PTSD and Trauma

Dad's attempted suicide and uni's refusal to approve special consideration

replies: 2

Hi all, I'm incredibly hurt, frustrated, angry and upset to put it in a nutshell, and as I am currently fuelled by anger, this may come across very blunt. Six weeks ago my dad attempted to kill himself and it affected our whole family greatly, I was ... View more

Hi all, I'm incredibly hurt, frustrated, angry and upset to put it in a nutshell, and as I am currently fuelled by anger, this may come across very blunt. Six weeks ago my dad attempted to kill himself and it affected our whole family greatly, I was so shocked as I didn't realise my dad felt that way and felt so lost that I hadn't noticed it before. As of today, he came out of the mental health ward feeling much better and has moved to a transitional house for 2 weeks before he's allowed to come home. It's been one of the most challenging times for my dad, and our family combined but I am so so grateful that he is still with us today. During this time, however, I had to undertake an exam for uni that I knew I could not miss as it was a must-pass type of exam. Unfortunately, I ended up failing it by 2%, and I put that down to being both incredibly ill and the events that happened with my dad. I applied for special consideration within my uni as I literally only failed by 2 marks!! However, I received the results today and it has been declined as it's an 'insufficient case'.? How can a close family member's attempted suicide (and almost death) not be grounds for special consideration in terms of your grades/ assessment/ exam results?? At first, when I read the email I was in absolute tears as I'm so confused how that wouldn't count. Now, I'm furious as to how this can be assessment policy?? - This is what the email mentioned when I was told it was declined. I am curious if anyone else has had a similar experience at all? Or, knows someone that has and what or if they have done anything about it. I'm considering taking this further and actually appealing their decision. Then looking into the assessment policies in universities around Australia, and how they are equipped to address this kind of a situation. So far, I have found nothing. So, how can they reject this on the grounds that it 'doesn't fit in assessment policy' when it's not included in the first place? So, has anyone else experienced this? And, if so, what do you recommend I do? Thank you, Spot x

CPTSD and keeping busy

replies: 2

Hi everyone, I posted before explaining that I'd been diagnosed with Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Depression. I have been taking medications for several months and they seem to be working okay, but I was supposed to be starting EMDR soo... View more

Hi everyone, I posted before explaining that I'd been diagnosed with Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Depression. I have been taking medications for several months and they seem to be working okay, but I was supposed to be starting EMDR soon, but on my last visit to my psychiatrist he didn't think I was quite ready. So I feel like a bit of failure. He tells me it can be very traumatic and due to the nature of my trauma there are never any guarantees it will work. So I then felt a bit hopeless The other thing we've been talking about in sessions is my tendency to try to keep busy. I wondered if anyone else found this? So he thinks that an avoidance strategy for me is to be constantly doing things, working full time, studying, anything. Before I started to see him, I began a PhD...I know!! that was alongside working full time and it's only recently that I've realised how negatively it affects my health. So, one of the things I have to work is not feeling like I have to be doing things all the time. Maybe I'm trying to feel less useless, I don't know. I'm just so tired, and want to feel alive again, if I ever did. Sorry if this makes no sense Red

Emotional Support Kitten - Help me Please

replies: 3

Hello Lovelies, Obligatory first time poster no idea what I'm doing but I hope your thoughts are peaceful. For the past ten or so years I have struggled with severe Anxiety and Depression. We are still in the middle of finding a diagnosis for what is... View more

Hello Lovelies, Obligatory first time poster no idea what I'm doing but I hope your thoughts are peaceful. For the past ten or so years I have struggled with severe Anxiety and Depression. We are still in the middle of finding a diagnosis for what is wrong. I have tried a lot of things; everything that I could think of and now I would like to ask for some help. I recently learnt about Emotional Support Animals and I was wondering if anyone here has one; preferably a cat, as I am terrified of dogs, and how that is going. I have reached out to a few local trainers and they stress that due to already having cats this may not be viable. However both my Psychologist and GP seem interested in following this path. Has this worked for anyone? I just can't help but think that having another being, a comfort with me would allow me to do things that I am currently limited from doing, but at the same time I don't want to stress out my two already indoor cats. ESAnimals don't have the same privileges as Guide dogs but there is a legal form/letter and everything. I would really like to hear anyone's opinions or personal stories regarding an animal helping with Anxiety in the outside world. This is something I desperately want to try but I don't want to ruin one's lives. Whether it be my roommates or my pets. Thanks for taking the time to read this I look forward to any input. Lexxie

