PTSD and trauma

A space for discussing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), domestic abuse, sexual abuse and other trauma. Please note some content may be distressing.

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A_Tech PTSD for Medical and First Responders
  • replies: 276

Hi, Well obviously this my situation. I was hoping to find others here that might have a similar background to chat with, it can be so hard to talk about this stuff with non-med people (and I mean no disrespect, it's just often graffic or upsetting t... View more

Hi, Well obviously this my situation. I was hoping to find others here that might have a similar background to chat with, it can be so hard to talk about this stuff with non-med people (and I mean no disrespect, it's just often graffic or upsetting to others). Im a 40 year old female that has spent the last 10years in the State Trauma Hospital as an Anaesthetic Technician. My PTSD was brought about after years of exposure to shocking traumas, deaths, and no support from management. I would love to hear from anyone that has a similar story, or just wants to chat. Cheers

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Slipperyfish Dissociation - does it happen to anyone else?
  • replies: 9

Hi i suffer from PTSD due to extended period of assaults. I’m in therapy dealing with it all but lately my memory has been terrible. I know I dissociate, but I’m not sure how to fix it. After I exercise I find it happens more, along with if I smell s... View more

Hi i suffer from PTSD due to extended period of assaults. I’m in therapy dealing with it all but lately my memory has been terrible. I know I dissociate, but I’m not sure how to fix it. After I exercise I find it happens more, along with if I smell someone that really needs deodorant. And I honestly thought my memory was just terrible. But now it’s effecting my life, my job, my wellbeing my everything. I keep losing chunks of the day. Or I tell the same story over and over because I honestly don’t remember telling it in the first place. I’m just reaching out to see if it’s happening to others and also how you deal with it. I just feel like I’m loosing my marbles

Nat777 New- trouble leaving a domestically violent relationship
  • replies: 3

Hi, I recently left my bf, I felt it was verging on DV. Things moved very fast and after only a couple weeks I was spending every night with him. He asked me to move in. He had a list of things that were my job in the relationship- breakfast and dinn... View more

Hi, I recently left my bf, I felt it was verging on DV. Things moved very fast and after only a couple weeks I was spending every night with him. He asked me to move in. He had a list of things that were my job in the relationship- breakfast and dinner every day, sex and general house keeping. I didn’t really like this but I wanted it to work. He asked me how many men I had slept with. I lied. It’s not something I wanted to share. Things turned sour. He became obsessed with knowing the truth. He would question me repeatedly- to try to catch me out. When my story didn’t match, he threatened to end the relationship. He made up stories that he heard I’d slept around and did drugs-to see if I’d admit to sleeping with more guys. We had a cycle. It would go well for a couple weeks. Then he’d bring up me lying and we’d argue. He starting to go through my phone and read my messages. He drank every night (bottle of vodka), he’d swear at me and call me names. He would apologise and then treat me like a queen the next day. He would belittle me, threatened to cheat on me if I didn’t spend every night with him or if I didn’t have sex with him every day he’d find someone else who would. I was starting to feel that I was never good enough. I ended up leaving after he kicked me off the couch and I fell on the floor because I wouldn’t let him go through my phone. I moved out the next day. I msgd his ex gf who said he was abusive and manipulative- it didn’t end well. After I left he was apologetic. He admitted to being at fault. He sweet talked me. I thought I overacted. He did lots of kind things for me. I saw a psychologist (I’ve had 2 sessions). He told me to be careful of him. That his behaviour is that of a sociopath, what he was DV- emotional abuse. Even though I was told this I couldn’t let go. I felt guilty for moving out. I continued to msg him and then going on dates again. I continued to see him (2 weeks now). I thought him quitting drinking he’d change. He told me tonight that he is done and doesn’t see a future with me anymore. I feel he has manipulated me. He couldn’t handle I left him so for him to be back in control he won me back just to end it. I feel insecure and have low self-confidence. I don’t know why I’m crying and still want to be with him? I’m trying to figure out if our relationship was real, if he genuinely had/ has feelings for me or if it was all about controlling me? I feel as if I’ve made this into a big deal.

