chronic vs. acute PTSD

[tanwyn]

I'm dealing with Chronic PTSD from childhood abuse, but I'm actually finding the acute PTSD from a car accident far far more debilitating. Flashbacks of deer coming through the windshield whilest driving at 85 mph on the highway.... not so fun. Thankfully I was able to maintain enough of a grip to stop at the next exit and make the husband drive. Why is this crap from the car accident so much harder to deal with than all of the childhood crap? Anyone else have any experience with this?

[merit]

i am not certain what you are referring to here. are you referring to acute post traumatic stress? how long ago was the car accident? typically post traumatic stress symptoms are often very intense and negative, but will subside as the brain processes the trauma. ptsd develops when, after a long period of time, the brain has not correctly processed the memories. there is no such thing as "acute ptsd". ptsd, by definition, must be long term. that is the basis upon which one makes a diagnosis of ptsd.

[GlimmerOH]

Are you maybe referring to Acute Stress Disorder?  If Acute Stress disorder does not resolve, it is then labeled Post Traumatic stress Disorder.

The Acute stage is the most life-altering time frame, with the most vivid dreams/memories to cope with (as it's still fresh in your mind).  Just as you had to learn to form new coping skills from the childhood abuse, you will have to learn your triggers for these new traumatic memories, and how to cope through them the best way.

[tanwyn]

Yeah, my phrasing was off. I did in fact mean acute stress disorder. At this point, we're just dealing with it as another part of my PTSD, though.

[HealingJourney]

PTSD is a neural Emgram or neurological memory etched in the brain based on the amount of stress chemicals present at the time of occurrence. The more fear or stress chemicals present the more potential for PTSD.

As the event get older the Emgrams get covered with other more recent memories and they tend to fade- this is called extinction. A recent auto accident is still a fresh neural path - however one new event can uncover old memories.

There is no acute PTSD it is just acute fear at this point.

I doubt the deer incident will be with you for long. I was in a life threatening auto accident in 1994 and got anxious every time I drove for months - I was looking out of every corner of my eyes for a new accident threat. This will extinguish in short order.

[HealingJourney]

Question: what were you doing driving 85 mph and especially in a deer area?

[ladygagaohga]

I have the same issue. My Current PTSD "should" be easier to deal with than my childhood PTSD but I think (for myself at least) that I pushed everything away to deal with later (later meant never) but then this current PTSD happened and it brought all the old stuff to the surface and added the new stuff. IT becomes very overwhelming.  It cause me a lot of DR/DP.    Hang in there.

[dyas]

hello,

 i was just dxd with ptsd stemming from the death of my father and the 20 yrs
of memories dealing with it.
i too had a car accident and felt the same way you did - being jumpy for months after im getting help as well.
i am hoping in time that all this will ''take a rest"for a while and things can get back to normal for a while.

i agree with the others that the car accident is fresher in your mind and over time will diminish.
dyas