PTSD

I needed to find a forum for post traumatic stress disorder but there doesnt seem to be one so i apologise for posting it in here. I thought it was the most appropriate section as PTSD is pretty common in the military and i thought i could get feedback here. Okay..

I am not in the military i am a psychology student, i suffer from bipolar disorder along with mild psychotic features. About 6 months ago whilst walking home at night 3 guys with knives tried to kill me. I would rather not go into the details of all of it. Essentially 6 months on.. i still get nightmares, very vivid flashbacks and i cannot walk anywhere when its dark on my own anymore i will panic and get so anxious it will happen again. Two months post to the event i still had not really left my home or gone outside because i was still shaken up and scared to death.

I know its not the same as surviving a mortar attack or mowing down soliders with a assault rifle but still in the context of my daily life it was very very scary to me and i want to know if im suffering from post traumatic stress.

[JKJ]

hi-
i'm so sorry that you went through that.  PTSD can happen to anyone; not just military personnel.  you will learn in your psych studies that the most common cause for PTSD are auto accidents.

i happen to be an Air Force Veteran (12 years active duty).  i do have PTSD.  it sounds like you have PTSD as well.  you need to go talk to a professional.  i'm no professional.  the nightmares, the flashbacks, being startled easily, avoiding daily activities--that's all part of PTSD.

dont' be scared.  it's not as scary as it sounds.  there will be bad days, good days and days in between.

take good care of yourself......i hope you are able to talk to someone about this; it will help.

[skypeople]

I know because, even though I served in military during Vietnam war (did not serve there) I was an assault victim such as you and have PTSD.  They are finding that the sooner one goes to treatment, the better they can handle in future.  That is advantage of today vs. 32 years ago.  

[LZFreedom]

Thank you so much for your statement! My boyfriend of 7 years was a Combat Medic through 3 tours in Vietnam and still has a hard time with my mentioning my own ptsd symptoms when they rear their head. It's very grustrating as my Veterans advocacy work for 18+ years, came about as a direct result of the lack of treatment for ptsd over the years. But the roots of my ptsd began in childhood, and have had multiple trauma's throughout my life that at times, exacerbate my symptoms.
I'm grateful to be off all med's for ptsd for several years now!
But let me tell you, when the memories are triggered by sights, sounds, smells, or visual triggers ~ they're very real. It saddens me that we still argue about ptsd symptoms just because I was stateside when another Combat Vet held my .357 to my head and pulled the trigger on a daily basis.
Another great war hero... TG those experiences haven't stopped my sincere and life long efforts in service to our Veterans. Thanks for letting me share, thank you so much for your service to our country, and thanks again for the validation!
I may take a look around and see if I can find another thread for PTSD?
I know there's a sexual assault thread here, but there are many trauma's that may induce PTSD.
And to Delusion: I found that EMDR was very successful in minimizing the impact of some trauma's without being inundated with drugs. It takes a few talk sessions with a practitioner to get the the actual EMDR, but it was very effective for me without numbing me out of reality. Best Regards to All ~

[Pointman]

I am sory for your treatment, but its my opione, PTSd if even thats the right term for it, is far differnt for one being in combat.  And LZ  iam sory for  yuor ssiuation, yuo could ahve walked away from it, i admire  yuo for sticking in there, but us combat vets we cant walk away.
Pointman

[LZFreedom]

Oh ~ I did walk away from it ~ 10 years ago. He was one hell of a soldier.
Walkabout was buried in Arlington Ntl. Cemetery last year; he passed 3/8/2007.
I swore I'd never get involved with another combat Vet but I just can't seem to help myself lol. I'm a volunteer VSO and through that have been friends with an incarcerated Veteran for 7 years now, and he's been my best friend. Don't know if we'll survive his incarceration or not but he gets out in maybe 7 or less years. RVN 68-70 Combat Medic. Totally a long haul. I know mine's not considered combat ptsd because I was stateside & it was my gun being fired at me... Take care Pointman ~ Peace ~ Woshi

[Pointman]

LZ i am sory for all your hard times, , you are a adult, and you say you cant help your self, I dont know waht your friends  is  in prison for, but as a a adult, you should be careful about   being hurt againe. You are missing the point Comabt vets have diff issues with PTSd than a person whom had a tramatic experinece, no way the same you said  you walked away and yuo should ahve, but yuo never answerd how a Combat Vet can walk awa, I admire  your work helping vets, my experince has been not many put there heart into, you seem too.i would consider yuor mistreatment teh battered wife syndrome.
to all yuo wives out there who amy read this, Combat vets arent easy to live with at times.it takes alot of Love and uderstanding,

[drifter0213]

i have PTSD from being injured in the USAF-drifter0213