PTSD Fact Sheet: Frequently Asked Questions

I'm so sorry you're experiences have you feeling this way. My PTSD was caused for much different reasons, but the symptoms are the same. It's so challenging lately just to go into the grocery store. Sleep well I get that in increments. I have found that my dog (which I've trained myself for my PTSD), and my horses, animals are a place where I find comfort. Much more predictable. I hope you think about reaching out further, I have myself. Sounds like both of us have gotten "stuck" so to speak. Someone out here hears you, and as hard as it is to feel safe I fully believe that you can do this.

I grew up in a battlezone with my family. The abuse and twisted lies and violence and abuse all my life as a child caused my PTSD, no help from Police in community or Courts or Counselors. I was not allowed to talk of abuse with Mental Health Counselors and with Domestic Violence Counselors was not allowed to talk about PTSD and was told that no one counselor can discuss both. Most counselors terminated sessions when I wanted to discuss Police, stigma and their abuse towards me that happenend over 20 yrs and they refused to take real crime reports from others towards me even with pictures, tape recorded abuse and therefore I have no support system or protection from anyone. I have shared with professionals but repeating abuse stories over and over to counselors with no feedback is Counterproductive while they twist their records and label you pushing more drugs.

I am a Holistic, Wellness RN, BS who had to search and find Holistic ways of healing myself because the doctors, counselors and support groups would not let me share without labeling and traumatizing me further when I shared my stories.

CONNECTION and ACCEPTANCE is what the world is looking for and ability to help others with our stories helps us.

Healing starts with living food in fruits, vegetables and green spring mix salads to fuel our bodies with energy food which helps increase our immune system and give us energy. Flush toxins (alcohol, meat, drugs, (street and prescription) with spring water. Take a high Vitamin B Complex daily. Eat 1-2 salads a day of Spring Mix in Produce Dept, get on a Sleep Cycle for 8 hrs. I use Pillow Spray Eucalyptus on your pillow at night to Sleep, take Vitamin D for bones and sleep, wear waxy earplugs for hypervigilant loud sudden noises to sleep without fear, hot shower, Epsom Salts in Bath Water for Pain.

Tumeric (Indian Spices for inflammation and pain in body/ Put in soups, stir fry, omellettes. All Indian Spices help with inflammation. ex. Curry, Cumin, Cayenne Pepper, Chili Powder, Cilantro.

Journal Events and give facts in writing and write feelings to find your own answers to your issues and mentally remove flashbacks from brain because they are on paper. Join a writing group at Mental Health Association in your area.

Attend a Meetup in your area called VeganMeetup,com (put in google with name of your city) and attend it even if you are not vegan.

EXERCISE IS HUGE AND GOOD HEALTHY FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.EXERCISE FORCES YOUR BODY TO GET RID OF STRESS INSTEAD OF STRESS MAKING TOXINS IN YOUR BODY AND STORING IT AND ATTACKING YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM. GO AT YOUR OWN PACE. START WITH A ZUMBA CLASS. (LATIN MUSIC AND DANCE AS WE DO STEPS OF TEACHER. ZUMBA IS FUN AND CARDIO AND PEOPLE LOOK FORWARD TO CLASS). CARBON DIOXIDE GETS RELEASED FROM BODY AND EXCHANGES IT FOR OXYGEN. HELPS YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT AND INCREASES IMMUNE SYSTEM.

ALL THESE STEPS HAVE HELPED MY PTSD AND ARE NATURAL HEALERS DEALING WITH PTSD/

Jasmyn; Read the reasons / causes of PTSD. If you suffer now, I don't think entering the Military would be in your best interest. There are other programs one can do to help others if that is what your looking for. If your looking for a "job" to help other, a Hospital may be one place you will find something to volunteer for and keep your eyes and ears open for positions that might fit you better. Even jobs in the civilian area that you may like, keep looking, find something that you could love to do instead of a job that may cause further pain and trauma to you. Best wishes!

While PTSD is caused by life threatening situations, it is possible to get it without being in one yourself. Some people can be traumatized from simply hearing about what someone with PTSD went through, especially if you're close to them. I think you would know, however, if that was the case. If you're asking if PTSD can be passsd down genetically like anxiety or depression, then the answer is a resounding no.

Josie, unless you have had a serious traumatic event you will not get PTSD. You can help her by reading about PTSD and it's symptoms. Once you understand what contributed to her PTSD you'll know how to provide care that will help her. Best to you.

I apologize in advance, but I have Chronic PTSD and the only reason I react is if there is a threat or the high possibility of a threat. Triggering PTSD is one thing. There are many ways that can happen depending on how one developed PTSD.

