[Rio_]

...how can words on a screen have such power...

[CedarS]

I hear ya.

I don't know the specifics of what you are going through but I sure can relate to the experience of getting stressed by online stuff.

I had to train myself to do more of other things, build new habits of how I spend my time. Because I learned that for me personally, often the more I tried to sort out online problems online, the worse it got. Some communication might help but eventually I think most of us need to just do something else. Go for a walk, eat something tasty.

No matter what, hope this passes for you soon.

[Rio_]

Thanks, CedarS. I'd rather not go into specifics because it'll probably make me feel worse again (I'm feeling a bit better now, luckily), but I have a bit of a problem with reading things that trigger me, and I've gone and done it again. (In my defence, I didn't know what it was going to be about when I clicked on the link...but I could have stopped when I found out...)

"Just do something else" is a good idea, especially since it's quite late here - think I'm going to try and sleep soon. Hopefully things will go back to normal in the morning.

[(JD)]

(((Rio)))) I think it happens because we create a "world" around us when we spend time online... and it becomes an extension of our "real life" when it really is a virtual one. Reading, such as books, has always had the power to take us away into another world, out of real life. How much more so when we read in a "live" environment like the internet. Keep working through this, you do have control, and will feel better. (((hugs)))

[Rio_]

(((Sky))) Thanks. That could well be it. I'm feeling better today, though.

[(JD)]

Sometimes exposure therapy works with PTSD sufferers. Time will tell you. If the next time this type of thing occurs and you aren't as reactive, then you are farther along your path. Sometimes exposure only retraumatizes.

TC!

[Rio_]

Really? That's interesting, and it would certainly be great if I wasn't so affected so much by reading about it or similar events - sometimes they're hard to avoid. I'm not sure I'd want to risk making things worse, though.