I don't know why, well I usually am on edge anyways but today has been especially bad, everything has been making me startle. My husband coming around a corner, standing behind me, sudden noises...everything.

I have no idea what is going on, I know I had a nightmare last night about someone assaulting me, it's funny I have these dreams of someone assaulting me sexually but they never have a face. I know my ex husband assaulted me in that way, I even asked my therapist about something he did to me when our relationship began and she did say it was molestation. My mind wasn't exactly mature regarding that matter. I was pretty much kept shut in by my parents.

Anyways. I don't know if it's the dream affecting me startle response or if its just a bad day today??

I've already just gotten over a migraine an hour ago, I've been wondering for sometime if migraines can be tied to PTSD. They didn't start until 2000 and after I left not divorced but seperated from my ex. I know physical pain can be tied to PTSD but I don't know if that counts.

And with the migraines and the jumpiness, could there be something like that dream that triggered me today.

I keep looking around too, I am but I'm not paranoid that something terrible is going to happen (I hate that feeling).

I know also that I'm nervous about my upcoming psychiatry appointment on Wednesday (the city/state that I have my appointment is a trigger in and of itself for me but it's the closest VA hospital). Sometimes I think that's a stupid trigger, well I think alot of them are stupid. If such a thing is possible.

Ugh I don't know.

Pretty much every symptom that you are having is PTSD related and probably has been triggered by your nightmare. Although some of us can have those symptoms most of the time without being triggered by something. Welcome to the wonderful world of PTSD!!!! NOT!!!!!!

Suggestions....Try and ground yourself, concentrate on your breathing, try to do something that you enjoy and is calming...

Hang in there....

I know if I have nightmares. The next day is always a bit hard to deal with. Also, i have terrible migraines and I always thought it was PTSD related because I am so jumpy and always on edge...tends to make us more tense.....making headaches much worse. Just my experience. Take Care.

Dreams can be very triggering and cause many PTSD symptoms to appear. Also, you have a triggering situation coming up on Wed. and we are rapidly approaching the holiday season. I think it is a "perfect storm" when it comes to having PTSD symtoms worsen right now.

Great. And on top of that now I'm getting sick. Thanks to my kids for that one, my four year old hasn't gained the concept of covering his mouth when he coughs. Tis the season.

You know, generally Thanksgiving doesn't bother me, sometimes I get a little depressed over Christmas, but the worst month for me is February cause it's the anniversary of when my ex husband broke my daughter's left arm (he was so angry with me that day and I've got the last words I said to him before he did that engrained in my mind probably forever). I just keep thinking, she was only 9 weeks old, how could someone do that especially on purpose.

And I still blame myself even though I know it wasn't my fault but yet I feel like it was my fault. I play the 'what if' game.

I'm thankful she was young enough not to remember anything though God knows what else he was doing to her when I was working, especially with what he was doing to me.

And let me tell you, the social services set up the Air Force has is really screwed up. A different story for a different day.

My brain is all wonky cause I'm not feeling well today.

You have a lot at once. I am looking at you are anticipating anniversary. That will not help, I know as I am guilty as charged. You have a shrink trigger... I would be more inclined to guess you have this going on (nightmares and startle) to this than the other way around as I am going off how I react. Add in holidays even if not a trigger like it or not it is a stressor. It all compiles and general stress will push us over. Many of us start to break in the holiday season.

My hubs knows to cough/clear throat, or just out right say I am behind you when I am seemingly off bad, not sure how the family home knows but they do as my teen son will also tell me mom, I am reaching over you before he goes for a cabinet. A few years ago it would send me in the floor. Now not really but I can at times damn near collapse if not given warning.

My brain is wonky too... I am still learning wonky is not as bad as it is made out to be.