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PTSD and trauma

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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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Katkove5478 1 of my stories
  • replies: 3

Ok, so, I am continuously feeling lightheaded, I am continuously in pain. And I don't know what to do. I want to know that I am safe but I don't know how I can tell. Whilst feeling lightheaded, this happens even while I'm laying down. I have blackout... View more

Ok, so, I am continuously feeling lightheaded, I am continuously in pain. And I don't know what to do. I want to know that I am safe but I don't know how I can tell. Whilst feeling lightheaded, this happens even while I'm laying down. I have blackouts here and there, and I passed out in the middle of textiles class once My lightheadedness has been happening for a few days now and I don't know what to do about this. Could someone please give me advice?

xSabrinaX What is happening?
  • replies: 2

I just need some reassurance,Last August I was feeling very dizzy, lightheaded, my eyes were blurry, i was feeling like i was in a dream, i felt as if i was sick or was dying, honestly every symptom imaginable.. I had all these tests done; MRI, blood... View more

I just need some reassurance,Last August I was feeling very dizzy, lightheaded, my eyes were blurry, i was feeling like i was in a dream, i felt as if i was sick or was dying, honestly every symptom imaginable.. I had all these tests done; MRI, blood tests, heart tracking, etc. I've been to therapy too. I'm only 17 - everyone is telling me i am young and that this is a phase, as it's not like i have had it all my life. Forgot to mention, in August when this started i had the flu for around 2 weeks, i was feeling really sick, one morning i woke up at like 4:00am and went to my parents room, because i had a temperature and i felt sick, whilst i was standing in the dark bedroom i felt nauseous and all sweaty, i felt like i was going to collapse, then i realised everything felt more darker then normal i turned on their light and i couldn't see anything, everything was black! I My mum just said that i wasnt eating and drinking and that is what must've caused it, along with all the medication i was taking. But i happened another time too.. It was around 2:00pm as i was riding my dirt bike, i felt off and wasn't concentrating properly, i fell off at high speed after almost crashing into my sister (i hit the front brakes going downhill, in which i know i wasn't supposed to - i just panicked). Long story short, I broke my wrist, anyways when i fell off i had another blackout, which i was told it was also because it was 2:00pm and i hadn't eaten.. Then not long ago my heart started racing and it happened again. I am literally so scared now, but i've just been told every time this has happened i was because i hadn't eaten properly which is why now i try my best. Anyways, that isn't the point. The point is 2 days ago i got a cold, and i feel so bad, i think it is from my anxiety and my cold together.. But, the thing is. I feel like i can't think properly, i feel really out of it - like i don' feel real, nothing around me feel real. I feel like my head is tight and i am stuck in a dream, i don't feel right, i feel like I'm weak and everything i touch and do it isn't necessarily me that is doing it. So, i don't know if it is because of my cold that is making me feel off and my anxiety that is overexaggerating the feeling i am experiencing, but i feel like something is seriously wrong, what is happening to my brain, i am scared. It doesn't feel like my anxiety where it goes away when i occupy myself. No matter what i do i feel so out of it. Please tell me i am safe!

Sophie_M If you need to talk about Bondi Junction - this community is here
  • replies: 6

Hi everyone With the horrible event at Bondi Junction on the weekend we know there will be a lot of people feeling distressed, overwhelmed and unsure. There have been some conversations across this wonderful community starting to put into words these... View more

Hi everyone With the horrible event at Bondi Junction on the weekend we know there will be a lot of people feeling distressed, overwhelmed and unsure. There have been some conversations across this wonderful community starting to put into words these feelings and we have seen the wonderful way in which you all support each other. We wanted to make a space for these thoughts and feelings so that if you need support from others, you can post here. If you want to talk to Beyond Blue, we are always here, either on the phone or via webchat https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/talk-to-a-counsellor You can also hear the thoughts and reflections of our Patron, The Hon Julia Gillard AC https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2150279295338239 Thank you all for being an important part of this community and for sharing your experiences, thoughts and wisdom.

