Possible PTSD triggers, is anyone feeling this as well?

I went for a walk just now in the woods at night. I noticed that, while many of the sounds brought back fond memories, the darkness and the sounds also brought about a heightened sense of awareness.

I’ve always been a country boy at heart and camping is one of my hobbies, along with hunting and fishing.

But recently, I have noticed that I don’t go out that much at night like I used to. I’ve always been a night owl. But tonight, I noticed I was on edge. Though everything seemed normal, I was pumped with adrenaline.

I’m wondering, since most of us Vets and Soldiers are trained to fight at night if this has something to do with the way I felt tonight. I’ve felt it before, but this was the first time that it dawned on me that this is not normal.

In thirty years of military service, I have always trained to fight at night. Now, what once was a comfort, the quiet night, grooving with natures sounds has now become a stressor. I've never thought of myself as having PTSD. That kind of scares me.

Has anyone else felt this?

reply to post by TDawgRex


Night doesn't bother me, but open bodies of water sure do... that's my trigger, hence I live in the Sonoran Desert...

Wind. I have NO idea why. It's not that I just don't like it. I FEAR it. I was walking my dog last night and the wind picked up. It didn't bother her in the least. But I freaked out like a child and ran back home! We had an insanely windy spring/early summer and it was horrible for me. I had to sleep with a fan on (go figure) to drown out the sound of the wind.
I can not even describe the feeling I get or the amount of hate I feel towards the wind! But it's an intense, overwhelming feeling.

reply to post by JaxonRoberts


I hear ya, I like boating, but I want to see land. Though I never did like the American Desert (Nice place to visit, but wouldn't want to live there), I kept getting sent to other Nations deserts. Hated it. I like green.

reply to post by PassedKarma


Have you ever been in a tornado? For some odd reason, I find storms to be comforting, unless there are lightening strikes nearby...and who doesn't get nervous with those?

I just find it odd, that what I used to find relaxing, now seems to mildly stress me out.

reply to post by TDawgRex


No! Not even a super bad storm. Maybe your fight/flight senses are kicking in for a reason.

reply to post by PassedKarma


Could be. I've thought of that. Maybe I'm sensing danger where there is none. But I do tend to trust my instincts.

It's kinda weird to experiance, ya know? Maybe I'm sensing a rabib racoon or a nearby skunk?

I never served in the military, so don't know about stress disorder for those who have. If it helps, I love watching storms with wind and lightening, I love darkness and being alone tho I am married. Never had fear for snakes or spiders but am respectable to them. I have never had an experience that I could say "marked" my subconcious such as it seems others have. I am retired from corrections and I never want to be a inmate, but that is not a fear. So, being never have served in the military, maybe those experiences are severly more powerful than an ordinary persons. I donno.

reply to post by TDawgRex


As a woman, I never go out at night alone. Maybe it's your femine side finally coming forth

Seriously though, perhaps it would help if you examine and compare just how connected you were to other soldiers when out at night back then, especially as now you might be totally alone and not in contact? Just a thought.

reply to post by TDawgRex


I'm a Navy/Coast Guard Vet, and I used to LOVE the ocean... now I can't stand anything larger than a mud puddle...

reply to post by aboutface


Theres a thought. I recently retired and my kids have just deployed again. I worry about them.

I'll have to explore that a bit. Thanks.

A lil' itty bitty star for you. For thinking outside the box.

reply to post by TDawgRex



I am a 21 year medically retired. I have PTSD. I deployed for OIF and Kosovo.
PTSD is a stealthy b*stard of a condition that can sneak up - and suprise you.
I had many stressors over my life - but it was War that broke me. Had I not had earlier life events I would probably have managed my War stressors much better. So that said, you could have had a pile of issues over the course of your life and career and were trained to be always vigilant - and then boom, something happens later in life, some trauma - for example 9/11 and that "breaks" you so to speak and the anxiety monster starts to come visit. Understand that some of this issue/condition is beyond just a mental health issue, the flight or fight juice is a hormonal response - and as we age, we also have less temperance over these responses.

For Mild PTSD responses: Valerian is a safe herbal remedy, catnip, camomile will calm the nervous systems naturally. Sometimes you might have a storm of anxiety for what ever reason and it will pass but you will start to fear the next episode beforehand this is the sticky wicket. You would be amazed at the body systems effected - to much caffine, or blood sugar issues can also cause a feeling of panic. Not pleasant - breathing through these episodes can be hugely helpful. For full blown PTSD, you gotta talk to someone. I don't tolerate or advise on the meds they sometimes want to give out - but that is a personal decision. For me talk therapy helps.