A day that changed everything.

replies: 3

The morning started out like any other. I set an early alarm to begin on another day's journey on my Euro Trip. The day was November 12, 2018. After panicking momentarily to find the station in Marseille, I found my coach 10 minutes before departure ... View more

The morning started out like any other. I set an early alarm to begin on another day's journey on my Euro Trip. The day was November 12, 2018. After panicking momentarily to find the station in Marseille, I found my coach 10 minutes before departure time. So far so good as I got comfy in my seat for a 3 hour journey. After 3 hours our Coach stopped over in Montpelier for a 40 minute pit stop. Perfect oñportunity to grab a quick bite to eat and stretch the legs. After trying to find a place open open before 11am I made my way to the McDonalds and grabbed a Breakfast Muffin and a Coffee. Looking at the time I inhaled my meal and made way for the station. Whilst relying heavily on Google Maps I got lost in the process and panic began to set in. After almost 20 minutes of frantic searching I finally found the stop where my bus would very soon be departing from. After running to the stop, I asked the driver if this was the bus heading to Barcelona, to which he replied yes. After looking less than impressed at my question, he told me to load my luggage on the other side of the coach, the side facing traffic. Without giving it much thought I made my way around the front of the coach only to be stopped in my tracks by a van driving past at 60-70km/hr. Had I stepped out 2-3 seconds earlier, I would have most likely been killed. Shaken up and angry at the bus driver ar the same time, I loaded my belongings in to the coach and tried to shake the incident off. Well that was 9 months ago, and my PTSD hasn't subsided since that day. I still get flashbacks of that day, Imagine how my family and friends would have reacted to the news of my death and I play this moment on repeat every single day. Life hasn't been easy since then. I constantly feel detached from my surroundings and daily tasks have become mammoth. The daily torment of PTSD sometimes consumes me to the point where I can't see any way out and all I want to do is get back to the life I was living beforehand.

Stress, anxiety and flashbacks with court coming up

replies: 1

HI. Long story short I was sexually assulted by my step dad from when I was 14-16. I also have depression, anxiety, PTSD and hella triggers from it. And I go to court on Monday and I am freaking out. Part of me wants to walk up and just do it and say... View more

HI. Long story short I was sexually assulted by my step dad from when I was 14-16. I also have depression, anxiety, PTSD and hella triggers from it. And I go to court on Monday and I am freaking out. Part of me wants to walk up and just do it and say "look you didn't ruin my life" and the rest of me is hiding and never coming out. I don't know what to do I know I have to go through with it and I am trying to put up a strong front but I am falling apart. I don't know what to do. I haven't eaten in 3 days I am fighting the urge break my streak and self harm and so utterly lost. I don't know what to do.

Abandonment x 3

replies: 1

Hi all, Just sharing my experience with childhood abandonment - my past trauma is still incredibly present in my every day life. As I’ve been told by psychotherapists, it’s no wonder my issues are present, because I have had 20 odd years of telling m... View more

Hi all, Just sharing my experience with childhood abandonment - my past trauma is still incredibly present in my every day life. As I’ve been told by psychotherapists, it’s no wonder my issues are present, because I have had 20 odd years of telling myself that I’m not good enough. my Dad left my family when I was four. It took us years to realise he left to another country. No letters, no phone calls. Soon after that, my mum started a new family, devoting herself to three more children. During all of this, I became incredibly codependent on my older brother. He was truly my rock. Who eventually left me in search of my dad. i felt like, in three different ways, the people I loved the most sort out to leave or avoid loving me. To this day, I’m still fighting for quality time with my mum, trying to keep these relationships together. I now speak to my dad as well. Which is hard because you kind of have all of these expectations of how it should be, and it’s nothing like you expect. It’s distant mateship really. im just all sorts of ready to not feel fear in my present life. I’m also ready to feel like myself and my needs are worth catering to. My self confidence is 0, and my sense of worth often comes last to me. thanks all G

