Why is it so unpredictable?

Is it just me or is PTSD way too unpredictable? My anxiety feels totally random. Sometimes I get nervous, sometimes I don't. The anxiety just starts all of a sudden and I never understand why. Now I get sudden intense emotions and I don't know why either. Just writing about stuff today and I was trying to go to bed. I just layed in bed and kept thinking and thinking about stuff. Completely random stuff but I can't sleep because my brain won't shut down. Then I get this sudden intense emotions where I feel like I can't cope with everything and I'm going to go crazy again and the anxiety and all the other symptoms is going to come back. I feel like crap now and I was supposed to be getting better from therapy. I hate that this is so unpredictable and I never understand it. I hate feeling so overwhelmed with emotions but I am unable to process my emotions at all. I don't know what to do, I just feel like crap and I wish someone could explain to me what's going on.

youre right...ptsd is unpredictable...and unfortunately you tend to get worse before you get better in therapy. I learned to become more accepting of my unpredictable mood swings by developing the mantra "this is normal for me" to respond this way. unpredicatable that is. I never knew how I was going to react but when I melted down I would often judge myself harshly and then feel bad for being such as mess. when I began accepting those reactions as normal for me, someone with ptsd, I became more compassionate with myself and allowed for healing to begin. take care.

I can relate. I feel like my symptoms sometimes show with incredible intensity, and other times they don't. One minute I feel like I have a handle on my triggers, the next minute they are not triggers. As soon as I get used to them being innocuous, they become triggers again, and then others add on. It feels very random, but I'm sure there's some logic to it somewhere deep down... Recently, I'm battling crazy rage again. I hate it.

I wish I had some suggestions for you. All I can say is that I empathize totally... ((hugs))

Fortunately this is one area therapy CAN help! It only feels unpredictable when we don't know what triggers it. Through therapy, discussing and being encouraged to keep track of the melt downs (when, what time, day, what were you listening to on radio or thinking or where were you driving etc) can you figure out just what is triggering you. Then either by avoidance and/or flooding those reactions become less and less and farther apart, less random.

I'm sending you love and hope you feel better soon. I don't know what is supposed to happen as I'm just beginning to accept and no longer deny I have PTSD. I didn't want too because I've been so so strong most of my life. I can only say that what you explained I go through as well. At times it is so much and very overwhelming. I have other situations as well but speaking of this one too you. I'm trying to read and learn as much as I can about it in order to know how to help myself and know what to do when these situations happen. I'm also trying to keep track of what makes it kick in so I know what things make it worse or better. I wish you hope and happiness.

Wanted to let you know. I know a couple of things that I simply can't listen too details of or it sends me reeling. Even if I've told the person not to talk about details some still do anyway. It happened again day before ..I simply pull the phone away from my ear so I hear when they are not talking. But, I CAN'T hear the details so it doesn't affect me. I'm a home body so I don't really deal with the Trigger's in person. If something comes on TV I turn the sound down first right away so I'm not hearing it, then change the channel. I'm still learning what triggers me and not. I have many traumatic instances in my life so its like navigating a land mind. Keeping a log helps me at times with identifying them. Again, Good Luck

(((wolfie))),

Yes, I have said the same thing myself many times. I developed PTSD from an event that took me by surprise and overwhelmed me. I had no idea what PTSD was, nor did I ever expect to deal with all the confusing symptoms that PTSD presents.

Each person is a little different depending on their personal history too. I developed "complex PTSD" and I never imagined something like that could happen. For some reason the trauma I experienced seemed to open up to re-experiencing my past in a way I never imagined could take place. Yes, I found that things would "trigger" me and I didn't "know why", all I knew is that suddenly I would be "struggling" and some days I was struggling all day and I didn't always understand "what had actually triggered me".

People who struggle with PTSD tend to have a lot of confusion and quickly become aware that they are "very vulnerable" and as a result "withdraw" so they can "avoid" experiencing "painful anxiety that takes place when something triggers them". They do not know how to "verbalize" how they are struggling and have this overwhelming sense that "others will not understand it" and unfortunately often people around them simply do "not" understand it and often give off messages that "only make it even worse" because they tend to say things like, "you have to just forget it and you have to just stop dwelling on it and move on". Well, when someone experiences PTSD, there is no "just" that they can do as others consistently suggest to them.

This is why it is "very important" for someone struggling with PTSD to find a therapist and support team that can "validate" the fact that they really "are" challenged and "no, they cannot "just" because the really do have a "genuine challenge or injury".

Yes, PTSD can be somewhat "unpredictable" for a while and that is why it is very important to work with a therapist that can help them slowly understand it. A trauma therapist will help to slowly work through it to where a patient can begin to "slowly" understand what triggers them and how to work through it to where they slowly begin to make "gains" on it instead of being frightened by it and unknowingly feed into it which "aggravates it making them struggle even more".

What I experienced is "my family" was actually "extremely dismissive and even mean to me" and because of that I got worse and worse to a point where my thoughts became extremely unhealthy. I cannot say enough that it is "extremely important" to reach out for help and what eventually helped me is I found a therapist that finally met with my husband and explained to him that I had PTSD and how the family being mean and dismissive was putting me at risk.

Unfortunately for me, I went too long without the right help and support and I really began to suffer and got worse and worse. I cannot express enough the importance of "reaching out for help" and finding the right support when struggling with PTSD. PTSD often does get worse before the person struggling with it begins to slowly understand it better and develops a "self care" mindset where they do "not" begin to "self blame for struggling with something they really cannot help". PTSD happens to "good people, worthy people, and even very intelligent people". It doesn't mean someone is "unworthy or somehow stupid and weak or forever damaged".

The healing process with PTSD takes time and an understanding and supportive therapist who can work with a patient to where that patient can "safely" focus on their healing without feeling they are somehow "unworthy" or "just damaged". The sooner a patient develops a good "support system" the sooner they can slowly begin to actually "heal" and finally "work through the PTSD" and make progress in slowly regaining control over what seems like "unpredictable" bouts of experiencing the reactions to triggers that can bring on "anxiety and very depressive confusing episodes".

OE