Turtle82

I'm noticing something with mine and am wondering if anyone else with this condition has noticed it too. For many years, I've been aware of "triggers" but think its also, somehow, looking, for lack of a better definition, cyclic too. The first sign I get is, with nothing in particular on my mind,... not obsessing about anything... I can't get sleepy. In a day or two following that first sign, the ugly thoughts begin that the usual methods I use to turn them off don't work on. Once those "can't get to bed at a decent hour" nights stop, then the encroaching memories and agitation stop too. This is starting to look, to me, like there's something biological going on.

I'm not talking about a full-blown, loss of reality, attack here.... just the obsessive, negative, memories type. I also have tinnitus (head and ear) and have noticed that it gets worse during these cycles also... or maybe the stress from that causes the sleeplessness? Which ever, but the memories and agitation start after the it and seem to occur at least twice a month.

Has anyone else experienced this, apparently, cyclic thing?

biminiblue

I used to suffer with this a lot more than I do now. I know I get cycles of sleeplessness with no apparent reason. It may be biological or it may be something else. Usually if I really focus on my life-hygiene I can keep it under control.

Caffeine, sugar, good nutrition, exercise, regular bed-times, prayer, meditation - these are all things I must give attention to daily - or pay the consequences.

Soberpotamus

I've never been diagnosed with PTSD but I definitely get flooded with bothersome memories sometimes. It's increased over time, since getting sober. It's actually worse right now than it's ever been. I seem to run in "cycles" too.

raul88

I have similar episodes that seem to appear about the same time each year, but are not related to life stresses. I call it anxiety, though "agitation" is a very proper term (and PTSD is a type of anxiety).

The inability to sleep (rest), physical symptoms, the thoughts (for me it tends to be fearful, anxious thoughts), feeling spacey, can't concentrate or feel a type of jumpiness, where loud sounds and crowds, even a loud TV on can seem overstimulating and chaotic. Of course there is a cumulative effect, where if you don't sleep one night, the next day you feel worse, and so on.