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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BOC64 How poor parenting effects us
  • replies: 14

As recommended by demonblaster i thought I would start up a new thread about parenting and in particular poor parenting an its effects. Having experienced childhood trauma my self from poor parenting I am disappointed that there is not a greater focu... View more

As recommended by demonblaster i thought I would start up a new thread about parenting and in particular poor parenting an its effects. Having experienced childhood trauma my self from poor parenting I am disappointed that there is not a greater focus on this in the community. The impacts on the individual as we know can be very severe and I am confident that this is a huge burden on out health funding. It would be great to get feedback from you.

nick99 Part 1
  • replies: 1

I was married for twelve years to a very abusive woman. She basically made my life a living hell. She was very controlling, used to fly into rages and scream and shout at me for hours. She was very jealous and possessive. I wasn’t allowed to have any... View more

I was married for twelve years to a very abusive woman. She basically made my life a living hell. She was very controlling, used to fly into rages and scream and shout at me for hours. She was very jealous and possessive. I wasn’t allowed to have any friends She was also a hoarder, lots of OCD types of behaviour and generally a real nightmare. At the start of the relationship she was ok but over time she got progressively worse. I ended up leaving her and moving back to the UK and even then she wouldn’t leave me alone, claiming she was dying of cancer when she wasn’t. What made matters worse is I had a child with her. There were lots of issues with my son. Suspected Asperger’s syndrome. Now I really made a huge effort to help my son. I took him to private doctors for over two years but my ex wife refused to let me get him treatment so his behaviour just escalated. What made matters worse is my son inherited a lot of my ex wife’s abusive behaviours as well. So over time I had two very abusive people making my life a living hell. Twelve years of this made me a complete wreck that I barely survived. I ended up moving back to Australia because I felt so guilty not seeing my son. I am remarried and have a two-year-old daughter. My current wife did not want my son from the previous marriage in our home because initially we both tried very hard to build a relationship with him and provide him a stable home but he was pretty awful to both of us. He hit my wife and was incredibly abusive to both of us.

Zenbaba Am I suffering from PTSD?
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone, I've suffered from anxiety before, but recently I feel different. I don't think it's depression, so I thought I'd ask here. In 2008 my father died due to complications from alcoholism. I was with him when he died. In 2015 my husband comm... View more

Hi everyone, I've suffered from anxiety before, but recently I feel different. I don't think it's depression, so I thought I'd ask here. In 2008 my father died due to complications from alcoholism. I was with him when he died. In 2015 my husband committed suicide and I found him. I sought psychological help after both events. For the past month I feel down for no reason, I have no energy or motivation, don't want to go to work and am finding it difficult to do anything really. I have almost out of body experiences, where I see something or hear something related to either my husband or father and think, "hey, that should bother me or upset me", however at the time it doesn't seem to. Without fail, every night when I try to sleep, I'll involuntarily replay events associated with their deaths or over think and am unable to stop. I don't know what to do or how to stop feeling this way. I don't feel like I need to see a psychologist and do talk regularly to my GP who has recently started me on antidepressant medication. Amy advice would be greatly appreciated.

PoetPep25 Bullying
  • replies: 2

I was bullied for supporting the LGBTQ+ community and showing it. It was a horrible experience, but a valuable one as well. But I can't shake the feeling that it's going to happen again. I see a counsellor at school and I'm moving forward with my lif... View more

I was bullied for supporting the LGBTQ+ community and showing it. It was a horrible experience, but a valuable one as well. But I can't shake the feeling that it's going to happen again. I see a counsellor at school and I'm moving forward with my life, but I think that I should get some still existing thoughts out at a place where everyone will really understand.

