Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

traumatised & worried

49 replies

frooella · 30/10/2011 01:20

Am I being unreasonable to be suffering post traumatic stress disorder after having been shocked from a deep night sleep by extremely loud banging like the front door was been broken down, accompanied by a shouting voice yelling "open the door" over and over....on looking out window there are police everywhere, a riot van and the policeman is still shouting at me to open the door. As I thought I was been attacked by a weird intruder I was glad it was police but on opening the door they demanded they were looking for a person by the name of ........ after saying nobody of that name lives here and telling them only me and my 3 kids were here, husband at work, they asked to have a look around the house. Having nothing to hide and it been my dumb nature to be ever helpful, I said "yes of course, fine, just be careful you don't trip over any toys" it been half term and the house looks like it's been trashed. They thanked me and I asked them why they came here and they muttered about following some blood trail here......??? My two older kids were woken up by the noise and then had torches shone in their faces...........After leaving my house they then shot into the house opposite me where they bundled five blokes into the riot van and sped off. They had come to my address first by accident!!! No apology for causing me to almost keel over from shock and traumatising the kids!!

OP posts:

diddl · 30/10/2011 08:17

I´d certainly be telling someone.

Surely in the time they were bellowing & searching your house the people they were after could have got away?

Doesn´t give you much faith when they go to the wrong house-unless they were "tipped off" & it wasn´t that they didn´t read the house number correctly!

scarevola · 30/10/2011 08:21

Here are the key features of PTSD.

When did the event happen?

CoteDAzur · 30/10/2011 09:03

Good to hear, altinkum. Best wishes for the future

ZillionChocolate · 30/10/2011 09:08

YANBU to be shocked at an unusual incident. YABU to self-diagnose with PTSD.

Familydilemma · 30/10/2011 09:15

We had police knock on our door at similar time a few years ago and it is a shocking experience. Iirc they did apologise for disturbing us.

ripstheirthroatoutliveupstairs · 30/10/2011 09:21

Oddly she hasn't come back.

GalloweesG · 30/10/2011 09:22

You poor thing, I'd be shaking like a leaf after that. Why people have chosen to pick up on the PTSD comment instead of trying to comfort you is just ridiculous.

MoaninMinny · 30/10/2011 09:24

bit of a dramallama imo

altinkum · 30/10/2011 09:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GalloweesG · 30/10/2011 09:32

Having just had her house turned over in the middle of the night by the police I doubt she gave much thought to her words. I also expect that she was in the throes of feeling deeply traumatised.

Just because others have been through worse it should not diminish what the op feels.

scarevola · 30/10/2011 09:34

She didn't say in OP when the event occurred.

The precipitating event/events for PTSD can vary - on the face of it this event doesn't sound typical - but if it is causing symptoms similar to PTSD, then specialist help should be sought. That's why I asked when the incident happened - if it was (say) a month or so ago, then I think a visit to the GP is probably the best way ahead now.

altinkum · 30/10/2011 09:36

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

quietlyafraid · 30/10/2011 09:42

Some appaulling comments here

Just because she hasn't been diagnosed with PTSD doesn't mean she hasn't got it and won't be diagnosed.

Regardless, she shouldn't be told to get a grip. She should be given support and understanding.

Some people should be utterly ashamed of themselves.

HauntyMython · 30/10/2011 09:44

How horrible, of course you're shaken up :(

Forget about PTSD, it's irrelevant right now as it seems like this just happened, just focus on getting the house back in order and getting some rest if you can, make sure the kids are ok too.

GalloweesG · 30/10/2011 09:48

Just remember, on MN, it's not the subject that matters, it's far more important that you use the correct terminology. For goodness sake don't say that "you went ballistic" if you meant that you were very cross because someone somewhere will think that you are bombing vast tracts of land

thefirstMrsDeVeerie · 30/10/2011 10:00

How awful for you. Its something that does crosses my mind and all sorts goes through my head.
It used to happen quite a lot where I used to live. My poor SIL had her door kicked in whilst she was out and came back to a ransacked flat.

Police wouldnt even fix the door. She was alone with two very young DCs and no money.

It happened a lot due to the amount of movement in tenants. My main fear was that they would grab my OH or my DS1 and some awful train of events would be set in motion. Thats what living in the inner city throughout the 80s and 90s does for you

I would be totall freaked if what you described happened to me. I cannot understand for one second those who say they wouldnt be!

OK the use of PTSD is a bit strong but as someone with it I am not offended. PTSD could very well be kicked off by something you describe but you havent got it. BUt I expect you know that by now.

Acutally de-briefing immediately after the incident has been shown to help the prevention of PSTD.

So if you get out of this thread alive it may well help you.

YourMother · 30/10/2011 10:10

I suffered from PTSD after a violent assault by a stranger which was a shock but I wasn't badly hurt. It doesn't always have to be triggered by big, life-changing events but its true that you can't get a diagnosis unless you are still having symptoms quite some time afterwards.

Sorry you have had such a shock, I also agree that you should contact the police today, just say that you want to follow up an occurence - a conversation with someone in the light of day and hopefully an apology (although don't hold your breath ) might help you draw a line under it.

banana87 · 30/10/2011 10:14

Yay another attention seeker

altinkum · 30/10/2011 10:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

thefirstMrsDeVeerie · 30/10/2011 10:24

I understand that altinkum but most people dont understand what PSTD really is.

Until you have experienced the horror of it I suppose its easy to belive its the same as beigng a bit shakey and running the events through your head over and over for a few days.

Like the way OCD is bandied about so much because people like things nice and tidy

I am glad to hear your DS and OH are doing well and I hope that your PTSD resolves in time. Its horrible. I am just getting some help with mine 5 years after the events that caused it.

The OP clearly hasnt got PSTD.

I dont for a second believe everyone would be absolutly fine after being raided by the police and am chuckling at the idea of lots of MNer in their PJs saying 'of course officer, please do come in and shine torches in my children's faces, you are doing a fine job sir'

Trills · 30/10/2011 10:30

YABVU to call it PTSD, yes.

(that's the question you asked, so that's the answer you get)

Witchofthenorth · 30/10/2011 10:40

Am I the only one who took the PTSD comment with a pinch of salt and a bit tongue and cheek? I understand how people could be offended by it, but I took it as a bit of humour after an incident that would have made me open the bottle of JD for a wee nip. It sounds like the OP is using humour in the same way as i do.....to lessen an event that would be a bit scary!

have donned flameproof suit in anticipation

Witchofthenorth · 30/10/2011 10:50

not that i find genuine PTSD funny at all BTW

just that perhaps she was trying to lighten the incident a bit! OH Good God I should just stop now

BOOareHaunting · 30/10/2011 10:52

No witch I said I thought it careless. (covers a whole range of reasons for misuse!) but could look past that as the incident itself was obviously very traumatic and the police should be sending a liason officer round to help the OP to deal with events.

However at the same time I'm having an education in what PTSD actually is and how it manifests - I would certainly wouldn't use it myself in future. Alts and MrsDV stories make difficult reading.

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread