, has led to my PTSD being as severe as it is.

Put very simply, if I hadn't reacted so well at the time, I wouldn't have been in a position to have to react that way again (I'd have removed myself from the situation prior to the recurrence of danger). I reacted basically as I'd been trained to react, different context, but same 'type' of reaction.

Then again, I would have to say that incidents from childhood had a range of impacts, they wouldn't be classed as symptomatic of PTSD until after several extra incidents and several years of additional traumas.

This. I was actively trained to go seek out people who would hurt me. It worked.

 

[Britt.f7]

This is hard to say. I know with the traumatic event that happened in my teens, I reacted right away. Slept in the hallway, in my sister's bed, hardly left the house. Was this PTSD, or just the normal reaction after a traumatic event.

I know, by the time I was in my first "real" relationship, most of the trauma showed up in little ways. I would automatically cringe if he went to touch me, it was just a reflex. I had to brace myself not to do that. Then, when we had sex it started showing up there with fear and tears. That was when I was 18. I still have issues there and I'm 46. This despite the many years of therapy to address it. Thankfully, my husband is a supportive man.

I was in my twenties when I had a severe enough break down that I was committed for a month in an intense ptsd therapy group. Helped me get stronger.

So, when was it exactly? I do not know. I wish I did.

 

[TxGyspy]

I can't really answer the poll. I lost the first 2 years after my trauma. They are a total blank except for incredible anger. Anger so intense that I remember it as colors and nothing else during that period of time.

 

[Violet03]

My trauma started when I was an infant and lasted throughout my childhood at home with my dad until I was placed in foster care. Then it just changed to a different kind of trauma. I had about 5 good years between the ages of 16-21 when I experienced no trauma. During this time I suppressed all the things I had already experienced in life. I was reserved and quiet but nobody knew anything had ever happened to me.

Then when I was 21 I was raped and got pregnant. I also suppressed this and did not talk about it to anybody. I kept my daughter and focused on just being the best mom I could be.

My PTSD started last year when my daughter found out how I got pregnant with her. I had tried to keep it a secret from her so she would not feel bad about herself. When that secret was revealed, all the secrets I have tried so hard to hide came flooding out in the form of flashbacks and nightmares.

So, for me it was 35 years after the trauma began. It's hard to tell exactly when it stopped completely because I feel I have always been dealing with it in one form or another.

 

[rightkindofme]

Oh Violet. That sounds so hard. I'm so sorry.

 

[MomOfTwo]

I grew up in an abusive environment. My father physically abused my mom and my siblings and myself. He would deny food and controlled every aspect of your life from going to the bathroom to drinking water, anything. He was college educated and a smart man but controlling man. I witnessed my mom's teeth being knocked out. My dog getting shot in front of me but have no recollection of that event that happened around age 8. I witnessed horrible things that no child should ever witness for several years. I did forgive him and my mom because I believe she had some guilt in this as well as she had a duty to protect me and my siblings.

My uncle was a pedophile and lived with my family from around the age of 2-5. I do not remember him sexually abusing me but he did my sister and my brother. My aunt divorced him years later when I disclosed that it happened to my sister. My sister accused me of breaking up the family.

I went to college and was very successful. Had great grades and entered the workforce. I worked in an environment where I was bullied, threatened and harassed by several staff but other staff members were as well. At one time a manager threatened to throw me out of a window. I started having heart problems and was sent home because of it. My heart rate and blood pressure would go crazy. I think my work situation was very dysfunctional and probably similar to what I grew up in but never dealt with. I did not have any PTSD symptoms prior but as a child could dissociate easily when faced with crazy circumstances. I still have that ability. I also had hives for 2 years while working in that environment that never would go away which the psychiatrist told me was more than likely related to PTSD. I saw a allergist and had tests but she could not determine why I had such bad hives. I still get them but not with the frequency now that I am out of that environment. I also had gastro intestinal problems that had no medical reasons behind it and they determined it was more than likely stress.

I was being harassed by the Human resources manager at work. I did go to my boss and other people but they all said he was untouchable and I would be fired. I was in a horrible situation because my boss was a bully and I went to Human Resources to try and resolve it and he would be a pervert and close his blinds and try to touch me. I would freeze all the time and not know what to do. I felt like I was five years old and had not control. I would try and distract him. I would talk about his wife or daughter. I felt stalked at work. He would always find me. I never felt safe. He would corner me in hallways and grab me and try to kiss me. It happened sometimes several times a week.

It got to a point where I was telling so many people to try and protect me or help me. One woman witnessed him being inappropriate and complained to the Corporate Human resources and they did not intervene. They told her they investigated but did not. He did the same sort of things to so many women and the company chose to turn the other cheek. It was joked upon about him being the pervert at work.

I saw a psychiatrist who diagnosed me with PTSD but chronic. I guess if it is more than so many months it is considered chronic. He started to sexually harass me in 2003 until 2008 but I was bullied and threatened at work since 1999. I started to have heart problems in 2005 when he was sexually harassing me several times a week. I guess my PTSD symptoms were in 2005. Six years when the bullying started but 2 years after the sexual harassment started. The cardiologist asked me if I was under a lot of stress at work and I said yes and she wrote in her report that she felt it was related to stress. Nobody asked me what sort of stress.

 

[rightkindofme]

That sounds horrible. I'm so sorry.

 

[Britt.f7]

It's hard to tell exactly when it stopped completely because I feel I have always been dealing with it in one form or another.

Violet, I seriously believe that trauma shows it's face in many things that we do or the way we respond to things. Until we recognize them for what they are, we will not conquer them. I prefer to see myself, not as a survivor, but a thriver. Truth is, I have far to go. I have a lot of facing to do if I am ever to have a somewhat normal life.

I am sorry for all that you endured. I wish you healing.

 

[rightkindofme]

That was a crummy response. I'm sorry for it. I feel overwhelmed sometimes by how many different places like to kick us. The bullies find us. I don't know why. I feel really overwhelmed by it.

 

[Britt.f7]

That was a crummy response

Was what I said a crummy response?

 

[rightkindofme]

No! I meant my former response. I felt inadequate. I feel like I am not very good at giving support on this forum. :(