PTSD triggers and stigma

PamelaR · ‎19-03-2018

Hi all

There have been a couple of posts recently about negativity towards people who are triggered by events and go into a PTSD response which results in anxiety.

I think there is a view out there by people who do not understand what Post Traumatic Stress that 'an industry is being promoted' by psychologists and others.

How awful is that! The same can be said about a range of illness that have been diagnosed over the past 50 years or more. The scientific evidence and research that has happened in the past 50 years is so advanced that IMO people are afraid.

IMO, it's much easier for people to live 'in ignorance' than to really look at what's happening in their environment. I truly believe PTSD falls in this category.

It is so easy to say, it's 'all in your head'. Well, yeah, that maybe but that does not devalue what is happening for people. Nor does it mean that it's 'stupid', 'not real', 'not happening' etc. Yes, things do happen in your head, they can be good or not so good. That's why we have mental health plans.

What I really want to debunk here is - that PTSD and it's triggers are STUPID. PTSD and triggers are real and have lasting effects both for the person who is experiencing them as do people who provide support to those people.

You will find some talk about complex PTSD along with 'normal' PTSD. I'm not making any distinctions between the two, though from what I've read in the forums there is a difference. This thread is for people who get triggered and go into anxiety. Doesn't matter what the trigger is.

Your triggers are real. They occur at times when you least expect them. No one else can say to you that you are stupid. Responses to triggers do happen. Triggers can:

set off body responses, e.g. heart palpitations, sweating.
be through sight, smell, sound, touch, feelings
bring back memories of trauma
cause intense physical and emotional reactions
cause muscle tension.

Would love to hear what others think. Please have your say. My words are only from my experience. What is your experience?

Kind regards

PamelaR

startingnew · ‎19-03-2018

Hi Pam

this thread here might help too

im not up for much posting and cant seem to formulate a post atm due to hard times atm (will leave that to my thread however) but will leave the link here and will come back to here when i can

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/ptsd-trauma/ptsd---does-'wellness'-and-'safety'-trigger-a-fear-response-

Elizabeth CP · ‎20-03-2018

I think other people don't understand so talking about triggers is difficult. Even family members who know what happened still don't understand. That has changed in some instances. It is also hard to talk about it because it brings up the memories which is painful.

PamelaR · ‎20-03-2018

You're so right Elizabeth. Talking about trigger is hard as. It may never be possible to talk with family about your triggers. The remaining members of my family have no idea of my issues or care. They do have their own significant issues that they chose to not do anything.

Stigma is fascinating. People have different values, ethics, beliefs and ways of living. What we have as part of our lives, i.e. our triggers, is difficult for them to understand. In many instances, they do not want to understand or they don't have the intellect to know what it means. My view is and how I live my life - I have the strength and empowerment to believe in myself and what happened. I don't need their validation!!

It's taken me a long time to get to this point. Much soul searching, loads of work with therapists.

What's your thoughts? Are you able to 'let go' if people don't understand your circumstances?

Kind regards

PamelaR

Elizabeth CP · ‎21-03-2018

I think it is important to accept that you can't expect people to really understand. This means we need to do whatever is required to cope with the situation. Obviously talking to therapists is a different issue as they are trained to help. I will share an example to explain what I mean. My husband knows what happened & has seen my reaction first hand several times when fires occured near us. On Black Saturday I recieved a call warning me of a fire nearby. I had recently switched off the radio as I couldn't cope with the reports of fires everywhere(none near us) so I was already feeling very uptight. My oldest don & his wife were visiting & I was embarassed to show her how stressed I was so I tried to hide it by ging round preparing the house asd calmly as I could. I told my kids what was happening & called out for my husband. Eventually I found him outside putting out burning embers. I was really upset that he had deliberately avoided telling anyone else that there was a fire nearby. His response was 'I didn't want you to get stressed' I have since accepted that he really didn't understand properly what it is like for me. It is not that he deliberately wants to upset me.

Since then I accepted he doesn't understand so I need to make my own decisions as I cannot rely on him providing accurate information.

For me there are 2 distinct groups of triggers. One is real triggers ie those involving a real danger even if that danger is so low that others wouldn't worry about it. In these cases I need to act to ensure my own safety & that means sometimes having telling other people involved even if they don't really understand why I need to act the way I do. My therapists have encouraged this explaining to me that because of my level of fear I'm unlikely to be able to react logically if the danger escalated so getting out early is essential. Attempting exposure therapy to help me react more appropriately is too dangerous to attempt.

The other set of triggers are the ones which trigger bad memories/thoughts but are not associated with any danger. I don't think I can expect others to understand although it may be worth letting close family of a friend know if you can trust them & they can help support you as you learn to deal with these triggers. Unfortunately for me these triggers seem to keep changing & make no sense toi me so I can't see how others could understand them.

PamelaR · ‎21-03-2018

Hello Elizabeth CP

What a wonderful hubby. Of course, many out there will never understand the why, what, how, when of our responses to triggers. And does it really matter in the long run?? We're the ones who have to manage and cope with the responses. I think it's essential we talk about what we're experiencing, but there is no requirement for them to 'really understand'. But empathy would be good.

What your therapist has advised sounds very good to me. Get planned, get moving before going into overdrive. If this means immediately reports are heard - so be it!!! Don't wait. Yes, it's such a good plan. Feel confident in yourself Elizabeth. You must act on your responses. That's good!! If pple don't understand, well, really that is their issue. You want to be safe, you want others to be safe. That is what is important.

You go Elizabeth!!

Guest8901 · ‎21-03-2018

Hi Pamela. Interested in following this thread, so just posting briefly in order to have it come up under My Threads. Will be able to find it now. 😀

Amanda

PamelaR · ‎21-03-2018

Always good to have you along Amanda. Hugs.

labradoodle · ‎22-03-2018

Hi Pamela great thread will also be following and am very interested in other PTSD sufferers replies and advice are. Thanks Labradoodle

Ggrand · ‎27-03-2018

Hello Pamela,

If it's okay I would like to follow and join in this conversation if it's okay.

Do I get triggered, yes and if bad enough go way deep into depression and find it hard to resurface, as the triggers are so real, I can sometimes feel the event like re-live it again, and once triggered the fear and confusion I feel can put me down which lasts for days.

Triggers are real, and debilitating at imes,m so I thought I might read a long and try to learn what I can to help me.

Kind thoughts,

Karen...../Grandy