Which Ptsd Symptom Bothers You The Most And What Are You Doing About It?

[Lionheart]

Perhaps this should be a Poll rather than a thread of discussion, but I wondered which symptom is most prevalent in your life right now and what you are doing to help yourself with it.?.

I'll start. My worst symptom right now, I think, is Hypervigilence, because it leads to a lot of anxiety and negative thoughts for me and I cannot sleep well. I also check the door locks compulsively as I continue to catastrophize and project fear of robbery, violence, home invasion, etc. I am always on high alert to possible neg situations.

I am using Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and the power of mindfulness to keep me in the present moment so that I don't project negativity into my future.

 

[falling_wave]

I'd say mine is hypervigalence as well. It leaves me feeling keyed up and reading into element of relationships and my surroundings for threat to safety or loss. It leads to panic attacks and insomnia so yeah that's the worst although it's getting better. I think checking assumptions, relaxation tecniques, and talking it through is helping me. Exercise and music also help a lot. If I get to the point of being constantly startled music can drown out the small noises and do a world of good.

 

[StellaBlue]

This...

The thing that connects my glasses to my ear on my glasses is cracked and the crack looks like it's going to break very very soon. I know intellectually that this can be fixed immediately with some duct tape and long term with a short drive and drop off my glasses to have them fixed. What I hate the most? The four hundred thousand voices telling me how this is a f*cking crisis....not about the glasses per se...but I'll have to deal with the folks at the glasses place who will say its my fault...maybe it is my fault...I don't know how they got broken...and it could be weeks, months, years before I have my glasses back...I can't see without my glasses (I have 4 pairs of old ones that still "work").

What symptoms bother me the most? ...not knowing that these are symptoms...thinking that this is how the rest of the world really thinks.,,,I sometimes dream of "normal" - but how can you know what you don't know?

 

[Recovery4Me]

My hypervigilance was my number one concern. I have just recently slowed the intensity to an alert status through self regulation with mega-meditation. May seem like splitting hairs, but it is a world of a difference in body language and tension for me.

My second (vying for number one positioning) is my non-sleep cycling. I am currently trying to make peace around the fact, it may not change with meditation as well. However, I do hold onto a small degree of hope that in time and with practice ... :rolleyes:

 

[Fadeaway]

@StellaBlue That is so true! For the longest time, before I was diagnosed, I never mentioned nightmares to any Dr. because I thought nightmares were only something a child was supposed to get. I was too embarrassed to admit that I had nightmares as an adult. I had no clue it was a symptom of anything.

I put myself through so much hell over many things I felt and did and didn't know why. Had I only know it was PTSD I probably could have saved myself a whole lot of self torture.

At this very moment, the thing that is bothering me the most is the panic attacks. That is mostly due to being on steroidal medication that has increased me symptoms greatly. I can't take care of some very important thing I need to day care of because I keep freezing and then going into full blown panic attacks. Every day for the last week or so. 1 more week of tapering down until I can get off of them. Evil stuff.

 

[Autumn76]

For me it's irritability, difficulty concentrating, avoidance, numbing. I try to remind myself when someone hits a trigger they aren't going to hurt me, when I'm working on something I try to block everything else, I go to places that remind me when I'm with people that I trust and when I know I'm safe, when I feel numb I dig in my fingernails just enough to remind myself that I'm still here.

 

[StellaBlue]

@StellaBlue I put myself through so much hell over many things I felt and did and didn't know why.

Yes. I suppose this all fits under the category of "anxiety" - but I never thought I had "anxiety". Now that I know that it's anxiety, it seems to be around all the time. I also hate the exaggerated startle response, the inability to trust, the shame.

The one thing that I actually liked was the dissociation...unfortunately, I've worked really hard to stop doing it...and now I miss it.

 

[Justmehere]

For me, it's my struggle to trust people, and the anxiety and fear and anger that comes with it.

What am I doing about it? Trying to trust, in small steps. Trying to be kind to someone when I want to run far far away or push them away.

 

[TonyG]

Anxiety is my main issue, I have a long list of other things but Anxiety is my downfall, I know this will not surprise most of you but exercise is working quite well, I walk 5 km a day at a brisk pace, along with a cocktail of medication and lots of sleep.

 

[Gadgie]

I would say that the mood swings are the worst part for me. I think it's because I have no control over them, and that frightens me.

I can manage pain, well I've learned how to cope with it, the depression and mood swings I have no control over, and they can over whelm me to the stage where they bring me right down.

 

[Recovery4Me]

the depression and mood swings I have no control over

I am not challenging this 'for you' because I do not know your full diagnosis nor am I trying to pry. However there are meds, therapist, CBT or DBT support methods and self regulation techniques to diffuse the severity of the swings that some members are currently using with some or a lot of success

So I offer this so that perhaps, you may consider alternatives and find hope. In peace and friendship...

 

[Changing4Best]

I'm not sure if this is a PTSD thing or something else, like having a "Senior Moment" but I forget things like you wouldn't believe. I guess I have heard that an abundance of meds can cause this. The meds I take are mostly for PTSD, so I guess my next most bothersome symptom is the necessity of having to take all these meds!

Oh, and what I'm doing about it is to play some memory exercises for Seniors. I also ordered a course on a DVD that has exercises and other things one can do to improve memory. I'll post some links below, as soon as I can find them and edit this note to have them in it.

The exercises are at: http://www.memozor.com/memory-game-online-free/for-seniors