[rainboteers]

I can find almost all of my symptoms in the symptoms of PTSD. Do you think that the horrifying feelings of dp/dr or a nervous breakdown can cause PTSD? Just a theory I have. I can't be completely off base though, as my therapist thinks these feelings can be so intense they are more than enough to cause a PTSD.

The symptoms of PTSD include:

sleep problems including nightmares and waking early--I have this I have nightmares of dr.'s and I have dreams that dr.'s are telling me I am crazy.

flashbacks and replays which you are unable to switch off--sometimes I feel better but as soon as I think about how terrifying the symptoms are I am back to square one.

impaired memory, forgetfulness, inability to recall names, facts and dates that are well known to you--I think we can all relate to this in some way or another as it is a large part of dp

impaired concentration--I experience this

impaired learning ability (eg through poor memory and inability to concentrate) -- This too

hypervigilance (feels like but is not paranoia) --- Think lots here can relate

exaggerated startle response -- Also think lots of you can relate

irritability, sudden intense anger, occasional violent outbursts

panic attacks -- I know some of you have these and I have had a couple

hypersensitivity, whereby every remark is perceived as critical

obsessiveness - the experience takes over your life, you can't get it out of your mind -- WOW no comment neccessary

joint and muscle pains which have no obvious cause -- sometimes I feel like I have the flu

feelings of nervousness, anxiety-- Again no comment needed

reactive depression (not endogenous depression) -- hmmm... not sure what endogenous depression is, BUT it makes perfect sense that we are in reactive depression due to feeling so bad. How could you not get depressd.

excessive levels of shame, embarrassment

survivor guilt for having survived when others perished

a feeling of having been given a second chance at life

undue fear -- OH YEAH

low self-esteem and shattered self-confidence-- I have that

emotional numbness, anhedonia (inability to feel love or joy) -- sometimes

feelings of detachment -- THATS THE BIGGIE ISN'T IT

avoidance of anything that reminds you of the experience

physical and mental paralysis at any reminder of the experience-- I have this as well

The symptoms significantly interfere with normal social or vocational functioning-- That is alot of us I would think

PTSD disorder is caused by exposure to trauma, which is defined as a stressor that causes intense fear. I think it is pretty safe to say that most of you regardless of why you have dp/dr are scared to death of it. If it wasn't a scary and truamtic experience we wouldn't worry much about it.

The symptoms of stress disorder include a combining of one or more dissociative and anxiety symptoms with the avoidance of reminders of the traumatic even

Anxiety symptoms connected with PTSD stress disorder include irritability, physical restlessness, sleep problems, inability to concentrate, and being easily startled.

Terms

Depersonalization
A dissociative symptom in which the patient feels that his or her body is unreal, is changing, or is dissolving.

Derealization
A dissociative symptom in which the external environment is perceived as unreal.

Dissociation
A reaction to trauma in which the mind splits off certain aspects of the trauma from conscious awareness. Dissociation can affect the patient's memory, sense of reality, and sense of identity.

Trauma
In the context of ASD, a stessful event.
t. Dissociative symptoms include emotional detachment, temporary loss of memory, depersonalization, and derealization

If you read all of this and how any opinions let me know... :?

 

[Da'Burgh]

Oh my gosh, what you've stated fits me like a size 11 shoe. A size 11 in USA for you non-Americans. :wink:

 

[rainboteers]

Yes. My therory is that it fits most of us better than anything else. I really think most of us have a severe form of PTSD.... but the important thing is how do we get past it?

I quit theapy .... I was paying her to much to say hmmm... yes Mecha that is a very good idea.

I might as well be my own therapist.

Da'Burgh what is your exact story... PM it to me if you would like

 

[rainboteers]

It is also worth mentioning that I have found through research that PTSD can cause all sorts of headaches and strange head sensations. My therapist confirmed this... she spent 20 yrs. as a psychiatric nurse. I know that does not make her a psychiatrist but as she reminded me the nurses spend sooooo much more time with the patients than the actual psych dr's. Of course she said, "be responsible and consult with your dr. about any and all symptoms."

I just thought you might be interested in what she and I found out, because I was worried about your head sensations.

I had to quit seeing her because of stupid money, but oh well....

 

[Da'Burgh]

My story is this: One night a few friends decided that they wanted to take a hallucinigenic drug called DXM (dextromethorphan). We took it and tripped blah blah then when we were coming down, a friend came over and we smoked a bunch of weed. I guess this was a big mistake because my brain didn't like that too much. I had a severe panic attack (which I had never had in my lifetime) which I thought I would die. I had delusions that they were trying to kill me and would sacrifice me and hide my body. Not a fun experience at all. I had a moment of DP where I could see myself from above for a few seconds which really convinced me I was on the verge of dying. I was so scared for weeks after that I really messed myself up (and have it in the back of my mind still since I've never had a MRI). I felt ok after I realized I wasn't dead or whatnot.

But I worried still. I started to develop chest pains which I believed were the beginning of a fatal heart problem. I went to the doctor many times and she told me that I had anxiety-and I couldn't believe that. I was so uneducated on anxiety that I pretty much believed the doctor was stupid to say everything I felt was from anxiety. I got an EKG and an Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) and they showed no problems.

What do you know? My "heart problems" went away. But by this time I had already picked up DP/DR. It seemed as though when my tests came back fine, my "cloudy brain" (as I called it) was gone. I felt relief. But one day I was fishing off the dock behind my house and while looking at the water it seemed strange. I felt the sense of fear run throughout my body. I really like to believe this is only DP/DR, but I don't think I can kick this fear until I get the MRI. All directions point to it, but I'm just not sure, ya know?