Treating you like he hates you, and silent treatment indicates to me a comorbid issue. That's a separate toxic thinking pattern altogether. Has he been drinking or using any mind-altering substances is a question that tugs on my lips with that. Unless you are triggering him.

All in all it is his responsibility to learn his triggers and effectively communicate them with you. PTSD is not an excuse to treat others with disdain. Simply fight or flight. Threat or not. Yes you get irritable, but I believe it would benefit both of you to seek out different treatment options.

One that has helped me is mindfulness it has really developed a much calmer, patient, and understanding of myself (which is where it all starts) and others.

Talk therapy never did anything for me. It took them years to realize I had more going on then just major depression over my past 3 major suicide attempts, because of flashback triggers, and emotional burden that made it very challenging to function. I worked but didn't develop more than professional relationships. I was incapable.

I have isolation periods (which I'm in right now), but that doesn't give me a reason to behave unkindly without a reason, other than I've endured extreme trauma the larger portion of my life.

I'm not sure what your religious stances are but there is a scripture in the New Testament that helps me in those times when I feel irritated and someone is dancing on the trigger line. "Forgive them, father, for they know not what they do." I pray that some of this helps.

To answer your question fully: No he isn't mad at you, he may not even be mad at himself. Depending on what caused his PTSD it may bring up his anger for what someone else has done to him. The guilt and shame is a real deal and I really really hope he learns to love himself better. EMDR has helped me a bit with that. "I love myself, even though I don't do my EMDR, as much as I feel I should."

It takes some time but if he isn't treating you well it's best for him to be encouraged to get help, and if he refuses, maybe it's time to think about separating. Too often people dump their toxic baggage on another, just make sure you heal. No one deserves to walk around on eggshells, and be treated dismissively in a relationship. My heart goes out to you!

That’s what I what I want to know
Been married 20 years considering divorce. I can’t anymote

Hi, (I have ptsd & I think I am in a different country to you) my experience is that you have to 'shop' around, I was encouraged to do this, & I finally found the right fit with a counsellor, (It took a long time) I hope this is an option for you & that you can find the right supportive person.

You do deserve to be supported, I understand what it is like to be highly functioning & doing everything I can to get on top of it.

No one needs extra pressure when they are putting enough on themselves.
Possibly you need to find a counsellor or psychologist that has been through what you have - a good one with a heart that cares for others - that has learned to be present or has the ability to be present for you so you can go to weekly support. I hope this helps. Hang in there, don't give up. Call crisis lines in between bad time slots. Maybe start a support group of other people that are in the same position as you of the same sex. Hugs.

I am so sorry for you.I have been struggling eleven years now.the mental health system is a nightmare within itself.A social worker or msw councelor is not trained to treat us,because they don't know us.They don't live with us,so they don't see our behavior.A psychiatrist is the only one,but a lot of them don't take our insurance,they can give meds,and treatment,but avoidance of triggers with no excuses is all we can do.I try to go to the same places.The medication makes me forgetful,forgiveness does not work,talking about it does not work,selfcaare and firm boundaries work.A church that is quiet works,but I go late and leave early.The constant negative thinking drives me mad.Once the brain is damaged it is damaged.It doesn't matter if yours is worse than others or not,you are an individual.If I hear screaming,yelling,certain words,smells,I react badly.I do not do drugs or alcohol,no criminal background,and cannot be around people that do,plain and simple,for life.I cannot volunteer or micro manage.Sometimes pills make it worse.I listen to wholesome music,and avoid movies the news tv and speaking or sharing when I don't want to.

Echo0fVision, I get it. There are very few therapists that are specifically trained in PTSD. Im lucky that I found one who has spent his life pursuing it, reading about it, talking only to PTSD patients. He even readily admits that "these other guys" they just don't get it. He's seen enough of it that he does get it. He's tried some amazing group therapy sessions and it was like catching lightning in a bottle. We all have each other to talk to now, as well as him. I would search for specific therapists that deal with only PTSD, and interview them. Yes, you ask the questions first. See if you click with them. As soon as I met my doc and he said something like "Listen, we're gonna get through this shit together, and it's gonna be shitty, I won't lie." I was like, This is my guy. Good luck, hang in there. Find others and speak to them. new friends with the same problems help a lot. we all understand each other, and we don't judge.

