I think I have PTSD

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Konakona
Konakona Member Posts: 173
edited December 2015 in Mental Health: Because Cancer Doesn't Just Affect Your Breasts

I think I have PTSD, both my parents died of cancer, my mom at age 58 from colon cancer and my father age 66 from melanoma. I was always the strong one, was there fighting with them till the end. Since they died I became a hypocondriac, every little pain or check up would give me mayor anxiety, even a regular blood test, I always keep this to myself, for everyone I was a stong woman, navy wife, moving from country to country every 3 years, adapting to anything.

Well, I guess I am not, I am going to see a phsiquiatrist tomorrow, something I should have done a long time ago. I am such a mess, and it gets worst by the day.

I though after surgery it will get better, but it's not, I am paralice by fear and I hate to have to take anxiety pills daily just to be semi normal, I hate to cry every time I see a doctor or a nurse, I think I completly lost it and it took a BC diagnose to finally realice I need help.



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  • Lily55
    Lily55 Member Posts: 3,534
    edited December 2015

    So sorry Konakona............but at least you are on the road to something different now xx

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  • MusicLover
    MusicLover Member Posts: 4,225
    edited December 2015

    This alone can cause PTSD. I keep thinking if I was an early stage person what would I do for this type of thing, I keep thinking I would be thinking of Christina Applegate or any other survivor of your choice, keep repeating in your head "if she can do it I can do it".

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  • mustlovepoodles
    mustlovepoodles Member Posts: 2,825
    edited December 2015

    PTSD can be caused by a number of things, including serious illness. I think you're on the right track to see a psychiatrist for this--after all, if you had a heart attack you'd want to see a heart specialist, right? Well, psychiatrists are specialists of the mind. They are experts of pharmacology and of course, they understand a broad range of mental health issues. Your psychiatrist will probably recommend that you also see a licensed therapist or psychologist for talk therapy--contrary to popular media, psychiatrists don't do a lot of therapy; they mostly do medication management. Therapy is where the real work comes from.

    I just want to encourage you. Going through breast cancer treatment is extremely hard for a lot of us. Losing your parents is one of the most difficult experiences one can have. I believe you can recover and move on from this, if you're willing to put the work in. Best of luck to you!


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