PTSD and Apartment living, a dangerous combination.

It’s been a year since my fiancee’ and I moved into this apartment.  Rather than it being a joyous, bond building experience it has been what seems like a 12 month jail sentence for the both of us.

In May of last year we came into this apartment pie-eyed and hopeful.  “Our very own place” we said in unison and then drew in the first few breaths of apartment air.  Soon enough this air grew stale and to heavy to breathe.

You see, I know how to handle going out to places.  I always find the chair in the corner of a restaurant and know where the exits are and keep an eye on them.  I plan my exodus from any store we go into way before we enter the door. I had no clue what awaited me in this new torture chamber.

The following is a list are the things I’ve learned over time and I hope others with PTSD will find helpful in planning a move into an apartment:

1. If you can AVOID apartment living, do so AT ANY COST!  Rent a house! Trust me!!!

2. NEVER rent a “downstairs” apartment! The noises from above are the catalyst for never ending torment.

3. Make sure you get an “upstairs”, “CORNER” apartment.  These tend to have more windows and will help to subside the “OMG I’m trapped” feeling.

4. Make sure the apartment is well away from the parking lot.  The noises of car alarms and loud exhaust suck!

It’s that simple.  Had I followed these few simple rules I wouldn’t have relapsed the way I did.

You see, I’ve posted about this before.  In December the idiots upstairs moved another family into a one bedroom apartment.  Yup, 6 people living in only a couple hundred square feet.  The thumps and bangs often gave me flashbacks.  Or so I’m told.  I never remember them.  Hell, I lose the whole day.  The noises often mimic the sounds of combat. It’s more than I can bear.

This went on for months.  These people had ZERO courtesy for anyone (this stands true for most people) and didn’t really care that anyone else lived around them.  They would be loud all through the night. They had 2 children that both were in desperate need of an ass whoopin’ bounding through the house at all hours.  One or more of them would get drunk and kick the drywall in fits of inebriated anger.  I would call security and complain and it got to the point where security told me to “quit calling”.  This all built into a crescendo and I snapped.  I went off and hung a cloud of obscenities over this complex that would make a Sergeant Major blush.  and in March, finally they were evicted.  But not for the noise, for not paying rent.

All was quiet for about 2 weeks.  Just long enough for maintenance to rebuild the apartment.  Then, more of humanities scum moved in.  This time, I thought “this won’t be so bad”.  A young couple.  Just two of them.  No problem, right?  WRONG!!!  These are the types that like to go at it all night and she likes to pretend that he’s killing her during sex.  Pa-fuckin-lease!  I’ve been heard to say out-loud during their sessions “Shut up!  He’s not hurting you!”.  And, my darlin’ lays there and mocks the young lady’s howling like a dog at a full moon.  “Oh well” I figured.  If that’s all we have to deal with, so be it.  Oh no!  On Easter Sunday they moved in the rest of their riff-raff family and we have the EXACT same set of circumstances as before.

I’m DONE!!! We bought a house!  I’m just (get this) waiting for the VA to finalize the paperwork.  Holy fucking shit!!!  If it takes them as long to do this as it did to process my claim, there are gonna be problems!

So, take my advice.  If you want to try to deal with your PTSD and want to see ANY results, DO NOT RENT AN APARTMENT!!!