Post traumatic stress disorder after falling from a horse

replies: 2

Hi, I fell from my horse almost 4 years ago and broke my back. I have been able to ride with no problems until November last year when I witnessed a very close friend fall from her horse. Since then I either try to find excuses not to ride or when I ... View more

Hi, I fell from my horse almost 4 years ago and broke my back. I have been able to ride with no problems until November last year when I witnessed a very close friend fall from her horse. Since then I either try to find excuses not to ride or when I do try to ride, I have to push myself and have massive panic attacks. I don’t have anxiety or depression in my daily life and my dr has stated I have a form of post traumatic stress disorder. I so very much want to be able to ride again the way I use to. My dr has contacted a counsellor but living in the country there is a wait to get in, I’ve currently been waiting 4/5 months. I need help to work with my anxiety and get back to doing what I love and that’s riding my beautiful horse. Disclosure.... the horse I have now is not the one I came off. I did manage to ride her before we sold her and had no problem. Thank you

Hopeless

replies: 1

Reaching out for support. I’m a midwife and feeling so sad at the moment. I have elements of PTSD, compassion fatigue and burnout. I’m spent. I don’t want to work. Don’t really want to be on earth. The only thing keeping me here is my kids and husban... View more

Reaching out for support. I’m a midwife and feeling so sad at the moment. I have elements of PTSD, compassion fatigue and burnout. I’m spent. I don’t want to work. Don’t really want to be on earth. The only thing keeping me here is my kids and husband and knowing I won’t act on my thoughts. I feel like a failure. The career I worked so hard for. I have removed myself socially (even social media), and want to hide in bed all day, but manage to make it to the sofa. If I’m rostered to work the sleepless night beforehand, the flashbacks to cases and families on birthing fills me with dread, the headache on shift. I’m drowning. It’s all too much. I have no hobbies away from Mid. I used to enjoy baking - now it’s a chore.

Overwhelmed

replies: 2

I am not one to seek help, preferring to work through my own issues, but lately things have been a little overwhelming and those I work with suggested I speak to someone. I thought this might be a start at expressing how I feel. I'll begin with a lit... View more

I am not one to seek help, preferring to work through my own issues, but lately things have been a little overwhelming and those I work with suggested I speak to someone. I thought this might be a start at expressing how I feel. I'll begin with a little background information. I do not have a diagnosed mental disorder, although those who know me well will say that I am a tad OCD. By and large I have always been a happy person. I have a rather full plate when it comes to family and work dealing with everything from behaviour disorders to cancer, but so far I have been able to juggle my complex life and relationships. I work full-time, very long hours, and most week-ends. Suffice to say I am often tired! I retrained late in life to enter the field of education and it pretty much dictates my life - work and home, home and work. At work I am well respected and most importantly I enjoy what I do. In fact I was having a really good year until a new student was added to the mix. Without going into detail, this student engages in violent behaviour. In my profession it is not uncommon to be physically and verbally abused. Over the years I have grown a very thick skin, however, this situation has caused me more than a little angst. I have felt fear for myself and others. I have felt frustrated, sad, worried, and helpless. I know that I have done everything humanly possible to maintain control but I still feel a sense of inadequacy. I cry without reason, and am finding it hard to concentrate. The other day somebody touched my should in passing and I burst into tears. I kept apologising for crying and started to shake uncontrollably. It was very embarrassing. I hated how it made me feel. I'm always the shoulder, never the tears. I understand what I have experienced is bound to have an impact. I'm not that naive, but the gravity I think is what has rocked me to my core. Although the student has been removed, I still feel emotionally and physically drained. I worry this feeling is more than just stress, and that it may not subside.

Support for male victim of female narcissist abuser

replies: 3

Hi All, I was told today by my mental health professional i am teh victim of narcissistic abuse by a female abuser. I have looked for support groups out there, but there don't seem to be any anywhere. I am struggling greatly with the realisations of ... View more

Hi All, I was told today by my mental health professional i am teh victim of narcissistic abuse by a female abuser. I have looked for support groups out there, but there don't seem to be any anywhere. I am struggling greatly with the realisations of how much abuse ive sustained in large part without even realising or understanding this. Anyone with any pointers or experience in dealing with or healing from this kind of abuse i'd be grateful for an advice.

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PTSD for Medical and First Responders

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