Anxiety over beds
 

Re: Anxiety over beds
 

Hi there,

I'm really sorry to hear what you went through! You didn't deserve it! I bet you are an amazing person :)

I don't have PTSD so I don't know if I can help that much.. But I'll give it a shot. But I do know what anxiety is like so I'll try and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. :)

I personally hate when people talk behind me.. I get so distracted about it... So what I do is put an ear bud in and listen to my music when I walk around and focus on that more than the people behind me. If you can't do that you.. This gonna sound really dumb (but I do this) is you can count by 3s or counting backwards to get your mind into that.. Also another thing that sounds dumb is to focus on what is ahead of you (a tree,building, car,etc.) And discrib it in you head like the tree has green leaves, it also has 5 branches, etc. These sound really dumb so sorry about that.

For sleeping.. You have to think that it is in the past and the past is in the past and that you are safe now and not everyone is like that girl. I really understand that is really hard to do.. But its true.. Be around people who you truly trust (parents, best friends, other family members) until you feel more comfortable with them. Try to change your mindset like not everyone who is gonna touch is gonna hurt you, that girl can't hurt me no more. It might not come right away but if you practice it will be easier.. And I know things like don't change instantly.

Do you have a support system (your family or friends) if you are struggling more you can turn to them for support. And you can maybe see a counselor to help you too. To like cope and stuff :)

Hope it gets better! :) I might not help, if that's true than sorry, but I hope I helped alittle! If you ever need anything feel free to PM/VM me anytime :)

Re: Anxiety over beds
 

Hi there,

I don’t think I have PTSD (I mean I am very jumpy but I’ve never been diagnosed), but I have been in similar situations where I get anxious of certain things (e.g. showers). I don’t know if this will help but I thought I’d share how I deal with my anxiety.

First, you need a goal, so I’m assuming that would be to sleep in your bed without getting anxious? Then try to break it down into smaller goals and work your way up from the small goal to the big one. Don’t rush the goals though: take your time and only do what you feel comfortable in doing. So for example, your first small goal might be to spend some time every day/night in your room. Acknowledge the bed and then try to find something to do in your room to keep your mind off the bed. Then every now and then, perhaps touch the bed or put something on the bed which you will then later on take-off the bed. This puts you in control of the situation. When you feel ready, you could spend time sitting next to the bed, or if you feel confident, on the bed. Start with a minute or two and then increase the time. As you feel more confident, spend time simply lying on the bed. Hopefully, when it comes to sleep, you should feel less anxious. It may take some time, but you will get there.

Keep reminding yourself that you are in control, and that the bed is only a reminder of what the girl did. You are safe, because the girl is not around to hurt you.

For general anxiety, try to relax by doing some controlled breathing or mindfulness. Both of these things can be found online.

If you are seeing a therapist, perhaps you could discuss this? They will be able to give better suited advice for your situation. And like Angie said, a good support system definitely helps!

Take care :hug:

Re: Anxiety over beds
 

Hi There,

I am sorry you are struggling with this. I have never been diagnosed with PTSD but I have similar experiences to you about people touching me and some other things.
I know it helps some people to slowly approach what they fear. Like, do not force yourself into sleeping in your bed if you are extremely anxious about being there. You can slowly give yourself more and more time near/on your bed. Start out a distance from your bed that is comfortable and then slowly get closer to your bed. If your anxiety increases, stay where you are and try using breathing techniques, remind yourself that the girl is not there and that you will be safe and as was previously suggested, mindfulness is a great help too.
When you feel ready, keep increasing how close you are to the bed until you are at a point you feel comfortable touching or sitting on the bed for a few seconds or minutes (you will know what amount of time is best for you). Then, once you are touching or sitting on your bed, repeat the breathing techniques, reminding yourself she is not there and that you are safe etc.
I suggest that you complement this with therapy from a professional counselor that specializes in helping people with PTSD. You do not need to figure this out on your own and the counselor will know more techniques that you can use and might be able to help you in ways we probably cannot think of here because we are only volunteers.
I hope that you can get help for this and that you get help you need.
Take care and you can PM or VM me anytime if you would like someone to talk to or just a place to vent.