Daily Archive for July 7th, 2008

What Are Your Hypervigilance and Hyperarousal PTSD Symptoms?

Published on July 7, 2008 in Art, Art Therapy, Mental Health, PTSD and Therapy. 92 Comments Tags: .

This is my list which is in no particular order.

Going to sleep is like letting down my guard. I call it the broken boxer syndrome. I fight and fight it until I absolutely have to go lay down. It’s like throwing in the towel. There is huge fear that once I lay down the end of my fight or flight response takes place. My attacker is in my dreams and I’ve simply given in and accepted my fate. This makes me angry.

I seem to be aware of people around me and remember where they are or where they moved from. At the carnival a few months back this symptom was driving me crazy. I realized I was keeping track of everyone around me. I mentally recorded their physical appearance automatically. I felt ashamed of it. I’d be the perfect eye witness because I can record so much detailed information and have it right on.

I hear my dog breathing in stereo and it angers me. I’m triggered by it and sometimes I actually accuse him of panting as loudly as possible which is just stupid but my mind is racing and running from the past. I see danger in the way he’s breathing because it usually leads to a flashback of having someone on top of me panting like that.My eyes catch the slightest movement.
I’m sensitive to noise and light.
Sometimes I’m very jumpy.
I can sometimes hear the tiniest sound. Continue reading ‘What Are Your Hypervigilance and Hyperarousal PTSD Symptoms?’

Visit With An Old Friend

Published on July 7, 2008 in Dissociative Identity Disorder, Gratitude Journal and Morton's Pride. 2 Comments

Maureen is rather hit and miss but when she comes back I watch her in awe as she sweeps through this apartment like a tornado cleaning up after her rather messy roommates who go by the name Morton’s Pride. We got to be with her all day long. I wonder if she’ll be in therapy tomorrow? Today Maureen did 4 loads of laundry, cleaned the office, cleaned the living room and the bedroom then the restroom. She did a bit in the kitchen then sat down to eat dinner. She didn’t cook this evening which is fine with us. She did some painting which was cool to see her do. For all we care she could have plopped down on the love seat and rambled on about nothing at all. We miss her a lot. When she comes back, rather unexpectedly, she comes with a broom and a mop and cleans up after us. Part of me wishes I could have gotten the place done before she came back but I know she actually likes cleaning so I know she didn’t mind. I guess I just think her cleaning takes time from us socializing together. Continue reading ‘Visit With An Old Friend’