What do you consider a traumatic experience?

Last year, I had some major high-stress situations: bad gallbladder and gastritis (the illness was drawn out for several months before I finally had gallbladder surgery), severe anxiety along with the health problems, buying a new house (which almost didn't happen due to financial woes) which was also accompanied by severe anxiety, there was a lull for a bit, and then my husband had some work drama which ended in a layoff (he was unemployed for 5 months total), and in the middle of the unemployment period for hubby, our most beloved cat died. Throughout all of this, I had to be the rock to support my husband emotionally (he has no supportive friends or family to lean on, and he has quite a bit of emotional problems himself without being diagnosed with anything).

I'm still dealing with the gastritis and acid reflux problems. Hubby is still sometimes dealing with anger at life and God (I see it as depressive episodes). I'm becoming more stable, but I wonder if my ups and downs have anything to do with trauma? Is that the right term to use? Sure, we had a lot of major life events/ stressors happen, but was it traumatic? I tell ya, it sure felt like it.

Sounds traumatic to me. When I have physical illnesses, all bets are off. Just a simple cold can throw me into depression.
I hope things get better soon. Especially that acid reflux. Miserable.

Yeah, sounds traumatic.

I did have one traumatic experience, but I don't think it compares to yours. Yours is much worse...

One time we were driving home from a trip to Canada (we stayed in the Toronto area). Well, I was driving us home when I suddenly started feeling really ill (i.e., want to throw up). That's when I told my mom to take over.

Well, maybe that wasn't such a good idea... My mom's driving exacerbated the feeling of wanting to throw up. (Mind you, my mom is an awful driver. Her speeds are very erratic... Her speeds change every second because she constantly taps the gas pedal instead of holding her foot there. So, as you can imagine, my stomach was getting jerked around!)

Eventually I told my mom to pull over because I just couldn't take it anymore. That's when she slammed the brakes so f***ing hard that it actually caused me to throw up. Eventually we got back on the road again, but her awful driving still made me feel sick.

I was puking the whole time, and at some point, I started puking up A LOT of blood. (Yeah pretty gross.) That's when I had a freaking severe panic attack. I was subconsciously causing myself to hyperventilate, and I lost circulation in my arms, legs, stomach, face, etc.. I also felt incredibly dizzy. I told my mom to pull over and call and ambulance, but she was like, "No, we're almost home! We have 1 hour!" I shrieked: "I'M THROWING UP BLOOD"

Then she finally pulled over and called an ambulance. I got out of the car and I fell down because I was so dizzy. Then I smacked my head on the pavement! The paramedics put one of those blood pressure cuffs on my arm when I got into the ambulance, and my arm was in excruciating pain. (The blood pressure cuff cut off my circulation even further! Believe me, it hurts like a b****.) I was slipping in and out of consciousness.

When I got to the hospital, they looked at my throat and saw that all the stomach acid had started burning a hole in my throat! That's where all the bleeding came from (thankfully not an ulcer). They had to give me Zofran via IV to stop the throwing up, as well as give me 2 liters of water via IV. Well, it turns out that Zofran f***s with your serotonin levels!!!! It made me severely depressed and suicidal afterwards!

Anything that traumatizes you is a traumatic experience. No objective measurements.

Glory to heroes!

HATEFREE CULTURE

My traumatic experiences were in domestic abuse for over 10 years of a 22 year relationship. After the physical stopped....10 years in...he switched to emotional which I didn't catch on to....until many years later. My personality and trust have developed from that relationship....very on guard and not trusting at all....I identify the way my current boyfriend acts...in relation to my X. For example...If my current b/f gets mad...I shake...want to run out the door...etc. My current b/f has never physically abused me.

Trauma is different for everybody. Some can take way more to be traumatized.
This post sounds like the ones a good friend of mine crafts. A lot of words without any meaning. I'll think of something. I promise.

I don't know, this experience you just shared sounds traumatic, but at least it was over quickly. I'm sorry you had to go through that, and glad you didn't end up having ulcers. I have gastritis, which is similar to ulcers. I'm hoping I can find a way to heal it or make it better.