Psychopath and Narcissist Survivors Support Group

ljleedom · Joined: 20 Feb 2007 Posts: 58 Location: Connecticut

Do you feel as if you are watching the situation as an observer or a spectator?

Do you have some experience that separates you from what is happening;
for instance, do you feel as if you are in a movie or a play, or as if you are a robot?

Do things seem to be unreal to you, as if you are in a dream?

Do things seem to be moving in slow motion?

Does this experience seem to take much longer than you would have expected?

Do things seem to be happening very quickly, as if there is a lifetime in a moment?

Do objects look different than you would expect?

Do colors seem to be diminished in intensity?

Do you see things as if you were in a tunnel, or looking through a wide angle
photographic lens?

Do you space out, or in some other way lose track of what was going on?

Do you have gaps in your memory?

What do these questions have in common?

They are symptoms of an extreme stress reaction. The presence of these symptome over a long period of time sets the stage for PTSD. Clinicians call these signs of dissociation. What does that mean? If you examine the list these are distortions in sensory perception. They are strikingly similar to feelings people get when they take drugs of abuse that affect the serotonin system. The problem is that too much serotonin activity can do damage.

What to do?

Since these symptoms are caused by stress, if you have them you have to reduce your body's stress response. Social support, diet, exercise are a good start.

Does anyone think I should put up a web page going into more detail about this? My worry is that many of us who have suffered at the hands of Ps are mothers. It's a huge burden to deal with these symptoms while caring for children.
_________________
LJL
ljleedom@aol.com

samvaknin · Joined: 15 Feb 2007 Posts: 2015

Hi, LJL, welcome!

These - and many other symptoms - are listed it (based on literature) - click on the links:

http://samvak.tripod.com/abusefamily21.html

http://samvak.tripod.com/abusefamily22.html

Take care.

Sam

Kathryann · Joined: 16 Feb 2007 Posts: 72

I also have been having nightmares and night sweats. I am constantly dreaming about him. Is that unusual?

Raspberries · Guest

lemondroppr · Joined: 10 Feb 2007 Posts: 1464

I concur. Posting that would be a tremendous help LJL.

Nolongerhisvictim · Joined: 10 Feb 2007 Posts: 1435

Kathryann,
It is not unusual. I had the same thing. It is part of the PTSD. Talk to your therapist about ways you can alter what you are doing before you go to bed so that he isnt in your thoughts before bedtime. I had to change what I did before bed, what materials on I read (cuz if I read books on psychopathy I'd have nightmares). I also had to reevaluate the movies I watched and limit the time I spend on this board cuz if the topics hit too close to my situation, I would have nightmares. If I see a topic is too heavy for me to deal with prior to bedtime, then I skip it until the next day. Just some ideas that have helped me....

NLHV
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NLHV

CLINKS · Joined: 15 Feb 2007 Posts: 6 Location: NEW YORK

RASPBERRIES;
I ALSO AGREE THAT IF WOULD BE MOST HELPFUL TO SHARE THE SYMPTOMS. HOPEFULLY, THIS WOULD SAVE OTHERS FROM FEELING CRAZY WHEN IN THE MIDST OF A P.

ljleedom · Joined: 20 Feb 2007 Posts: 58 Location: Connecticut

Thanks for the feedback. When my life came crashing down and my xhusband was arrested I went completely numb. I had a five month old baby and I could feel absolutely nothing-except fear. Not sad, not happy, no angry, not anything. I spent my whole life in the feeling realm, to have these feelings gone was worrying. I thought maybe I would never feel again. In my clinical practice, I did't deal much with trauma victims, since there are many competent people around here that do. But when this happened, I was forced to try to understand what happened to me.

Because I have been through a trauma that was severe enough to produce an acute stress disorder, I understand these symptoms. It is also very hard for me to admit publically that I was stupid enough to put myself in a situation where I was so traumatized by a man. Of all people I have no excuse and should have known better. Still haven't reconcilled that one. The four year anniversary is coming up the first week of April. I'm settig a goal to write something to post in the healing section of this board.

The nightmares are also common, it might be a good sign that you are sleeping well enough to have nightmares!
_________________
LJL
ljleedom@aol.com