Wren Complex PTSD from numerous incidents
  • replies: 15

I went to see my mental health nurse today. It's a fortnightly arrangement. Today I showed him a statement I'd written for the redress scheme. I couldn't tell him in words what was done to me at age 16, that was more humiliating and shameful than the... View more

I went to see my mental health nurse today. It's a fortnightly arrangement. Today I showed him a statement I'd written for the redress scheme. I couldn't tell him in words what was done to me at age 16, that was more humiliating and shameful than the sexual assaults, rape, harrassment and threats of rape.I suffer nightmares weekly, sometimes multiple nightmares a night.He read a certain part of my statement and then said, this is terrible, I won't read anymore. He was supportive, we discussed why I feel so powerless, so angry, and scared all the time.Starting from age 11, I was molested by a teacher for five years, bullied by students from the age of 4, the bullying turned into physical assaults and what one police detective termed as torture, I was sexually assaulted by a friend's boyfriend at age 13, 16, and raped at age 20. I never got to feel safe or heal from the first initial trauma before suffering trauma, sexual assaults on multiple occasions. Now I'm almost 45 and I still suffer really bad flashbacks.

Jo999 Workplace injury horrible rehab Comcare invalidity - can anyone help please?
  • replies: 26

I have a psychological claim with Comcare that has been going on for years. I want to get away from them and out of the system, but they (and my awful employer) keep hounding me and sending me for multiple psychiatric exams and IMEs. They will not fi... View more

I have a psychological claim with Comcare that has been going on for years. I want to get away from them and out of the system, but they (and my awful employer) keep hounding me and sending me for multiple psychiatric exams and IMEs. They will not find me a job, will not give me a redundancy and will not put me forward for medical invalidity. I am just kept in constant limbo. The rehab consultants ignore all the medical advice and have not been able to find me a job. I have found the rehabilitation consultants to be the most useless nastiest pieces of work. They act like policemen telling me everyday to call up friends and beg for a job. They told me to do charity begging work even though I have poor social skills and anxiety. I am unable to approach people and beg for money. After 10 years of this ongoing crap, I am very unwell and don't know what to do anymore. Comcare said if I try to challenge anything or don't do what they say, they can go back and raise a debt against me for 10 years of payments (hundreds of thousands of dollars) so I am in a nightmare with no way out. Has anyone been through this? Can anyone offer advice or assistance as I need help. My anxiety is extreme and my doctor has prescribed sleeping pills to help me sleep as I lie away all night worrying. I am likely to end up jobless, cut off all benefits, and homeless, and the thought just makes me cry.

Dogwhisperer Bondi - triggering
  • replies: 2

I was very distressed by what occurred but not for the victims. Before hearing much about it I wondered what had led the person to commit these acts. Had he received help with schizophrenia and possibly other issues he had? Alot of information seems ... View more

I was very distressed by what occurred but not for the victims. Before hearing much about it I wondered what had led the person to commit these acts. Had he received help with schizophrenia and possibly other issues he had? Alot of information seems to be sensationalised to grab the attention of viewers. As we all know when we're mentally ill it can be hard to seek "great, quality help" quickly. Maybe you can't get in for a few weeks to see a Dr for a psychologist referral. Maybe the psych isn't the right fit. Maybe you can't afford the cost of the dr or the psych. My family has a history of mental health issues and some of them self medicate with alcohol and think they dont need to see anybody. I couldn't help but think what if that was my brother! Basically, more help is needed!! Thanks

Guest_78947153 I’m overwhelmed
  • replies: 2

I have finally left my husband of 25 years after years of physical but mainly the mental abuse over the last 2 years. I should be happy that I finally left but I’m not. I hate him what what he did and breaking me like this. I was a strong person and ... View more

I have finally left my husband of 25 years after years of physical but mainly the mental abuse over the last 2 years. I should be happy that I finally left but I’m not. I hate him what what he did and breaking me like this. I was a strong person and never did I think I would ever feel like this. And yet for some stupid reason I love him and just want him back. I don’t have any friends or family to talk to and this is the first time I’m reaching out like this. I have spoken to someone through this website before but it was a one on one so I don’t know what to expect but I just want to feel like someone cares and smile. A real smile not the fake ones I’ve been giving out for so long now. To top it all off our lease ran out and since Thursday night I have also been staying in my car with my 2 dogs. Thought camping would be fun but didn’t count in them being so protective that no living soul can walk past if in sight and the poor ducks didn’t deserve the scare they got. One of the dogs broke her collar and runner trying to give chase. I feel just as stressed here as I did at home. I don’t have anyone to talk to and the fact that I’m feeling hate and love for the one person that’s been in my life since I was 15 is just adding to the stress because all it’s doing is confusing me and making me angry or upset. At the moment I feel like I’m all cried out and I feel so down. I went to a quiet part of the river and I’m on my own here which is great for when I just get overwhelmed and have a cry but I wish there was Simone here who just pretends to care. Someone that could help me feel better. I’m sorry if this is too long and boring. I feel like a hug so badly. Does anyone else feel like this or has felt like this and what do you do when you have absolutely no one to go to. And my dogs are all hugged out and they don’t hug back unfortunately. Lol

