Topic Tuesday // Supporting someone dealing with PTSD // Tues. 27 Feb. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

[Former-Member]

Hi @NikNik @DeanYates
I have a nephew and BiL both have PTSD Dx

[NikNik]

Welcome @Former-Member @Eagle @Shaz51 - Nice to 'see' you all 

To get the ball rolling, @DeanYates , would you like to share a bit about your symptoms. I know for PTSD re-experiencing the trauma is the main symptoms. Could you share a bit about what that looks like for you?

[DeanYates]

Sure @NikNik. My main symptoms have been as follows:

** Re-experiencing. This includes nightmares, flashbacks and images suddenly popping into my head. For me, those images were exactly what I saw. The flashbacks were usually a variation of something I saw and would happen completely at random. Nightmares. I don't always recall them but I would wake feeling extremely tired. My feet would run in my sleep. My wife knew then that I was having a nightmare.

** Avoiding reminders of an event. I did this for years. I couldn’t watch anything or read anything about Iraq. I didn’t want to talk about the place. I cut off contact with all my friends from Iraq. There were times that if a story from the Middle East came on the television, I would have to leave the room. It was part of my self-defence mechanism.

** Negative changes in thoughts and mood. Emotional numbness was one of the worst symptoms for my wife and family. I was very distant, cold. I isolated myself from them. I just wanted to be alone. They couldn’t understand it. And a major problem for men is also a loss of libido (I know, a bit embarrassing to say this, but it has to be said...). This is partly due to medication.

** Hyper arousal. My anxiety, anger and agitation were bad. I was startled easily. One of the things I eventually worked out with my wife was to communicate early if I could feel myself slipping. Say things like I’m feeling anxious or agitated. That way she is aware and prepared. I know some people use code words to express this, which can be uttered before the sufferer takes off and locks themselves in the bedroom. My startle response was so bad that my teenage kids were afraid to accidently slam a door.

[Susana]

Hello everyone! I have first hand experience of trauma when dad died at home from a fatal fall. Mum was there on the scene of the accident first and she has had recurrent episodes of anxiety, though not directly identified as PTSD. For the first month after the awful night, I experienced flashbacks and terrible physical sensations which were like the same sensations I felt at the time. Through wise counsel, I did not try to fight the images or ignore it, but rather, practised mindfulness and breathing excercises to relax my body. Eventually I was able to "see" the flashbacks with less physical symptoms.

[Soozasaur]

Hi everyone! Sorry I’m a littl late joining, was madly registering 🙂
I’m here because my partner has PTSD.

[Adge]

Thanks @DeanYates@NikNik

I do care with people with major support needs (& disabilities). None of them has PTSD, as far as I know.

I have CPTSD myself.

Adge

[DeanYates]

Hi @Shaz51 That's great you want to help others with PTSD. There are lots of good resources out there on PTSD, including this from SANE https://www.sane.org/mental-health-and-illness/facts-and-guides/post-traumatic-stress-disorder

I'd also recommend these excellent books: The Body Keeps the Score, by Bessel van der Kolk, and The Evil Hours: A biography of post-traumatic stress disorder. By David Morris

[Susana]

Hear you Dean! Thanks for sharing!

[NikNik]

I'm sorry for your loss @Susana
Your description of your experiences of flashbacks and the physical sensations sound very much like @DeanYates 's first point above of re-experiencing of trauma. It's fascinating how the mind and body remembers.

Re-experiencing trauma can look different for everyone.

@Susana - it sounds like you have come along way in managing your symptoms. I hope it continues to get easier.

[Susana]

Thanks NikNik! Just supporting my mother through her complicated grief for the past 22 months has been traumatic enough to overtake the first at present.