Anyone know anything about PTSD?

**Scooter's Mom** · 10-02-2008, 10:15 PM

On December 2, 1994 my apartment burned down. I had (at the time) 16 pets... 3 kitties, a lovebird, 2 bunnies, 2 gerbils and the rest were all hamsters and mice. The only pleasant surprise was the beautiful neighbor lady (Sherri) who came into my burning building and rescued Twinkie and Cassie (who are now Katjaye's kitties). I had to save Sasha kitty, she didn't like people... but I managed to get her out and into a waiting pet carrier. I went back in for my lovebird (people were trying to hold me back) and did save her... singed my hair in the process. The neighbors would not let me back in for the rest of my beloved critters. (They all survived that tragic day, somehow.)

After that day, I suffered from PTSD. There were many different ways it took shape, but one was - I could not leave my house for awhile. If I managed to leave and heard sirens, we went home. I hid in the closet during storms; started watching the weather channel 24 hrs a day. (It was drizzling/sprinkling when the fire happened.) There were MANY other things...

It took me years to get past it. Once I moved to Phoenix, I saw a therapist and they helped.

**moosmom** · 10-03-2008, 11:56 AM

I was diagnosed with it 3 years ago after I found my father's body in 1997. I still have horrible nightmares now and again and take Seroquel for sleep. PTSD is awful and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

I'd wake up, heart pounding, sweats, shortness of breath. I don't know if it ever truly goes away. It's 11 years since his death and I still have them periodically. Definitely not fun.

**shepgirl** · 10-03-2008, 09:07 PM

Anything traumatic to someone will trigger it. I've suffered from it for years from a horrible accident. No, it never does go away, don't think so anyway, but keeping busy and talking myself out of it has helped tremendously in my case. The nightmares do keep coming back and so do the flashbacks....I just keep telling myself it feels horrible but it can't hurt me unless I let it.

**ILoveMyAbbyGirl** · 10-03-2008, 10:36 PM

I've never been diagnosed, but I think I have it sometimes because of the Jay ordeal. I had a panic attack when I saw him a week ago, I can't drive anywhere near his house, I have nightmares about him, and damn near anything can remind me of him, and it makes me terribly paranoid and anxious.

It's hard. Very hard. =[ I wish everyone the best.

**NicoleLJ** · 10-06-2008, 09:48 PM

This is something I have. Flash backs and violent nightmares are just some of the few symptoms I deal with. Since mine is from a rape most any man touching me or coming up on me suddenly can send me into a panic. If I see a car or person similar in looks to the person who did this to me then I can have waking nightmares. My husband says it is like I just stop and get this vage look on my face and can start screaming or so on.

Since having Sheena she has helped a huge amount. Doesn't take away the disability but does relieve it a lot along with meds and therapy. She lets me know when men are approaching so I have time to prepare, she acts as a physical block in line ups so I don't have to worry about being touched. When I go into a waking nightmare(as I call them) Sheena brings me out of it and helps ground me. THese are just a few thing I deal with because of this disorder.

PTSD is not something I would wish on anyone.