Nightmares and flash backs after DV ( possible trigger ) PTSD?

[Lovemusic33]

I'm not really sure who to talk to so have posted here.

6 months ago I broke up with my ex, I loved him more than I have ever loved anyone else but I know our relationship was not good, when I was with him I suffered from anxiety and depression, I was brainwashed by him, he made me feel like I was always wrong and towards the end he made out I was seeing things. During our short relationship he raped me several times, again he made it out to be my fault, told me I was giving him the wrong signals ( even though I said 'no' ), a week before Christmas I found messages on his phone to several other women, one he had gone to meet for sex, I was so angry and hurt, I chucked him out, put all his belongings outside and changed the locks. He threatened suicide and was reported as missing, when questioned by the police I was asked about any abuse and I disclosed the rape to them, I was advised to press charges against him. The charges were altered dropped as the police said it looked like I was just looking for revenge because he cheated on me. Anyway, cut a long story short, he was later arrested for harassment and a restraining order put on him.

My mental health took a turn for the worse over the new year, i was taking anti depressants and just wasn't coping at all. After a while I came off the anti depressants and started feeling better about life and got used to being on my own. I have kept myself busy, started a new job and have tried to forget about my ex. All had been going really well but the past couple of days I have been having nightmares about him and I have been feeling really anxious, worrying about him coming back, worrying about being in another abusive relationship. I feel lonely again but I'm too scared to date other men because I feel so numb after what has happened, I don't think I could trust again. I'm worried bout the anxiety and the nightmares, I really don't want to end up back on meds. I turned down councilling and help from the domestic abuse team, mainly because I just won't to forget it and move on with my life, I thought I was doing ok

This is my first post here and I noticed you'd received no replies. Please go see your GP as PTSD can manifest a long time after the abuse had ended. Perhaps look into the counselling again.
I have been diagnosed and have good and bad days. What you're going through is actually a normal reaction to something abnormal. Reach out and speak to someone professional. All the best xx

I'm currently having counselling and taking medication for PTSD after escaping an abusive relationship (sexual, financial and emotional abuse, including a lot of gaslighting :( ). It took me a good 18 months where I thought I was fine and was just getting on with things to realise that I needed to deal with it properly. It's ok to go to your GP and ask for help

Same ThomasRichard, well done on getting out. The gaslighting is what made me feel like I was losing my mind. He'd also hide items around the house and say I was misplacing things, such as my glasses being in the microwave. What medication are you on if you don't mind me asking?

I'm on Venlafaxine. It made me feel drunk for a couple of days and then ridiculously tired for a couple of weeks after that but is now fine.

I'm recovering from PTSD myself, something I have discovered to my detriment is that traditional talking therapies and councelling are not reccomended for PTSD and can actually make things worse. The NICE guidelines for PTSD reccommend only 2 treatments, EMDR and trauma specific CBT. I had something called IEMT ( integrated eye movement therapy) similar to EMDR with an NLP therapist. It involved minimal talking about the trauma and resolved all my symptoms in 2 sessions, that was 8 months ago and no reccurance.