Sit contemplatively with yourself, think are there triggers you might not be aware of, is this an anniversary time, did 9/11 affect you? (it sure did me, it started our whole go to war machine) Be gentle with yourself. Educate yourself futher on what PTSD is really all about as in the biological physical response. You were a warrior for many years friend, on the edge and prepared - it is hard to rest that vigilance easily. Best of Luck to you. ~Bird

reply to post by TDawgRex


I'd try it a few more times, and see if you get the same response, if not then maybe given your military service and training you may actually have picked up on something that was dangerous out there.

Also have you upped your caffiene intake (probably not .. but just a thought) ?

The bright lining is that if it is PSTD, it can be overcome, IMO patience is the key... I'm much much better than I used to be.

reply to post by PassedKarma


You may not be aware but the sound of wind, may actually alter your brain wave states and you could be sensative and responding to that effect. Just a thought - you might want to do some research.

I get this way at night. But more so at dusk. I "taste/smell"blood in the back of my throat and deep in my sinuses. And I have a mild panic attack. Now the blood, it isn't just a prick of blood. Blood takes on a sickly-sweet, coppery smell to it when it is in quantity.

I don't know why I can't get rid of it. It has been this way since The Marine Corp sent me to the Balkins in the 90's.

It just won't go away.

Originally posted by TDawgRex
reply to post by aboutface

 

Theres a thought. I recently retired and my kids have just deployed again. I worry about them.

I'll have to explore that a bit. Thanks.

A lil' itty bitty star for you. For thinking outside the box.

Oh, yes definately I think this is HUGE. You are not able to vigilantly protect your own cubs soldier.
This is the tricky, wicky side of PTSD . . . it rears its ugly head when there is vunerablity.
My service rep who helped me with my VA claim told stories about all the old guys shooting their TVs and breaking down in record numbers when we started to engage in Iraq and Afghanistan. Old fellas, WWII - really that had "managed" for years - suddenly fully triggered.

Educating yourself about the condition, being gentle and accepting of your responses will carry you a long way. My son is only 7, but I believe I would really be struggling if I knew he was facing deployment. My son - keeps me in the world when I really want to isolate . . . I would say you've identified a pretty significant trigger factor here.

I personally recommend Cognitive Behaviour Therapy,

The main premise is as soon as you notice the anxiety / panic / other reactions, try to think about exactly what you were thinking about, rate how bad you feel on a scale of 1 - 10 ... Identify the hot thought (this took me about 3 weeks before I actually heard my "hot thoughts" ... then attempt to re think / re frame // answer the hot thought .. (i.e this is just a biological response to something that reminded me of something terrible , I'm currently not in that situation etc, then once you've reframed rate how you feel again. The rating is important because it helps us see that addressing the hot thought, coming up with alternative explanations actually lessens the physical response the more the exercise is practiced.

This method is great because it provides relief without actually having to go back and pick at scars and scabs that can frankly send some of us over the edge.

www.rcpsych.ac.uk...

reply to post by LittleBirdSaid


My husband is a vet of OIF 1 & 2, medically discharged with PTSD (among other things.) Thank you for the info about natural remedies- I will definitely be looking into those. None of the prescriptions he was given worked at all.. actually, most of them made his symptoms worse. We have found a certain medication that works well... but its not legal in all states.

In response to the OP, my husband sometimes because hyper-vigilant at night, but not always. Sometimes his senses just go off and he speeds off to go check something out. Another person commented that you may have picked up on something else in the area and i tend to agree. I've heard a lot of "i just knew someone was there" or the like.

Was there a particular threat you remember that happened at night? If a specific traumatic event happened at night it could be a trigger that is specific to you.

reply to post by LittleBirdSaid


When I say my "Kids", I meant my fellow Soldiers who I used to lead. I've been through many nasty encounters and have always managed to bring them home intact. Well, they had a lot to do with that as well, so I won't take all the credit.

Now they are going without me. And I don't trust their leadership either.

But this night walk thing, weirded me out. Never had that happen before.

reply to post by LittleBirdSaid


That's very interesting! My son is extremely sensitive to senses and stimuli. They did an EEG and all sorts of things altered his brain waves and activity.
And this whole time I was blaming his dad for passing something on to him


Thank you! I am definitely going to look into this more!