Got Startled Bad Last Night

Portabella · #1 10-04-2008, 10:29 AM

I was asleep and awoke to my 21 year old son standing over me bedside. He was coming to retrieve his headphones from my nightstand, however I had a MAJOR startle reflex and it got me worse than has happened in years. He did not touch me but the movement evidently disturbed me and he said my arms flailed and I looked in total terror. Well, let me tell you my arms did flail and I was in total terror. I hate this crap, I guess it will never really stop, you just learn to control yourself, your PTSD and your environment to keep you from having such responses. It really sucked and I figured I would share with you guys, in the day I can rationalize somewhat that I am fine. However, in my sleep I am still in Hell. Sorry if this upsets anyone.

Seeking_Nirvana · #2 10-04-2008, 02:40 PM

My son is 18 and he knows not to even come into my room until I'm completely awake. He barely sticks his head in the door. (We had a bad experience with him taping me on my shoulder while I was asleep once) Unfortunately he had to learn the hard way and you might want to tell your son not to come in on you like that or he might have a bad experience too.

I hope your nights get better soon and you move out of hell and into peace.

Tammy

2quilt · #3 12-04-2008, 07:05 AM

Yes, even after all the years I have been with my husband, he will still walk in and scare the sh*t out of me, laugh at my startle, and then get yelled at for startling me. He should know better than to do that after all these years, and the knowledge that I have PTSD and bad hearing loss. But he forgets. Every time. He is a scientist, so he is very smart in math and all hard sciences, but flatlines on common sense.