I completely understand what you are saying. I have been with one for 2 years now. I am a military vet myself but did not experience combat at all. I can deal with most of what his PTSD delivers, but there is one thing that constantly harms our relationship. I have discussed it with him numerous times, but it keeps happening. I want to love and trust him, but I am not sure I can. I have taken the time to understand his needs and adapted, and I ask for very little. I don't even get upset with him often at all because I understand what PTSD can do to someone from reading things and talking with him about it in depth, as well as being involved in all his care. I don't want to give up on him at all, but the one thing, the only thing, I have truly asked of him to not do, keeps happening, and I can't take the lies, and since I always end up finding out the truth in bad ways, I lose trust and faith in our relationship. I am sorry, I don't mean to bring drama, we are just at a make or break state and I truly do not want to give up on him. How can I get him to quit denying the things he does when I have told him over and over that if he were honest with me, and open about it, I would be understanding? It's sad that it's so bad in this moment because he has just started seeking out therapy with the VA. I was supposed to go to his next appointment with him, and I still want to, I just don't know if we can be saved. I don't know.

I never had any problems with getting my 100% rating from VA, but I was a MSG Medic, so I knew a little bit about the system. Alot of times what happens is the Soldier who is failing the claim doesn't understand what is needed or fails to provide a complete claim with full explanation.

pls google 'battered women's syndrome' - no one should have to live in the conditions that you are in - there should be a hotline that will come up when you google - someone will be able to help you. don't give up on hope. God's peace all around you...

Yes, leave.

you are not crazy. that IS PTSD. in my opinion, most of us on the planet are 'broken'. yet we can choose what for the most part, we expose ourselves to now - good or bad; and what we put out there, good or bad. sometimes i just fall asleep praying *(to keep out the bad thoughts); and if i get a panic attack in the night - i do everything i can to breathe slowly and pray again.. exhausting, but it does make a difference. sometimes i even pray, "God, please give me something positive to think about." bc as people with PTSD know, it alot of work to over-ride the thoughts that race through that you DO NOT want to think about, remember, etc.... it was all i could think to write - hope this helps you buddy

My past was filled with traumatic stress (35+ years). Hell, tumbling in a Rodeo down an embankment and waking up hours later to a broken leg and stuck in the truck is serious traumatic stress. We go into the "Fight or Flight" stage of reaction to any traumatic event. Most trained Vets, Police, Rescue Officers or Medics fight by instinct. That's you. So, all of these events hit you with traumatic stress, but you effectively navigated your way out at that moment. What happens next is thinking about what just happened. Often, we find ways to stop thinking about that moment by distraction or internalizing the feelings. Some of us might deflect/repress this thinking for 20+ years, but we still suffer from Post Traumatic Stress. Good God, getting back into a vehicle after my tumble was horrific, but I had no other option. That event happened 18 years ago and I'm still hypervigilant when driving. Does that mean I have a "Disorder" to align with my PTS? No. Why? I trained myself to handle the situation and I am so the best driver ever now :-) - Killing and watching death follows the same fundamental process (I'm not equating death to a car accident). The more death I saw, the more training I conducted in my head. I had to change my thinking, deliberately. The same thing you did for so many years until it caught up with you. I am diagnosed with PTSD and all that comes with it. Been through so many different programs, different therapies, and different conversations to help pull me out this hole. All those emotions you describe are symptoms I went through. For me, they all popped out at the same time and freaked me out. Alcohol was my doctor for 11 solid years. Having new body parts, 30+ surgeries and over 8 years deploying proved alcohol was the best medicine for me. Unfortunately, I still allowed my thinking to keep me distant from everyone and anything reminding me of those stressful traumatic events. If you're crazy, over 20 million others stand with you. So, no - you are NOT crazy UNLESS you make yourself stay the course. Change your thinking, change your life. You have to get back to that point where you had a proper perspective of events and functioned without the thought you have now. The first thing the Shrink does is put you on Wellbutrin to shift your mood. Bwahaha - Most Vets agree this drug is crap. Then they try to help with anxiety (you know, that piece of you that can't stop thinking or moving?) by prescribing some benzodiazepines. Oh, these drugs will help take that edge off, but recent studies prove they only hurt more than help those of us suffering from PTSD. Good article: https://www.medicinenet.com/benzodiazepines_sleep-inducing-oral/article.htm - God help you if you find one of the many fake Shrinks out there. They'll have you on8 different meds with each having side-effects with the other. Brother, if you desire to stay broken for life, maintain your current thought process. You will choose your path by choosing how to think about the past, present, and future. The only thing MAN controls is his thinking. Fight hard. Distract your mind so you reflect less on all those traumatic events. I found working my distraction. Exercise to induce the endorphins you need for your mood swings back to "happy." Finally (the hardest), socialize. Humans are designed to interface with other humans. Without that interaction, you stay isolated and retain the cycle you are in now. God Bless you, Brother! You are at war but within yourself. You need a "Strategy" for winning this war. Once you own your strategy, you'll develop tactics, techniques and procedures to win each of the daily battles you face.