Question:
>I guess it is particularly important to people with PTSD to have a > safe space. For many people, home would be a > logical "safe space", and leaving that safety could > present all kinds of issues.
Mae Tang, This is so true in my situation. Only in my case my current work situation is my "safe place" as opposed to the ship that I was supposed to go to. Luckily, my doc understood me when I explained that to him; I don’t think my chain of command is going to understand it though. Of course, most of them are just probably pissed off because I didn’t come to them about all this. Well, they aren’t mental health docs, are they? My home and being with my husband is also my safe place as well. One of the options my commander has is to not allow me to stay here in my safe places; instead I could be sent to a Navy hospital somewhere in the states to get treatment. Wrong thing to do to me! I can assure them of one thing if that happens; I will shut down mentally and will NEVER heal as long as I am at a Navy hospital. I just need to put all of this in writing and make sure it goes up to my commander with the rest of my package. I feel I am on my own in this and have to do everything I can to help myself because I don’t think anyone else will; they are too afraid to jeopardize their careers. Deeanna
Response:
Another thread brought up safe places (in panic/agoraphobia thread). For me, a safe place is critical. Its been my home. And my husband. Recently in So Cal to visit mom had a panic attack. All I wanted was HIM. That felt pretty good. But new. My particular safe place is my computer/sewing/laundry room right off our bedroom. I can hide here and its okay if that’s what I need. Kristine
Response:
Hi Elsie! This one I know a little bit about. 
I talked about shutting down my company early in my therapy. I thought that I’d like another steady job with benefits and payday every second Friday. I talked to my therapist about it. She described all the ‘bad parts’ of being an employee (which I had conveniently forgotten) and ended up telling me that self-employment was the best idea, whenever practical, for PTSD folks. Imagine my surprise. One of my symptoms is a recurring inability to open envelopes and pay bills. I thought that I could get a part-time job teaching chemistry to high-schoolers. After she said that between the bells ringing in the halls every so often and the rowdy student, I’d probably end up huddled in a corner of the classroom and not be able to make it to the ladies room, I thought about that one. I believe that she had a good point. So, I finally just told my accountant, my lawyer and my business advisor about my PTSD symptoms and how they interact with my business…. I initially had trusted them and wanted to give them a chance to ‘bail out’ if they needed to do that. Other than the CPA giving me paperwork for SS disability, no one protested or quit. My decision was to avoid SS disability as long as I can. We’ve been struggling with the situation for the last several years. They all made statements for my VA hearing. (I told each of them that I would be pleased if they would tell the ‘truth’ as they saw it, and not to spare my feelings. They honored my request and I got confirmed what I think about my emotional capacity to be in business.) I make enough money to pay the bills. I am trying to teach myself to be more responsible …. without fear. Smile and there will be something to smile about! Nancy – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Rick wrote: >just started a new job after somehow owning a business I started > >in 1976. > Sounds like you’ve been battling this beast a long time. Sorry it took so long > to get an accurate diagnosis. I am self-employed too and am thinking I need to > get an outside job to supplement my income, but it scares me….while it would > add to my financial security, I worry about how being outside will increase my > anxiety. How’s it going for you? It’s like constantly choosing between the > frying pan and the fire…
Response:
My daughter suffers panic attacks, though not agoraphobia. Her panic is to do with children. She was a child care Mum for many, many years. Then one night she awoke and checked the kiddies she was minding, and found one dead of cot death. She went all through the right procedure, right until the ambulance came, but they could not revive him – a lovely baby of 10 months. Subsequently she suffered a nervous breakdown, and a marriage breakdown. Now she cannot bear a child near her, and has constant nightmares about children in situations where she has to save them, but cannot. She was months in a psychiatric ward. She is somewhat better now, but has developed bi polar depression. She is on various anti-depressants but nobody seems to address the problem of not being able to cope with children – even look at them – and if one goes near or touches her she freaks out. This limits her with shopping, and almost anything in life. Has anyone experienced anything like this? Pat’s Mum
Response:
Dina, your daughter is being triggered by the kids. Triggering is part of trauma, the things that were around us or part of the trauma become triggers for the feelings and they all come rushing back. I dont’ have experience with the children issue, but I do with triggers. Hopefully she is getting therapy to deal with the triggers: kids? Kristine
Response:
Kristine, Being safe is of the utmost importance for me now; that is one of the MAIN reasons I didn’t want to go to a ship. That is probably the most unsafe place for me at this point in my life. My home and hubby are also my two safest places, which is why I am trying desperately to convince the powers to be that I will be better off remaining here for my last three years. I can stay with my hubby and receive treatment and still remain productive for the Navy then retire. Why is that so difficult to understand? Well, probably because all the people I have to go through cannot relate to me at all, except one. She has a friend who is agoraphobic and hasn’t been outside for years. She has suffered with this for about 18 years. And these know-it-alls here think I can be healed in a year!!!! NOT!!! I don’t feel safe going to a ship now and I sure as hell won’t feel safe a year from now. In fact, it will probably get worse as the time goes on. Why? Because more women will have suffered at the hands of military men and it will be in the papers and I’ll read it and it will make me climb even further into my shell. It’s as if a silent war has been declared on women. Well, it’s time we strike back and I sure as hell plan on it over the next three years. There are some things people need to know and somehow, some way they are going to find out whether they like it or not. Deeanna
Response:
How about having someone ghost write a book about it? Kristine
Response:
>There are some things people need to know and somehow, some >way they are going to find out whether they like it or not.
should have quoted this in prior post. How about a book? K
Response:
Not a bad idea. But I’m note even sure where to begin with all of this. I have seriously thought of that for after retirement, but why should I wait and allow more women to suffer? X <barbiee…@aol.comSpamOff> wrote in message
news:19991205200922.05191.00001060@ng-bd1.aol.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> >There are some things people need to know and somehow, some > >way they are going to find out whether they like it or not. > should have quoted this in prior post. > How about a book? > K
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