Dear Jimothybobbert~
I guess the first thing I have to say is how much I regret you have had to wait so long for an answer to your post. Please rest assured it is nothing to do wiht you, or the subject of your post. This system we use here to see and answer posts unfortunately does not always behave as we would like. We wish it did.
OK, so a belated welcome to the the Forum, writing that first post is something I'd imagine you found hard to do. It does help as there are all sorts of people here, all volunteers, who try to share their experience to smooth the path of others.
Actually I see you have already shared something of yourself to another who is in distress, a kind and caring act.
I can't share all of your feelings and emotions, as my PTSD, bouts of depression and anxiety are work related - as a policeman, not from abuse. However it came in part from the way people behaved, and in part part from situations I'm not going to go into here.
For may years I could not even drive past the place where my office had been, and like you had triggers, though the were not about just one person. Yours, as you say, are triggered by the foul person that injured you in so many ways.
As you would know PTSD is much more than being triggered, it changes how one perceives life and how one behaves. I was heartened to hear both that you are startling with a psychologist and that you actually took time off from work when things started to become worse than normal. Both hopeful signs.
My way of dealing wiht people that raised the highly unpleasant past was to avid then -and scenes too that acted as either triggers or simply raised horrible memories. I'm not sayng that is right, simply what has worked for me. Over a (very long) time I've been able to front those situations and the reactions get less frequent and less severe. My long term psychiatrist and meds help, as does my ifesyle.
I can't cram everything in one post. Nightmares - see you doctor and see if medication specifically for them is available and suitable. Thoughts racing though old scenes -Smiling Mind, the free smartphone app, is effective wiht practice.
Having something every day -even if it leaves other things undone - that you enjoy and can look forward to are essential, I use books, movies, pets. What do you enjoy?
Suppoort, not only medical, but from family or friends , is there someone you can trust, who cares and you can speak frankly to? I was surprised how strong my partner was.
Croix
