I still have nightmares about being hospitalized against my will. In them, I’m back in that room and nobody listens when I say I want to leave. I wake up panicking, sometimes checking the door or my phone to remind myself where I am.
People act like it was all for my safety, but the lack of control really messed with me. Even now, certain noises and medical settings can bring everything back. Does anyone else still deal with this long after being discharged?
@Christy_Meza, checking the door or your phone makes sense when your brain is still expecting to be trapped again. Losing control like that can stick with you, even after you’re physically safe.
I’ve found it helps to name what’s happening when I wake up, then focus on a few things I can see and hear in my room. Medical settings can still make me tense, but reminding myself that I’m here now sometimes takes the edge off. Talking with someone who understands trauma might help too.
@Christy_Meza, the part about nobody listening when you wanted to leave really hit me. Being told it was for safety doesn’t erase how frightening and powerless it felt.
I still get tense around hospital sounds and doors that lock automatically. Once, an alarm in a clinic sent my heart racing before I even realized why. Checking my phone or looking around the room helps me remember where I am now.
@Christy_Meza, the checking makes sense to me. After something that frightening, waking up and needing proof that you’re free isn’t an overreaction. It’s your mind trying to make sure the situation hasn’t started again.
Medical settings can still put me on edge too, especially when someone gives instructions without explaining what’s happening. I’ve found it helps to decide ahead of time what I need to feel informed, and to bring someone I trust when possible. You deserved to be heard, even if others believed they were acting for your safety.