Sophie Somatic symptoms from trauma
  • replies: 9

Hi.It's been 30 years of challenging physical health after many many years of trauma I still struggle to understand why I wake up some days and feel so unwell.I get that the body keeps the score and the brain has the capacity to trigger physical symp... View more

Hi.It's been 30 years of challenging physical health after many many years of trauma I still struggle to understand why I wake up some days and feel so unwell.I get that the body keeps the score and the brain has the capacity to trigger physical symptoms when I don't feel safe, but these pains, nausea, headaches etc are so debilitating.I would love to hear from someone else who experiences this.It may help me understand myself knowing I am not alone with this complex health issue.Thanks all.

BLine Generational effects
  • replies: 2

Only recently my mother passed away, 12 years after my father, they had been divorced for years and the marriage was not positive shall we say, my mother had some emotional issues and sort attention where she could, my father was overbearing and thei... View more

Only recently my mother passed away, 12 years after my father, they had been divorced for years and the marriage was not positive shall we say, my mother had some emotional issues and sort attention where she could, my father was overbearing and their marriage was splattered with random events of violence, my elder brother bought into my father's view of the world and my mother, whereas for some reason I was on the outer with him, the accusation quite often thrown my way was "your just like your mother" in various negative formats, so I developed a distance between myself and my mother, I was never close to my father or my brother yet it is interesting to me that to all their circles they were perceived to be great guy's. I copped quite a bit from my father on occasion with at one stage having my upper thigh & bum almost completely black with bruising, I have seen my brother take his stepson into a room with the son emerging with a black eye when he slipped and "fell" on the bedpost, but the one I feel for the most is my mother, she went through her entire life being rejected by those around her, she was promoted to everyone as "OH that's just her!" by her family, by her husband and then her children, she faced physical violence when he was drunk or feeling bad, she was a timid soul and must have been scared witless at times by my fathers "Righteous" rage when confronted with a cold or dried out dinner because he had spent the evening drinking, she faced being put down her entire life, but the worst I think that was done to her was to have her children turn on her as my brother did or turn away as I did, most of this I only realized after she had died to my shame, we kids were weaponized by a parent in his one sided war against the person he should have loved and supported, now I am left with regret, and a struggle to reconcile and process a lifetime of trauma, however I have broken that cycle of violence and need for power and control, my family although not perfect is relatively normal and my children are much better parents than I ever could be, but now I grieve for what could have been, for my mother , for me , for my children as we were robbed of the opportunity to have a relationship across those generations by domestic & mental violence,

Guest_75063134 sexual assault
  • replies: 2

i was sexually assaulted last year when i was still 15. this man and i talked for months and he treated me horribly so we took some time apart. eventually we came back and by this time i had healed and gained so much self worth. i set my boundaries a... View more

i was sexually assaulted last year when i was still 15. this man and i talked for months and he treated me horribly so we took some time apart. eventually we came back and by this time i had healed and gained so much self worth. i set my boundaries and he surprisingly respected them, i was so happy with myself. my first encounter with him after setting my boundaries was a sexual assault which involved him jumping the fence and telling me to keep my mouth shut. i didn’t react for a couple of weeks, i think i was just processing what had happened and why i was taking way too many showers every night. one night i cracked and confronted him and to be honest i felt no glory in being proven right as he said “please **** please **** don’t tell anyone” i couldn’t do anything. couldn’t say a word because i would be called a liar, couldn’t over react because people would think i was asking for sympathy, couldn’t tell my friends because he was in our group. couldn’t tell mum because i felt so ashamed and disgusted in myself. i struggled for months and my grades dropped as well as my relationships. i cut everyone out and lost myself completely. i realised that after all those months of worthlessness and depression i hadn’t gained any justice because that boy was still walking around thinking i had let him off easy. i’m yet to report the case or tell half of my family and friends but i’ve come to terms with myself and that i deserve better than any man with similar intentions. although it stops me from experimenting with relationships it also stops me from getting more hurt and that’s been my main priority since the assault. teenage girls don’t get enough of a voice for this kind of thing because it’s NOT normal and shouldn’t be brushed off the shoulder. i’m now completing year 11 and trying to get myself back on track with grades and trusting those around me. I wish that girls any age experiencing something similar can grow through this experience with me and get their justice. We deserve nothing less.