I know that I mainly post just fibromyalgia stuff on here but I think that most of the people researching this probably have PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) as well. I always think that I'm doing so much better with everything and then it hits me like a rock. My counselor says it's because there were multiple traumatic events, some of which were repeated at different times in different ways, creating multiple triggers and reactions.
For example I heard the Reliant K song "The Best Thing" today which I used to love. It was the song Russ said reminded him of me. Now apparently all it does is make me panicky and drop things. Heard the song as I was working on some stuff, dropped some stuff all over my floor when I recognized the song. It all comes flashing back you know? Even though that song wasn't playing at the bad moments it still reminds me. I had a girl who I go to church with go out to eat with me today. She apparently realized we used to be in a relationship when his little sister Gloria messaged me on my wall calling me "Sis". I let her go on talking about him and the family for about five minutes while all the time I was having a growing difficulty breathing steadily and I felt about ready to jump out of my skin. Finally, another girl who was with us stopped her saying "We don't talk about him around Serena, he tried to rape her and was physically abusive". She immediately stopped talking and apologized but I could tell from the look she gave me that she had doubts and questions. Whatever. One thing I've learned is that trying to reason with others about things that hurt that much never works out.
Another example: tickling. This has multiple triggers because it wasn't just one event or one person who caused the trauma. Literally can lead to me bawling my eyes out. My dad tried tickling me a few months ago, I was sitting on the floor and he came down on top of me trying to "joke around". I couldn't even tell him to stop. I couldn't seem to breathe or speak. I froze. Curled up into a ball and just didn't move. When he backed off my body went into flee mode and I scrambled over to the corner and literally just rocked back and forth crying. Dad felt terrible about it and still to this day apologizes for it about once a week but all it does is make me embarrassed. Have any of you ever had one of those "I can't believe my body is betraying me like this" moments? I keep trying to explain to him that it was because someone was coming from above, blocked out the light, and was physically overpowering me PLUS the tickling that did it. But he still swears that there's something I'm not telling him. And there is. He has no idea that it went beyond Russ. But he never needs to know.
Some people have issues with loud sudden noises, they can be problematic if any of my other triggers have already set me off. I'm very jumpy, sudden noises or movements cause me to flinch. Waking up with someone else in my bed and/or touching me can do it too. I had my cousin Allie over a while back, I was watching her and had set her up on the couch. She crawled into my bed at some point during the night and had layed on my stomach to sleep (probably reminiscent of her sleeping on my mom's stomach as a baby). When I woke up I just froze not knowing what was going on. I quickly figured it out but for those few seconds I freaked out. Never did get back to sleep that night.
PTSD can be caused from an accident, abusive situation, and many many other things but from all that I've seen it's definitely prominent in FIBRO symptoms. Stress can induce Fibro, so when someone has PTSD often times they are under stress or have been under stress. The effects of this weaken the body, tighten the muscles to the point of pain and exhaustion, and cause a multitude of other problems. If you have PTSD I really encourage you to seek help for it. Eventually I know that I'll get over my triggers. After all I've come a long way. Even having a guy touch me used to set me off but now I can sit next to them, give them hugs, and without much of an issue. It's taken a lot of effort but it has helped dramatically in my symptoms. Really, if you haven't checked it out you need to. Do it for yourself.
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