witnessing trauma, followed by nightmares, possible ptsd?

i want to reply to everybody, but my horrible typing skills, what skills, right, makes it tough.
i'd say slow down the responses, but that's not the idea!

anyhow, another thought/vision,

when we first ran over, i got to the biker, got down on my knees, turned around and saw a young girl standing there right behind me, horrible look in her eyes.
before even checking him for a pulse i knew wasn't there,
i turned, grabbed her around the shoulders and walked her back about 20 yards telling her she really should stay there.
right then her dad came running from the store and walked her away.
poor thing.

a reply to: rubbertramp
That girl will remember the comforting pressure of your hands on her shoulders and your voice as you turned her around and walked her away and it will always mean safety and security, to her. You took her under your wing for those moments until her Dad came and took her away from the situation. You did the right thing, to protect that girl and cover her with your wings. I know her Dad would thank you, if he has not already, for taking care of her. You did the absolute right thing and that young girl will always remember the protection you gave her.

a reply to: gwynnhwyfar

i hope so.
now it's my turn for teary eyes.

post-traumatic-stress-disorder/basics/symptoms/con-20022540
Mayoclinic
"Many people who go through traumatic events have difficulty adjusting and coping for a while, but they don't have PTSD — with time and good self-care, they usually get better. But if the symptoms get worse or last for months or even years and interfere with your functioning, you may have PTSD."

I would not dare to suggest you do or don't have PTSD. Apparently women and men experience events differently. The Mayo Clinic has a wealth of information you may find helpful.

For whatever it is worth I've had many of the most disturbing symptoms for forty plus years. There not as bad, however still present. Ya adjust and simply DEAL WITH IT . Take Care

Does any one else find this odd ?

Two of the injured passengers were not wearing seatbelts
A third passenger in the truck who was pronounced dead at the scene, was wearing his seatbelt

I wonder if the air bags had anything to do with the outcome.
Personally I prefer steel framing over air bags.


. . . . . . . . .

originally posted by: ToneDeaf
Does any one else find this odd ?

Two of the injured passengers were not wearing seatbelts
A third passenger in the truck who was pronounced dead at the scene, was wearing his seatbelt

I wonder if the air bags had anything to do with the outcome.
Personally I prefer steel framing over air bags.




. . . . . . . . .

he was sitting in the passenger seat, the side of the truck that was hit.
he took the majority of the force of impact. the door on that side was caved in.
no airbags that i noticed.

originally posted by: Jebbaroo
The thing with PTSD is that if you get treatment very soon after experiencing the trauma, you likely won't have the long term effects. I know you said you didn't have a ton of cash at the moment, and I don't know where you live, but maybe there's some counselling available to you on a sliding fee scale. A lot of communities have that.

^^^ This.

As for avoiding medication - I had a horrible time, literally years worth, trying to find a good med. But once I did it really has made a difference. The key is to tell doctors that you want to start on low doses and minimal chemical treatment. Something to help you sleep might offset the nightmares, for example.

The cornerstone is to keep talking about it and don't stop. The more you vent it, the better your chances for recovery.

a reply to: rubbertramp

No you aren't alone, and his suggestion about avoiding alcohol, etc...is right on the money.. I have suffered with PTSD and it really helps to have someone work it out with you- a professional, of course. The psyche just isn't prepared to deal with such trauma on a normal basis, and as said above, the dreams are your mind's way of saying you need to deal with it, and be able to move on. When you can move on, the dreams will slow down and stop.

Something that also helps, is that if you have a significant other with you, have them help you by offering comfort or help in waking from those dreams by telling you that they are just dreams and not real. I know my husband was extremely helpful when I was having issues. Thanks to him, I no longer have the dreams.

I wish you the best in your recovery.

SK

I had major problems like this as well. The dreams are extremely vivid and insane. I tried a few prescribed drugs to be able to stay asleep with no improvements. What worked for me like magic, was MMJ.(If your in a legal area, of course). I had intense nightmares when sleeping and an extreme response to loud or sudden noises for a long time and it was mentally and phsyically taxing. I will second another posters advise for avoiding all alcohol, it made it worse. Small quantities off MMJ before bed will stop the brain from dreaming in it's tracks. I supplemented this with talking with people during the day about the event, but not constantly, and surrounded myself with all positive imput. Everything within my control, such as idle time being spent watching comedies, reading comedies, and taking extra time to dwell on good and positive things. Avoid action or horror type media, and avoid the news. Try to tell yourself what part you played in the situation and realize you can't change it. It sounds like you could have really helped this girl, I would dwell on that.
The nightmares thing will go away once your brain wraps itself around the trauma. It can be suppressed like I said, but you need to get to the point where you almost push the pictures out of your head while awake and your brain goes, for example, to the place: man, I remember that day I helped that girl from seeing too much of a tradgedy, and I feel like I helped here live peacefully, not the specific details of the incident. Good luck, one day at a time, you will stop the weird dreams shortly.