Kuan Feeling depressed, lonely and unsuccessful
  • replies: 3

Hi all, Hope you all are well! I am Kuan. I moved to Victoria 8 years ago. I am feeling really useless and unsuccessful in comparison to my peers. I was made redundant 3 months ago and I don't know which direction I should go and stick with. I feel v... View more

Hi all, Hope you all are well! I am Kuan. I moved to Victoria 8 years ago. I am feeling really useless and unsuccessful in comparison to my peers. I was made redundant 3 months ago and I don't know which direction I should go and stick with. I feel very lonely and depressed all of a sudden and normally it isnt this bad given my current circumstances. To be honest, I feel like I survived life because I have always been really lucky in terms of being born into a high-income family. However, I have never been happy when I was growing up. I knew I was gay when I was 4 and felt I was somehow different from other kids my age. I suffered from dysthymia and anxiety because I was severely bullied from Grade 1 till I graduated from high-school and by my family too. I never had a real friend when I was a child. My social circle consisted of rich people's kids, arrogant and rude. When I was 13, I was sexually abused by a classmate until I was 15/16. I never told anyone in my family. I wished that my life would end at 17. It didn't because I thought to myself that i could make it. That one day, I will be loved. So i decided to study abroad, hoping that I could meet a guy who would love me. I met a guy who turned out to be a cheater and discovered he was having sex with another guy. I kept all of these in me for years while I pretended I was okay while I was with him. I was too afraid to lose him so I let him abuse me over and over again until a friend of his encouraged me to leave him. I did.. but i never felt better. I met all these friends who ended up finding ways to hurt me and they were actually happy that I was hurt. That just kept reinforcing my perspective of people. Now even I have a wonderful boyfriend, I still can't wipe my past away. Why? because I feel so useless in my life. I told myself I could surpass them and I could be happier. But I keep failing.. and recently I am diagnosed with ADD which explains so much of my behaviours and my sensitivity towards my surroundings. But usually people are diagnosed when they were younger. I feel like i've lost so much time that I can never make it in life and my experience with people are not helping at all. I've been seeing a psychologist but because I lost my job I really dont know how long I can see her for. I don't know anyone else who are like me. I can't connect with me. I feel skeptical about people and I feel maybe this time I won't make it, that finally I have no more energy. I just feel hopeless.

Xara Feeling Out of Control
  • replies: 1

I'm not officially diagnosed with PTSD - but when i was younger i was forced to do things i didn't want to do and had this repeated at 18 - having it happen once is bad enough but twice! The thing that really tipped me over the edge was having a work... View more

I'm not officially diagnosed with PTSD - but when i was younger i was forced to do things i didn't want to do and had this repeated at 18 - having it happen once is bad enough but twice! The thing that really tipped me over the edge was having a work college invade my personal space. Its messed with my head and my life along with my mom's accident and trauma from her loss of limb all at once, was like a smack in the face. Im constantly tired and exhausted, finding a reason to function is hard but i find a way. As should any of you when you are in as down as a situation as mine just keep fighting hopefully one day we will see the reason its all worth it in the end.

b_abbey Struggling with my family --- (trigger child sexual abuse history)
  • replies: 4

Hi there Lately I have been very upset at my family because they no longer believe I was sexually abused when I was 9-12. Initially they believed me but because my abuser is a doctor and he has told them about the "creation of false memories" and how... View more

Hi there Lately I have been very upset at my family because they no longer believe I was sexually abused when I was 9-12. Initially they believed me but because my abuser is a doctor and he has told them about the "creation of false memories" and how my alcohol problems has likely affected my pre-frontal cortex = I should not be believed. This is a load of bull as I clearly remember the abuse and have never forgot it. I do drink too much, but not daily, and my liver enzymes are not elevated, to help create the picture. Anyway, just being in their presence - regarding my mum & dad - triggers me, and makes me feel angry and I want to abandon them - but I love them. It just feels so toxic and I feel lost. I really does hurt that he has the ability to change their mind, it's like he has abused me all over again. I am a professional too, but because I am not a doctor - I rank further down the line, in my parents eyes. In actual fact - I think they don't want to believe he did this (he has been accused by others too), and they do admit that they don't want to believe. Thanks for listening. If anyone has any advice I'd be very thankful!

DontBlink182 An open introduction - I'm an open book after all.
  • replies: 1

Hey there all, I will start with a bit of traumatic history, I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse that lasted about 8 years. I was raped by my first two serious boyfriends in my teen years. I thought I had finally found a decent guy with my ex-h... View more

