Acknowledging Mold PTSD and How It Can Stand in the Way of Your Recovery

Mold PTSD is rearing its ugly head again. I am writing this post feeling very raw and very scared. I am sitting at my kitchen table with what feels like the weight of the world on my shoulders. You see, this morning my husband was outside skimming leaves from the pool when he noticed a significant amount of water coming from the condensate line that flows from the HVAC system and dehumidifiers in the attic to the outside. He alerted me, and I ran upstairs to see what was going on. Sure enough, the dehumidifier’s pan was full of water, wasn’t draining properly, and was overflowing onto the attic floor and into the attic insulation beneath it. Water marks were even beginning to spread on the ceiling of the guest room located under the dehumidifier.

Springing into action, I quickly unplugged the dehumidifier and grabbed towels and our wet/dry shop vac to suck the water from the pan to stop the overflow and damage. We then cut a hole in the guest room ceiling to remove all of the wet drywall and insulation and to direct fans into the ceiling cavity to dry out the wood framing and beams. We have done all of the right things to contain and to mitigate the damage and moisture intrusion. But, now comes the hard part: Now we have to play the waiting game of whether or not we have done enough to prevent mold growth. It is this waiting game and the unknown ahead that messes with my mind, and, in turn, messes with my body. I can feel the anxiety building inside of me. I even think I can feel some mold symptoms coming back. Is it from the drywall dust? Was the leak going on long enough to already produce mold growth? Am I getting sick again?