Hi Entropia, thank you for sharing. My boyfriend has PTSD, also from being in a combat situation, but is unwilling to attend any kind of therapy. I am wondering however if you are on any medication that has helped? The problem with him is that a flashback triggered by waking up suddenly or a loud noise can actually cause him to black out, which is of course very dangerous if he's in the middle of the street or up a ladder at the time! Have you found medication to assist or do you feel that the therapy was the most effective part of your treatment?EntropiaAddict said:
They had me on Paxil and Propranolol (had to look that one up) for a couple of years after the fact. The Propranolol helped a lot with the physical symptoms, though I'm not sure how it would help with blacking out. Currently, I have been "downgraded" to Bupropion (more for the depression than the PTSD after this many years) and it helps out a lot. My wife and kids can tell within 10 minutes if I have forgotten to take the medication. However much the medications help though, therapy and time are the most effective treatments in my experience. Best of luck with your boyfriend, it is a rough period to get through, but it will get better as time passes (if he can see a therapist to get past the mental block getting in the way).EntropiaAddict said:
It is awesome that you have realized that you need the help. Coming to the realization that you can't fix this on your own is a huge step that many of us have a hard time making (my wife had to "force" me to start going to therapy). The best advice I can give (if possible) is to be open and honest with your therapist about how you feel. They are only able to help you if they can get a feel for how bad/disruptive it is.iRichard said:
I'm so sorry you went through that. He sounds like a total monster, and hopefully karma will eventually catch up with him. A few months ago, I finally got the courage to walk away from an emotionally abusive relationship after eight years. These are just as horrible and damaging as the physically abusive ones. I have a lot of the same problems, and a couple of weeks ago I saw someone who resembled my ex from the back; I nearly had a panic attack too. So I know the feeling.SalinaWithTheSmile said:
@Aleece13... there is nothing odd about feeling PTSD over a traumatizing death of a loved one (be it a person, an animal, or something else). PTSD can take on many forms, and it sounds like you have a type of personality that is susceptible to it. When I finally went and saw a therapist for my PTSD, I told them flat-out that I did not want to talk about it... either with them or with a support group of people who had been through similar situations. I did have to give them a brief overview of what happened (like for your second portion: I had to watch my puppy die from parvo, I get nightmares about it and avoid that spot in my house), then they spent years working with me to get past it. While it is not perfect still (and may never be), it is a thousand times better than it was 5 years ago. While you may feel "silly" over the cause of your PTSD, no therapist should encourage that feeling. To me, if you are still struggling over the traumatic event in your past, your mind is unable to get past the block on its own, then you should look into seeing a therapist so that they can assist you in getting past it.I have experienced PTSD for years over something traumatic in my past... I've never sought out any help, because I try so hard to just ignore it and feel stupid when talking about it. However, my husband and I have started to notice I'm struggling more with it. I can't watch some movies due to graphic scenes or I freeze up when people share something similar with me. I don't know how to overcome it, but don't really like sharing it...
I have oddly enough been experiencing PTSD over the loss of my puppy a month or so ago. He died from parvo and the gruesomeness of his death was so hard to watch and I tried so hard to save him, to no avail. When I woke up the area where he was lying rocked me to my core. I have flashbacks and don't like being in that spot of the house. My senses still screw with me and I can still smell, see, or hear the awful memory. I don't know why and it makes me feel silly, but I've had to burn scensy candles since he died to alleviate it.
I feel you. I was in a domestic violence relationship. Mine was about as long as yours. Mine never punched me in the face, but he pushed me, he hit me with objects, and he shoved me against walls and the bed and held me down. Like you, I justified it because he never "hit" me. He also raped me, and there are a surprising number of people who say that if you are married to someone, you are obliged to their needs, and they can't rape you. That is a big, fat lie. I got a protective order, but my ex challenged it and the judge refused to uphold it, so I had to move. My ex husband lives in another state, he doesn't know my address, and I have cut off all contact, but I still have flashbacks where I am scared that he is coming after me and nightmares where he is attacking me. My next partner was very kind in understanding that I would have to take some things slow and build trust. Domestic violence is poorly understood and very complex in nature.
PTSD can also be caused by long term stress as well as freak accidents or sudden traumas.
This is what I had with my dog, Sasha. She had a tumour in her leg and she was dying. I took her to the vets to get her some pain killers and they gave her meds that made her have fits. I had to change my bedroom because every night I could see it replaying where it had happened. Eventually, it passed but I still get flashbacks of it. I'm getting flashbacks from my time in Egypt as well. Then sometimes I get flashbacks from my childhood and other times of my life. Not all of the memory flashes should be painful, but each one comes with a zap of emotional pain. Like a bullet. It's really weird and I'm left feeling breathless and panicky. I'm wondering how long it is going to last. Does it phase out over time or will it last for years?