Lived Experience Forum

[Till23]

Hi

The other day I was driving along a road that I have driven on hundreds, if not a thousand, times and I could not work out where I was for many minutes. It’s like I just suddenly found myself in an unknown place and I couldn’t remember getting there. I had been thinking about my PTSD cause at some point prior to that but I can’t really remember. Has any one else had a similar thing happen? I am able to dissociate- I used to do that at the time of the PTSD cause and have since at very stressful times, usually because I have been triggered 

[Historylover]

My ex-h had the same experience once, @Till23. Perhaps it is because you are so familiar with the road that your mind was able to allow your thoughts to wander for a short time.

[Till23]

Yes I agree - that I could easily have been on automatic pilot and not realised. But the scary thing was how long it took me to work out where I was. I really had to try hard to work out what was going on

[CrazyChick]

@Till23 That sounds like a scary experience for you to become so disorientated.

I have had similar experience when out walking my dog. My PTSD was triggered and I presumably dissociated for a while and kept walking. I became so lost I had to use my phone's navigation app to find out where I was. I now try to avoid going out if I am really triggered, and if I become triggered while out-and-about I try to stop and calm down enough first before continuing.

Do you have a psychologist or other mental health professional you trust enough to discuss this with them? They may be able to help you work through what may have happened and possible ways that could work to minimise the chances of it happening again. It could potentially be a safety risk if you aren't fully alert when driving so it is very important that you get support with this. This is also important so that you don't get further anxiety about the possibility that it might happen again.

[Till23]

@CrazyChick 

Yes I have a psychologist - but you know - 10 sessions/year is all that you get to deal with anything.

I’ve been fortunate to have been accepted into SANE’s complex MH program and so I get 12 sessions with that (for which I am extremely grateful- the person I speak to is excellent and thankfully no cost involved for me. It has been helpful and I am lucky to have stumbled across it and been accepted, for which I am very grateful).

[CrazyChick]

@Till23 I have not heard of SANE’s complex MH program before, but it sounds useful. Good that you can get more support than just the standard 10 psychology sessions.