Had my first PTSD episode in front of paramedics

I don't currently work, and haven't worked since I was diagnosed, but prior to that, yes, I did have episodes at work, but I didn't know what they were or how to deal with them. I just thought I was weak because I couldn't handle what came so naturally to everyone else. I fear the day I have to return to work....its one of the biggest motivators for becoming self employed!

I feel like that's grounds for calling their supervisors and getting them fired.

Oh God, no, not the place I went to. If I describe it they'll know who I am so I can't. But it was a nightmare from hell. I was alone and bullied by the nurses and staff. I can't tell you how bad it was. As contrast, I've been to ER's before and never had anything bad like that. They were monsters. Laughing at me, and worse.

ETA: They deliberately triggered me. En masse.

Oh buddy, you might want to think twice about that one! LOL When my husband started his own business, he used to joke that when he worked for someone else he had only one boss, but being a business owner, he had about 300! LOL

Actually, I think for people like us, running your own business and being self-sufficient is the ultimate victory.

I am working on becoming an NRA instructor for women to teach self-defense. Tons of paperwork involved, but I have the time and most of the patience needed to dig through the piles of bureaucracy in order to get it off the ground.

I am sorry that happened. It should not, but it does.

I ran into a nurse who caused me retraumatisation on purpose. I spoke to the patient advocate of the next place and she helped me initiate a complaint against the bad nurse. If everyone she tries to hurt complains about her she will be exposed.

It is a terrible thing to abuse a psychiatric patient. Friends and family need to he aware It ca. and does happen and will happen less to those patients who have frequent visitors and good support systems.

Actually my mom is self employed, doing what I want to do, and she's about 10x more dysfunctional. If she can do it, I know I can do it. Its more a matter of being at a higher level of functionality than anything in order to be able to do it full time.

I agree with @TeaCake. What you describe is a "panic attack". Not everyone with PTSD has panic attacks. I know that I don't. Ok, so yes, I am quite guilty of describing my "episodes" as "panic attacks" but that's only because the general public has NO idea what an emotional flashback is, and to an uneducated observer, they look the same. (I have NO hope whatsoever for anyone to be able to understand an emotional flashback as 99.9% of therapists and psychiatrists have no idea what one is either....hence why I was undiagnosed for 25 years, but I digress!)

I have episodes all the time. I am getting better at not experiencing them in public, but sometimes it can't be avoided. Most of my episodes have at least a few second warning so that I can get to a private space, but occasionally they don't, and BAM, I have one in front of others. And yes, it is completely embarrassing.

Medical professionals such as paramedics and ER employees are well accustomed to those who present with a panic attack but think they are dying or having a heart attack. That is, it is not uncommon for someone with their first panic attack to go to the ER because they think its something much more serious.

My guess is that PTSD "episodes" involve some element of a flashback as that's sort of the crux of the disorder, that is, being stuck in the past in one way or another. You describe a panic attack which is more along the lines of someone with GAD. I am sure there is some overlap, but panic attacks aren't a part of a PTSD diagnosis.