Published on 12, July, 2020
I'm told PTSD is having traumatic events replay over and over - but what if it's not a single event - what if it's an entire lifetime's abuse and bullying that is constantly being triggered and replaying over and over - is that the same thing? Is there a measure of intensity? Do you just get used to it? What is the qualifier?
I can only speak from personal experience, Plastic. For me, it is triggered by external and internal stimuli. Fearful reactions to external stimuli associated with the past trauma. For me, it can be any external images, words, people... anything that either has a connection to the past event(s) or to which I have made new fearful connections. Also, internal feelings, mental imagery and thoughts can also generate the same fearful reactions.As a real example, I very narrowly avoided being murdered by a partner well over 20 years ago. It's enough now for anyone who behaves in any way like he did, says similar words to him, or even wears similar clothing to him to trigger memories of the traumatic period. By triggering, I mean setting off a chain of visual images, fearful mental movies, depressive thoughts and surges in anxiety. Once it begins, it can also build and maintain momentum by feeding off the remembrance of other unpleasant events, large or small.
Once it begins, it builds and maintains momentum by feeding off the remembrance of other unpleasant events, large or small.
That's what I'm thinking - it's a cascade mode. I've been nearly killed about 9 times so far - I mean literally dodging death by microseconds (flying near misses and traffic accidents) or by not being killed enough - massive seizure and anaphylaxis etc.
I think you collect traumas until it all overloads.
But how is a level measured?