Time4Me1

I just read another post where someone mentioned PTSD. I have wondered if I (we) have this to some degree due to living under constant stress and the chaos that comes from living with addicts. I feel like I cant handle the stress like I used to. I now get anxiety over the littlest things. I am afraid of getting into another relationship and kind of feel like I am becoming some what reclusive. Although I am still a compassionate person, I find that I dont want to be around any one with problems any more....which means everyone lol!! I think some of this is probably part of recovery from co-dependancy, but I wonder if I have developed thais now as a result! It seems like the world id out of control. Everyone is screwed up. It scares me now. I never felt like this before!

Ann

I believe that many of us have PTSD, I am quite certain I do, or did since it's not as bad as it used to be.

I can still get triggered by the smallest thing, anything that reminds me of how it used to be. And although I ran on adrenaline for years because of stress, fear, and raging codependency, today I watch carefully for anxiety and do what I need to do to return to a calmer state of mind.

One cannot live for years in fear, in the drama that has become our lives, in hiding from "normal" people and situations and in the stretch from frantic anxiety to deep depression, without being affecting in some harmful way.

Learning to work the 12 steps helped me find a way to keep my balance. I need to do work every day to maintain the good feelings that life brings me today.

Hugs

lc1972

I took my teenager and her 2 friends to see that last night. We have seen them all together kind of a tradition now along with the Twilight series. Long movie but good and I liked how it ended.

I honestly cannot say enough for my counselor. If not for her I think I may have snapped and beat him with a pan or something. Not sure if you are seeing one, but it sure helps me. I have been told also by others that some addiction counselors take family members. Not sure which one is best but I go every week on top of meetings and everything else I am doing.

While my RAH was active using his DOC I would not leave the kids with him. I either had my teenage daughter watch them or my neighbor's daughter. It sucks to have to coordinate that on a daily basis to get anything done or even enjoy yourself, but sometimes necessary.

I am sorry it ruined your evening. Sending out hugs to you

steve1840

i believe there is some sort of ptsd. i had equated it to being in battle for months and months and then returning to a quiet town. i was so used to living in a different state of being that i am still having trouble not havingthe chaos. i was used to living reactionary. and in a way i miss some of the rush. not that i liked it necessarily, but i had gotten used to it. i also got used to having to look out for her. so now, when i hear from her, like the other day, i snap right into the high adrenaline mode. i am not usedto not having the constant drama in my life.

sebby1234

I don't know if it's PSTD but have to agree that I have reached the point where I cannot deal properly even with benign stress. Even figuring simple things at work sometimes start inducing anxiety attack like symptoms.

I am still in the midst of dealing with my situation but hope it will get better once I finally have a chance to give my body and mind a break from all of this.

Chino

I have PTSD and it predates my daughter's addiction. I thought I had a pretty good handle on it but addiction proved me wrong. I was facing off every day for about a year with a demon in survival mode, and it was more powerful than me. I had to learn to stop fighting with it and let go.

Abundance

Oh I'm so glad that I'm not alone in this - I have total PTSD from what I went through. That night he did heroin in my home - and how when I caught him he wouldn't stop - he just kept going from the bathroom downstairs to the bathroom up in the master. We had our bags packed to go visit his parents - and the boys were so excited - so it was like this bout of total insanity. I came here ... I listened to music ... I worked on finding my serenity ... so I could keep it together for the boys. So - that is kinda cool that I learned how to do that - switch gears. But anywho - if I share that with someone that has never been in that situation - it's like living it all over again. And then is when my PTSD really gets triggered.

In co-dependency - you feel so much. Every sensation of my body was so loud and trying to get me to listen to it. Now... being in recovery - I say I'm allergic to addicts. That I immediately can feel all those same sensations as I had before ... and if I'm with the person for a short time ... those sensations stay with me, but in fast fwd motion.

Coming to SR can be a trigger too... cause I remember all that pain and seeing people in that same pain ... omg - i am so glad they have found this place.

I worked on step 1 last night and I want to continue - I think that will help me. I think we can work through it - to where we accept it and have no emotion or tie to it and it was a small part in our life. So - when someone else is in it - we no longer can be reminded of those sensations to the point of ptsd. I'm hoping so at least.

ready2learn

I agree that the emotional trauma from living with someone with an addiction can lead to PTSD. I was diagnosed with it after Hurricane Katrina, but that's another story. I had stopped crying and getting too emotional...I became very apathetic about everything. I started withdrawing from everyone and everything because it was too overwhelming....too many problems with too few answers. Isolating myself became my defense mechanism for dealing with AS. I would get involved when he would get loud and disruptive in our home, but then I would retreat again. There are triggers for me now that AS is in rehab, mainly talking about him coming back home one day. I think to myself "oh no, I don't want to be trapped in that insanity if he relapses." I see a counselor and it is helping. He's actually given me a book to read about soldiers returning from combat with PTSD. It would be helpful to check out some books from your library to learn how to deal with it. One doctor gave me medications to try to get over it, but they didn't help. I think if at all possible, facing your demons and working through it works better.

tam

I have to agree here too..prior to my ah leaving, I had no patience at all, the smallest thing would set me off. I still have those days, when people would come up to me with such a small problem I would think "are you kidding me"?? relax!! thats nothing!! I also find too I lose my patience in public. I dont
seem as bad as I was 11 months ago, but I truly believe that addiction affects us with pstd.
even my coworkers tell me how I am different and boy let me tell you if they say it, its true cause I cannot think about the times I would flip out at work and what I did and said..just awful to think about.

Freedom1990

I'm sure I had PTSD for a long time after being with my EXAH for five hellish years. He was abusive in every sense of the word.

Babyblue

Most likely the actions perpetuated by the addict could be a basis for PTSD (i.e. persistent abuse verbal or emotional). I was diagnosed with PTSD for a different reason after observing some trauma done to someone else. It is an event that is as clear in my mind as the day it happened and when triggered, the event flashes in front of me and all those feelings I had at that moment reappear. I'm sure there are degrees of PTSD as well. But mine is debilitating enough where it interferes with my day to day functioning if I don't seek help when it is triggered.

cinderellawkids

My doctor diagnosed me with PTSD and severe panic disorder . I had general anxiety before we met, but NOTHING like what I experience now. Dr relates it to the things my husband had put this family through. When I first saw doctor, husband was home, Dr said, Im afraid Im gonna get a call your in the psych ward get out.
I left my home, my pets everything and took my children, just as my landlord was about to begin eviction proceedings AH ODed and I got my home back. I suffer more now, with every little sound even on meds, time and counseling and prayer will eventally heal but depending on circumstances it can take a long time

My doctor specializes in stress disorders and said very few live years with an active addict spouse and dont suffer psychologically