Hey there all, I will start with a bit of traumatic history, I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse that lasted about 8 years. I was raped by my first two serious boyfriends in my teen years. I thought I had finally found a decent guy with my ex-husband, but it quickly turned ugly 6 months into it. He began manipulating me, psychologically, emotionally and mentally abusing it - triggering flashbacks and making me feel absolute putrid claiming "I liked being abused - every minute of it". I ended up breaking free of him but only after agreeing to leave our daughter with him (rather than being homeless with a toddler) - he still has her and won't let me see her, she's now 11. I was homeless for 3 years, turned to alcohol for comfort. I couch-surfed, barely held grips with my reality, went out clubbing every weekend - then I got pregnant off a one night stand... oops. I was still homeless at that point. My mother took me back in (my ex was living with her til 2 months prior - yea don't get me started on the fact I was homeless and he wasn't) at 8 months pregnant, by which point I met my current partner. Was originally diagnosed with depression in 2008, and the Doc said I was most likely suffering since I was 11 (when I learned I was being abused). Knew I had it by then, but refused medication as I just had a baby and was breastfeeding. Got diagnosed again in 2015 and she claimed I had "Chronic Depression and Severe PTSD" and I am now on antidepressant medication which works for the most part. Up until today I hadn't known about Complex PTSD but it seems to fit my symptoms and trauma more. Is there such thing as having a double form of PTSD? I haven't had the best trot, and occassionally my partner reminds me of my ex which triggers flashbacks - had a full blown attack last night, the worst in a long time. I so tired of being tired and unmotivated. I have 3 daughters now, my ex still has my oldest as I mentioned, and I have my 7 year old with ASD and my 5 year old with Down Syndrome. They can be great, but draining to look after. Anyways, that's my god-awful story. Look forward to meeting some people. PS. Call me Emjay!

Jimothybobbert Lack of control
  • replies: 1

Hi, I'm writing, sitting at home taken the day off work because it's one of those days. I've been having trouble dealing with my trauma. I was psychologically, physically, emotionally and sexually abused as a child by my father and my trigger is anyt... View more

Hi, I'm writing, sitting at home taken the day off work because it's one of those days. I've been having trouble dealing with my trauma. I was psychologically, physically, emotionally and sexually abused as a child by my father and my trigger is anything that involves him. I have only told my partner about the sexual abuse and I am estranged from my father. There is a funeral coming up and I've been trying to think about how to deal with seeing him. I usually throw myself into my career or work life but a recent career change and family issues have resurfaced some feelings of animosity and anxiety. I recently went passed a house I lived in as a child while working. This was very uncomfortable to say the least. I am going to therapy but I have issues trying to juggle my job, class, and family issues lately. Does anyone have some recommendations on how to help create a calm environment for myself and ground myself? And does anyone have any experience dealing with an abuser?

Joe_Joe O. D. D or C-ptsd
  • replies: 1

My partner has an issue, o.o.d or c-ptsd something she is manic e 23 hours a day and it's but one hour a day and the happiest times over now at work ten plus hours a day and have Chemo three full days. Here lies the issue I can't take any more of her... View more

My partner has an issue, o.o.d or c-ptsd something she is manic e 23 hours a day and it's but one hour a day and the happiest times over now at work ten plus hours a day and have Chemo three full days. Here lies the issue I can't take any more of her manic hot and cold behaviour. She's wanting to kill me to missing me and needs me by her side, I go to the hospital and there will be 50 plus missed calls and 100s of messages asking me to come home and be with her. Also when I leave she cries and screams for me to stay and climbs on the car and hits it. Now when I go back inside she gets on her phone and talks to her male friends they tell her how much of a poo I am for leaving her alone with nothing when I'm at chemo and or work when I come home at the end of the days she turns the music up that loud that one can't hear a conversation and then yells at me for not communicating through the day when I'm either going to have chemo or on loud machines. Please I need some feedback. Thanks

milhouse im new, experiencing anxiety, depression and PTSD
  • replies: 1

Im new, struggling to find a psychologist so I thought id give this a go. I've had anxiety ever since I can remember and always been uncomfortable around my 'father', it turns out he is a predator, I was also raped in 2014 so I am having a lot of iss... View more

Im new, struggling to find a psychologist so I thought id give this a go. I've had anxiety ever since I can remember and always been uncomfortable around my 'father', it turns out he is a predator, I was also raped in 2014 so I am having a lot of issues with PTSD. I guess what im looking for is someone to talk to or to relate to

Patcha PTSD
  • replies: 9

Hello! I ended up here while looking for a PTSD support group. My psychiatrist has diagnosed me with PTSD stemming from work I did in the 90's. This has been a pretty recent development and I'm still working out what to do about it. Cheers.

Hello! I ended up here while looking for a PTSD support group. My psychiatrist has diagnosed me with PTSD stemming from work I did in the 90's. This has been a pretty recent development and I'm still working out what to do about it. Cheers.