I'm more than likely just worrying like usual... :x

 

[rainboteers]

Sounds to me like that was a horrific and very traumatic experience. It would be traumatic enough to think that you are dying, but to have that bad of a trip along with it, scary.

Yes, I would say get the MRI. Remember though that once you have rid yourself of that fear you may well come down with a new one. At least that was my experience. First I was terrified of panic disorder and then it came to schizophrenia.

Still sounds like PTSD to me, but I don't proclaim to know much, especially these days.

Hang in there, you'll get it straightened out.

 

[dakotajo]

I dont believe in ptsd. I think all these psychatric illness titles are a joke. You can go to 10 different doctors and get 10 different diagnosis'. It all overlaps. These titles are more for insurance reasons and matching a pill with a disease.

What I do believe tho is stress plays a role in most mental disturbances. Stress, for some unknow reason, has a very large impact on our brain chemistry. Serotonin levels fluctuate with stress and low serotonin is known to cause depression, agression, obsessions, anxiety and panic.

 

[rainboteers]

Yes I see what you are saying. With mental health problems it is much more difficult to know what is going on. It's not like you can do a blood test and find out. Thats part of what makes it suck so bad.

So you don't believe in the the diagnosis of ptsd, but you do believe in the diagnosis of depression, anxiety, and dp/dr?

I don't think serotonin levels are always responsible for the onset of depression and anxiety. What I do believe is that once a life circumstance causes you to become depressed and anxious your serotonin levels may very well get screwed up because of the depression. I think it's more likely that the serotonin levels drop in response to a depression.

However I do think there are a few people who truely have a chemical imbalance and for them it does cause the depression.

Who knows? Certainly not me, just my thoughts :wink:

 

[dakotajo]

Sure I believe in anxiety and depression. Dp/dr is nothing more than a product of intolerable mental suffering. If we felt good mentally it wouldnt exist. Its all part of the flight or fight response. I also believe that serotonin is the major culprit in depression and anxiety. It is our "feel good" chemical that is directly responsible for our mental state of well-being. Ive read about numerous experiments that have been done in blocking the effects of serotonin in the brain and it CAUSED anxiety and depression. Drugs that boost serotonin in the brain, such as ssris or even ecstasy, make us feel good(at least for most people). I think that it is safe to say that serotonin is highly involved.

 

[CECIL]

Reactive depression is when you sink into a depressed state after a specific occurrence in your life. e.g. You lose a job, a girlfriend, have to declare bankruptcy etc. You become depressed for a while and then come out of it again back to your normal self.

Endogenous depression is depression that does not stop for more than a certain amount of time (I think something like 2 months according to the official diagnosis). You become depressed and cannot get out of the hole it creates and become more and more depressed. It keeps coming back and affecting you even after the original cause is removed.

 

[dakotajo]

I agree. Both healthy anxiety and depression can exist due to certain events in our lives. Its when they exist for no reason and they become debilitating(sp?) that there is obviously something wrong upstairs.

J

 

[rainboteers]

Yes. I see what you are saying. I think you are right about dp/dr being part of depression.

All I have done is sob and cry all day long. I don't know what to do. I can't handle anti-depressants, as they increase my anxiety and make me feel worse. I feel like there is no hope for me. Does it ever go away on it's own? God, I hope so. I don't want to live like this. Of course I will if I have to, but it hurts me so bad.

I was thinking of trying SJW or 5-HTP? What is the difference between them, and does anyone have any advice on how to take them so that they are the most effect they can possibly be. Also, does anyone know any natural alternatives to xanax.

I have to do something. All day today I have been thinking that I really wish I would just die. I KNOW that is really bad, and I don't want to be this way :?

 

[sming]

Both healthy anxiety and depression can exist due to certain events in our lives. J

Wow, don't let an REBT therapist catch you using terminology like that :shock:

I know exactly the concepts you're talking about and just incase anyone's curious, REBT uses the following terminology:
healthy worry ~ concern
unhealthy worry ~ anxiety

healthy sadness ~ sadness
unhealthy sadness ~ depression

So the goal is to move from anxiety and depression to concern and sadness. That's the plan, anyway... lol

pete

 

[rainboteers]

Well my feelings go way beyond concern and sadness... I am very unhealthy. My family is just telling me to stay away from dr.'s and therapists because it will work itself out. I am broke and dropped out of school, so I can't pay for it without them. I hope they are right, but I doubt it. I am afraid if they don't let me get help, I won't make it. I would never hurt myself (unless I truely didn't know what I was doing.) I think I will die from a broken heart. I was thinking how amazing it is that you can feel so bad and still breath and live. Over the past few months I have sat with more pain than I ever thought I could bare.

 

[sming]

Well my feelings go way beyond concern and sadness... I am very unhealthy.

Right, I assume you mean you feel bloody awful and think unhealthily, not that you eat chips and don't exercise?

My family is just telling me to stay away from dr.'s and therapists because it will work itself out. I am broke and dropped out of school, so I can't pay for it without them. I hope they are right, but I doubt it. I am afraid if they don't let me get help, I won't make it. I would never hurt myself (unless I truely didn't know what I was doing.) I think I will die from a broken heart.

I don't know much about your history so don't want to comment. It's clear that you're very low and demoralized and just those two things say to me that meds/therapy are the right way to go.

I was thinking how amazing it is that you can feel so bad and still breath and live. Over the past few months I have sat with more pain than I ever thought I could bare.

Yes. Mental illness in my experience is vastly more painful than physical illness. It is amazing how much punishment a human can endure. But endure it we can!

good luck.
pete