[albasoft]

Hello everyone,
This is my first post here so I need a bit of help.

I am from Kosovo and I lived the war of Kosovo, serbs killed my sister and I witnessed it. (the war happened during 98-99'). After the war sometimes I used to have nightmares but very rare and for 10 years I lived a normal life. When abroad I was taking a caffee my world changed completly. I had my first panic attack and I felt detached, dizzy, like I am dreaming. I went to the doctors and finally to a psychiatrist. He diagnosed me with GAD. I told him all the symptoms I was having also about the war and my sister.
Now after 4 years during the day I remember my sister. I am alone without my family and I miss everyone, also my sister dead. So, I am convinced that I am PTSD and not GAD. I remember her in the sense of missing, I just miss her but I dont have flashbacks, nightmares I dont avoic the place, people. I dont avoid to speak about the war and etc.
So, I came here to ask you becase next 2 weeks I am going to a psychiatrist but I just wanted to get informed also from you people with experience and anxiety.

Thanks a lot and hope I will get your answers.
PS: Sorry for my english.

[optimize990h]

Hello alba soft! Welcome to PsychCentral! I am not someone who has all the symptoms of PTSD, but I do score higher than the average person for PTSD. I do have survivor's guilt, but it is accumulation of events that occurred in the past, all relating to sense of security and to death. I think that not everyone falls into a psychiatric category like ripened fruit into baskets. I' m sure there are others who can share similar feelings and experiences. Take care and keeping your thoughts here at PC.

[shezbut]

I am sorry for you loss. That must have been a very traumatic experience for you!

The symptoms that you described sounded more like generalized anxiety disorder to me. While the experience had to have been traumatic, your symptoms just don't sound like PTSD imo.

I do, myself, experience both PTSD and anxiety so I can relate to both disorders. PTSD, for me, is triggered by similar aspects of my trauma in the news or talking with those who played key roles in my life back then. Those times bring up a very intense anxiety inside of me. Flashbacks put me back into the terror. I have horrible nightmares that wake me, which rotate around people involved in my cause of distress. While I fight myself on avoidance, I do avoid triggers. Relationships with those involved in my life at that time, similar circumstances, watching or listening to current events, repression, etc. I am also very jumpy and anxious in general, for no particular reason. I startle very easily and visibly jump often. That is my personal experience. Below is a list of symptoms provided by NIMH for you to refer to.

What are the symptoms of PTSD?
PTSD can cause many symptoms. These symptoms can be grouped into three categories:
1. Re-experiencing symptoms:
Flashbacks—reliving the trauma over and over, including physical symptoms like a racing heart or sweating
Bad dreams
Frightening thoughts.
Re-experiencing symptoms may cause problems in a person’s everyday routine. They can start from the person’s own thoughts and feelings. Words, objects, or situations that are reminders of the event can also trigger re-experiencing.
2. Avoidance symptoms:
Staying away from places, events, or objects that are reminders of the experience
Feeling emotionally numb
Feeling strong guilt, depression, or worry
Losing interest in activities that were enjoyable in the past
Having trouble remembering the dangerous event.
Things that remind a person of the traumatic event can trigger avoidance symptoms. These symptoms may cause a person to change his or her personal routine. For example, after a bad car accident, a person who usually drives may avoid driving or riding in a car.
3. Hyperarousal symptoms:
Being easily startled
Feeling tense or “on edge”
Having difficulty sleeping, and/or having angry outbursts.
Hyperarousal symptoms are usually constant, instead of being triggered by things that remind one of the traumatic event. They can make the person feel stressed and angry. These symptoms may make it hard to do daily tasks, such as sleeping, eating, or concentrating.
It’s natural to have some of these symptoms after a dangerous event. Sometimes people have very serious symptoms that go away after a few weeks. This is called acute stress disorder, or ASD. When the symptoms last more than a few weeks and become an ongoing problem, they might be PTSD. Some people with PTSD don’t show any symptoms for weeks or months.

Very best wishes to you ~ take care!

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by albasoft

Hello everyone,
This is my first post here so I need a bit of help.

I am from Kosovo and I lived the war of Kosovo, serbs killed my sister and I witnessed it. (the war happened during 98-99'). After the war sometimes I used to have nightmares but very rare and for 10 years I lived a normal life. When abroad I was taking a caffee my world changed completly. I had my first panic attack and I felt detached, dizzy, like I am dreaming. I went to the doctors and finally to a psychiatrist. He diagnosed me with GAD. I told him all the symptoms I was having also about the war and my sister.
Now after 4 years during the day I remember my sister. I am alone without my family and I miss everyone, also my sister dead. So, I am convinced that I am PTSD and not GAD. I remember her in the sense of missing, I just miss her but I dont have flashbacks, nightmares I dont avoic the place, people. I dont avoid to speak about the war and etc.
So, I came here to ask you becase next 2 weeks I am going to a psychiatrist but I just wanted to get informed also from you people with experience and anxiety.

Thanks a lot and hope I will get your answers.
PS: Sorry for my english.

Im sorry but we cant tell you whether you have PTSD according to kosovan standards of what mental disorders are...we can only tell you what the mental disorders are with in our own locations....

I am in New York which is in the United States of America. Here where I live and work PTSD is things like having nightmares, flashbacks, panic attacks, insomnia or other sleep issues, depression, feeling things like helplessness, fear, intrusive thoughts, because of going through or witnessing a traumatic event. sometimes these symptoms are accompanied by hallucinations, and other symptoms...

heres a link where you can read about America's version of PTSD...

http://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/...iv-tr-ptsd.asp

to find out what PTSD is in Kosovan you will need to contact a mental health treatment provider in your location.

Im sorry you are having a hard time right now. hope things get better for you soon.

[avlady]

Thanks Shazbot-helped me too!!!!