[Ally_Angel]

I have flashbacks whenever I see a yellow car. I can't stand it. Yellow cars should be banned. I hate yellow. I can't even walk down the street by myself anymore, in case there is a yellow car. Gosh I am so crazy! I mean its only a yellow car right? Its not the exact car that was involved with me at the time I was abducted... but yellow cars, all of them, make me afraid all over again, Makes me relive that struggle over again. Ok, I really am crazy!

[Lexicon78]

You are not crazy at all. You are just very traumatized, and these things often happen where trauma is involved. I know I freak out if I see a tent or any type of campground. People (friends and family) are always asking me to go camping but I always say no because of the fear that I have about going camping or being near that kind of environment.

Try to hang in there and tell yourself that it isn't happening now. If you need to talk just PM me.

[dpadilla89]

there is NO way you are crazy. Your just struggling with a fear/trauma, thats all. Again, if you need to talk, PM ANYTIME...im always on here.

deb

[JustBen]

I agree with Lexi and Deb. This doesn't sound crazy at all to me.

[(JD)]

Not crazy at all. PTSD. That's what it is; not crazy. Welcome to psych central, btw. PTSD sure makes us feel like we're crazy, though, I know what you mean. (My T insists I'm not crazy, so you aren't either!)

[Ally_Angel]

Thanks for your support. I had a real bad day yesterday and it was nice that you all replied. Thanks again!

Ally

[sometimes]

Sounds like TYPICAL example of what you suffer from. Almost a "textbook" example. This should be reassuring. There are definitley people out there who suffer from the same thing.

Regards,

Sometimes

[EJ711]

Ally Angel,

You sound perfectly normal to me. It's the way we are made. When we have had a bad experience with say a yellow car in your case, when the brain sees it, it starts its review process. Do I recognize this? Yes. Was my last experience with a yellow car, good or bad? It was bad -- it was very, very bad - danger, danger, danger. By then your PTSD is kicked into high gear. What is meant to be your safety mechanism and is your safety mechanism turns into a stressor in a way.

Try to be gentle with yourself, and give yourself the gift of time. Patience is hard, but healing will come.

EJ

[mtd]

I can really relate to your experience. I can' t stand the color gray, probably because I was raped in a basement with gray walls. Makes me feel totally panicky. So do rooms without windows and rooms with only men in them. All just like when I was attacked. I have a lot of associations like that and they make me very uncomfortable even today. Being aware of them, admitting to them, are all important to me. One thing that really helped me was to draw pictures of what I was afraid of, and then run my hands all over the pictures. Made it feel less scary if I could touch it that way.

Be well.

mtd

[(JD)]

good points, imo. PTSD is what makes you even SEE that yellow car... makes you hypervigilant, on the lookout... memories that aren't stored..but remain accessed.

[iflyaway]

i know for me its men in black trenchcoats i can't even leave my house b/c i think i'lll see someone and i'll actually hurt that person so he doesn't hurt me since my attacked me at first from behind and i'm in a wheelchair so i think i'll ram the person. you're not crazy it feels like it.