Triggers - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Message Board

gunnerb52 · 02-26-2007, 09:14 AM

I hate triggers you can be doing just fine thinking that you have made a lot of progress and then someone or some thing sets off a trigger, and there you go right back to were it all began. It is just like being there all over again the sights, the smells and the sounds, I hate it, relay brings you down you know.

Over time you would think that it would get better well some are so deep that they don't seem to get better, being able to recognize them does help but it doesn't make it any easier either sometimes. Take loud noises I am to the point that I look to see were they are coming from yes it still puts me on full alert but I am not hugging the ground, sometimes though depending on the noise and how close it is hard to tell what the reaction will be.

The worst trigger for me is a crying child I was on a chopper that medovac one, the father was holding the Young child its face was messed up real bad. The pilot red lined that chopper all the way to the hospital I still here that baby crying over the noise of that chopper, never found out if the baby made it or not. To this day a kid crying sets me off puts right back in that chopper, nothing I can do about it then and nothing I can do about it now, I know this but it still has a profound effect on me, I flash back it only last for a moment but the effects take days or weeks to wear off half to work through it again.

We all have triggers and half to deal with them in different ways, hopefully in a manner that promotes good health both mentally and physically.

Peace

gunner

Sannah · 02-26-2007, 09:19 AM

Hi Gunner, wow, I'm really sorry about those flashbacks. That crying child one, OMG. Sid probably has some words of wisdom for you. Just wanted to give you some support!

gunnerb52 · 02-26-2007, 09:43 AM

Sannah

Thank you I have been working on it for a long time sometimes I can get through just sort of push my way through it and others just half to leave the area, You do what you half to. There are may ways to cope with triggers the trick is to find one that will work.

peace and thank you

gunner

ICC · 02-26-2007, 11:17 AM

Hi gunner --- I agree with you totally. TRIGGERS!!!! a big problem to us. I think I now know what most of mine are BUT dealing with them is a whole other ballpark. Sometimes I know immediately what's happening and act accordingly and other times it takes me days to realize what's going on and the whole time having that anxious shaky feeling. we'll work on this. all of us.

Peace,
Grasshopper

stick2013 · 02-26-2007, 01:19 PM

Hi Gunner,

I'm sure that you know this one is a hard one to deal with... Crying children can be everywhere. I do have a few questions though....

I know that the crying brings on the flashback, that it's a trigger...but you mentioned that the effects last for days or weeks, and that you get over the flashback in a few minutes. My question is......Is it the effect of the flashback that takes getting over, or is it the fact that you never found out if the child made it or not????

You were on the medvac.....Were you a medic?

It weird.... I just ended a friendship of 20 yrs with a Nam vet, he did 2 tours in Nam. One as a medic, and one as a chopper pilot. He was shot down, his co-pilot was shot in the head and died there. He went back to Nam 2 yrs ago, and paid someone to smuggle him across the border to go to the place where he was shot down, and to pay his respects to his co pilot. His body was never recovered.

He never talked much about Nam, NEVER talked about PTSD, triggers, or any of it. He just got crabbier, and crabbier each year. He has a heart condition, PTSD, and MS(from agent orange) He is on full benefits. I miss him every day, and wish that things could be different.....But they aren't....

Sid