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

[Blackbird89]

I suppressed what happened to me for two years until I had a nervous breakdown.

 

[RavenGirl]

I checked more than 12 months. I've never supressed the abuse. The abuse started at about age 12, the first time I thought about ending my life was around 16, the second time I was 17. The first time I'd say Major PTSD symptoms appeared was when I was 30. The next time was this June, which was also the worst time, I am 46 years old. This is the time that drove me to seek help and cut the toxic abusive family members from my life.

 

[Hatshepsut]

This is a hard one to answer. I picked 1-3 months because I think I've always had symptoms of PTSD all the way back to my earliest memories which were around the time of the trauma but would anyone have noticed them or diagnosed me as a 3 year old? Maybe if I was in an ideal family or something..who knows. It wasn't until I was in my teens that I started acknowledging what was going on and then it wasn't until I was in my 20s before I finally realized I had all these symptoms of PTSD my whole life and acknowledged that it happened. I was in denial for 20 years..didn't want to believe anything happened and blamed myself for being born bad. So, diagnosed 20 years after but the symptoms were there the whole time, but not overtly, since I was in denial/avoiding it. I'd say the symptoms are definitely a bit different in children than in adults. I had nightmares as a child but they were more vague...chase dreams...monsters..trapped, etc. and became more specific as I grew older and more memories surfaced. Flashbacks in childhood are more physically based then visually based. I recalled nothing visual until teens but had physical flashbacks constantly...falling into self, trapped, paralyzed, terror, etc.

 

[nay.elizabeth]

It's honestly tough to know. I've recently discovered sudden death or death in general can create PTSD symptoms in some people more prone to developing the symptoms. I dealt with someone very close to me falling very ill and eventually passing after many years of suffering, when I was nearing puberty and entering junior high school.

I was self harming, hated myself, very angry, withdrawn, and quit every sport and activity I was involved with. My mother figured I was depressed and needed to just "deal with life as it was." Looking back, I think that was my initial start to this PTSD journey of hell.

Anyway, I was drug-induced raped in 2009. I was warned by a doctor of mine to take care of it with therapy before things got bad. I, like the majority of people, waved my hand at her as to say "Sure. Okay. Right." I was sad for a bit and told people I was raped as if it was no big deal. It wasn't until a year or more later I began thinking about it more, was having weird dreams, couldn't sleep without a lamp on, began drinking a bit more, having sex all over the place to feel as though my body was mine again. I had a hysterectomy in 2010 because I worried if I were raped again, I didn't want to be pregnant because of it. These last few years things have been proven to be unbearable and worsening. I've read in multiple places that a large amount of those with PTSD don't develop symptoms and signs until well over a year after their trauma.

 

[hlw76692]

Mine was almost immediately, I couldn't turn on a tv or read a newspaper. I withdrew almost right away. At first I showed a lot of anger and fought a lot. The I hid. I used to not leave the house, I quickly became a hermit and was even called social phobic.

 

[oasis2003]

Mine was 20 years after an event . Also some childhood emotional abuse, and medical trauma. Ptsd symptoms appeared 20years later many supressed memories.

 

[Nikie]

I slowly attracted it.. Might have started just after the accident.. In 2013. But I can just feel the past 8 months. I can not think straight. My only thoughts are I am guilty want to die.... I hurt a kid have to die ....I have to be punished... Urghhh. It drives me nuts!!!!!!. There is not one day I feel worse than the day before the smallest shit trough me of balance. For me I think this is just shit I must get over it.. Fighting like mad.. Against this person inside me. Tonight I realized my marriage is where it is cos of me.. This hate is building up in me to words my husband he doesn't deserve it.. I know I am wrong its so difficult to explain. I can not say exactly when it started maybe in February this year after the court cases was finished. I dunno.. I just know its not nice..I havent been diagnosed by a Dr so I don't know what's going on inside my head. I just don't like the person I have became..

 

[HLW]

So when did your symptoms first appear? This is the magic question which will show quite drastic results compa...

I lost it right away. I was totally lost but I wouldnt let anyone near me. within a month I was cutting and burning myself

 

[MCCS]

For me from what I remember it was immediately after the abuse stopped.

 

[EOD96]

I returned from Iraq in 2005. Looking back, I can tell that I had symptoms immediately on returning home. Loud noises were physically painful, and I was hyper vigilant. The nightmares and dissociation didnt happen until about five years after returning home. Ironically, it was my marriage counselor that diagnosed me. I was so out of touch with myself that I couldnt tell why I was being such a jerk to my wife and kids, coworkers, etc. It was the possibility of divorce that got me to see how far things had come.

 

[Deleted member 30036]

i put 1-3 months could have been longer my first traumatic event happened when i was 5 and continued til i was 13-14 so i could be wrong i dont know i basically switched everything off

 

[7Cs]

Wow, I'm surprised that the majority of us had no symptoms until a year or more. I wonder if it because of shock?