You Know You Have PTSD When...

[Emma13]

When you keep trying to put the non-refrigerated food in the refrigerator.

 

[BlackbirdSinging]

When other people can't help it and laugh at your startle response. That kind of annoys me actually. I always tell them "that's my startle response". And they always laugh. I never find it funny because what they don't realize is for that one startled second I'm actually very scared and have to calm down again.

 

[Changing4Best]

And they always laugh. ...

They may not really understand what you are telling them about, tell them first and foremost that THIS ISN'T FUNNY! And then explain to them what a startle response is, that is if they are close enough to you so that telling them is not too personal for you. If they are not close, don't say anything, you need not explain yourself to them!

 

[Ed Norton]

When you can not watch any news, look at any newspaper, and even afraid to check the weather because you feel you will inadvertently hear news. I go to ADDS (Aviation Digital Data Service) to get my weather. I can not watch any TV I limit myself to four websites.The only show that I can watch in YouTube is The Honeymooners because it is predictable and safe.

 

[DharmaGirl]

When other people can't help it and laugh at your startle response. That kind of annoys me actually.

I was inpatient last year and one of my nurses would laugh every time she came in my room and startled me. I didn't find it funny either. They were doing every half hour checks on me and it only served to make me worse. She was a new grad, and I probably made her nervous, but she was being paid a lot to be there.

 

[Ed Norton]

When you simultaneously do not want to sleep and do not want to awaken.

 

[macca]

@BlackbirdSinging that isn't fun. My brothers used to think it was funny to scare me due to my response growing up. Didn't realise why. Sometimes it was super easy, sometimes I didn't respond at all (think I was dissociated) and that added to the game. I guess the "normal" people get a kick out of getting a fright, because it's different for them.

Ok, back to the thread - when you obsessively read trauma-related self-help books but forget to act on the suggestions because you're too busy obsessively reading about them.

 

[Bedbug]

You know you have PTSD when you go to type a witty, insightful response to a thread and can't remember what it was or which thread you were reading and spend the next two hours beating yourself up for being so useless that you can't even remember ... what was it?

 

[Bedbug]

... when you prepare to make preparations to prepare yourself to be able to stop making preparations that will prepare you to do the simplest thing without making preparations.

 

[Changing4Best]

... when you can't find the person who is giving you a ride home and you panic because you don't want to walk home in the snow and ice for 5 blocks.

 

[Ed Norton]

When you completely understand Bedbug`s post above...LOL

 

[seedling]

When you can't say how you know when you have PTSD because you can't find the words to try to describe what it is you do because you have PTSD.