PTSD help

[marcs]

Is it possible to develop a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after a breakup? I have been through hell and back and then back around again since May of this year. Long story short. 5 year relationship, Broke up in late May, a month before a big europe trip with 4 other friends. Week later the initial breakup I found out she was interested in someone. Week after that she posted on facebook in a relationship with this guy. Her friends didnt want her on the trip after that. She begged and pleaded me for forgiveness, she brokeup with the guy and I accepted her apologies. We didnt get back together at this point - we decided to take it as it comes. During the trip I found out she lied about breakup up after I found texts from him. However, we ended up getting back together at the end of our 2 month trip. I also resigned from my job during the trip to extend my trip ( I was initially only going to go for 4 weeks because of work). There is alot more to that story including very stressful events that happened at work before and after the the initial breakup that I could write a book about.

 

A month after we got back home she broke up with me again and now shes with that guy. This guy is the type she used to despise. Totally out of character for her. People close to her dont understand it either. apparently she has changed alot since. Going out, abusing drugs(nothing new) etc. I have handled the breakups pretty well considering I never begged or pleaded with her but I did tell her how I felt about her (I still love her). I have accepted its over. But my life has turned to hell. This year has been the worst year of my life and everything seems to be going wrong no matter what I do it keeps getting worse. My uncle died on new years day which says it all. I'm scared to trust again. Scared of starting a new job because I think my job stress ruined my relationship. Very scared of the future. I have lost contact with old friends during the relationship. Have no interest in women anymore and whilst I have been going out trying to put myself out there at the same time im finding I am isolating myself more and more. The world looks grey to me. Iv'e read of the symptoms of PTSD and it seems to fit. I literally feel like iv'e lost my soul and I dont know what to do.

[Nerdyjock]

PTSD is caused by "perceived" trauma, so yes, to answer your question, someone could potentially develop PTSD as a result of a bad breakup. I would encourage you to see a mental health professional we aren't as scary and initimdating as Dr. phil or other people on TV would have you imagine. You may or may not have PTSD or depression or some other disorder, or something similar. Either way, in order to get back on track to recovering after this difficult time, it helps to find the right starting point.

[itsallgrand]

^ He's right. There are some good professionals out there.

 

Whatever is going on with you, it's obviously causing you a lot of concern and troubles. Might as well find out exactly what you are dealing with! It's so much easier once you know that.

 

And for encouragement too...if it is PTSD that you are dealing with, the therapy for that is now quite good. Lots of people find a lot of improvement with the right therapy. I'm one of them. And for me it was a matter of literally not sleeping until I got wrapped into a whole cycle of exhaustion, anxiety, depression. These things feed on themselves to make a sort of vicious cycle. But once you get working at the root; it's amazing how much clearer the world looks and how much better you can feel.

[NightLily]

I guess somebody could develop it but I don't really know. From what you described, I really doubt you have it but that is my unprofessional opinion. If you want to find out, you will have to go to a psychologist. Often times having a disorder is an issue of severity not only fitting X symptoms which is why self diagnosis is so often faulty. My advice would be to assume the best first and then progress from there with time. In other words, this may just be situational depression. When you get with your therapist, as time goes on, you will find out if it might be something else but it is best to have those labels put on you with as much patience as possible.

[heaven_apart]

google broken heart syndrome on wikipedia. seems real to me.