CapitalAxe Need Advice on living situation
  • replies: 2

I have been married for 14 years and known this man for 24 years, we have a child together who is 14. We have lived seperately for four years now and we are still very good mates. We still have family dinners together every night mostly. He was a sev... View more

I have been married for 14 years and known this man for 24 years, we have a child together who is 14. We have lived seperately for four years now and we are still very good mates. We still have family dinners together every night mostly. He was a severe alcoholic. He did use to rough me up a bit until i fought back. He had a major health scare a few years ago and fell into a coma because of his drinking. He has since slowly started increasing his drinking again. However, he seems different more mellow. It is now very expensive as i have always financially supported him. The gov't money he receives as he cannot work is not enough for anything other than paying the rent. He wants to move into a place with me where he can have his space and i can have mine. Financially - its a fabulous idea, would save me a fortune, i could actually get in front of my car payments etc, but i dont know whether i want to give up my sanity by living with him again. I enjoy living on my own, peace and quiet. He does still ring me constantly at night time. Iwork fulltime also, so by the time i get home with my daughter its 7pm at night. I get very tired by the end of the week. So living with him again, would remedy that situation as well. There are pro's for living together...but i think my major issue with this is that i lose my independence again. IF he wants to talk shit all night long, as he likes to do, i won't be able to just hang up the phone, i will be stuck in the same house, and will have to get up and go to work, while he sleeps till lunch time.? Please someone give me some advice!!!!!

Baseball87 PTSD?..
  • replies: 1

Recently feeling very anxious and not myself. I’m sure I must be experiencing PTSD, what I feel matches what I search. My partner was recently in a chaotic situation involving a stabbing and since then I feel I’ve been going back down the dark hole. ... View more

Recently feeling very anxious and not myself. I’m sure I must be experiencing PTSD, what I feel matches what I search. My partner was recently in a chaotic situation involving a stabbing and since then I feel I’ve been going back down the dark hole. Few years back we were both next to a wrecking yard that exploded and both of us after that weren’t the same, we were jumpy and vigilant and even now we it’s deadly silent I am on edge waiting for the explosion sound or loud bang. There was no harm done to us except after where I feel like I’m still suffering from witnessing what I did. I also found in that situation I went into fight mode but it hits me after. There was another time years ago I witnessed a bad motorbike accident from start to end and found out the rider later died and that messed me up, I still often try to avoid that road as I don’t like the feeling it also messed me up because I found out later we were travelling to the same soccer game. I was young and felt like no one ever asked how I was, I thought I handled it well but now growing older I realise I’m not and the anxious and fast heart beat feeling is bothering me. What is my best option?

Guest_362 Recent admission to habit and porn use to partner
  • replies: 1

After seeking counselling for anxiety and low self -esteem I finally admitted to myself that my on/off relationship with watching porn was probably the cause of my disconnection with friends, family and my partner of 15 years. She is currently workin... View more

After seeking counselling for anxiety and low self -esteem I finally admitted to myself that my on/off relationship with watching porn was probably the cause of my disconnection with friends, family and my partner of 15 years. She is currently working overseas for the past year and due to return end of July. In an emotional and heated phone conversation I came clean to her , not thinking through the devastating consequences of these actions. Whilst I initially felt relief, I have thrown her into a world of trauma and that is my main reason for writing. She is distraught and due to Indonesian censorship of the internet, is finding it very hard to get online help to deal with her trauma. I have read a few posts from women who have suffered the same betrayal and I cannot stress enough how important it is for anyone replying to them to be concerned with them! Its great to talk about supporting the partner who has confessed to the addiction but my partner does not know where to turn to about what SHE is going through. Does anyone have any advice on how I can support her through this devastating change of her reality please.

justwanttobenormal Lifelong abuse, broken, don't know where to go from here
  • replies: 6

I am 25 years old. I was abused physically and emotionally as a young child. Sexually assaulted as a child and adult. In a domestically violent relationship from the age of 15. My whole life has been nothing but hurt. I've never known who I am. I see... View more

I am 25 years old. I was abused physically and emotionally as a young child. Sexually assaulted as a child and adult. In a domestically violent relationship from the age of 15. My whole life has been nothing but hurt. I've never known who I am. I see a person that I cannot stand, that I hate to be around. I can't live any kind of life. I am so ashamed of myself that I would rather hide from everyone and everything, fearing someone might find out about me. I don't want to die... but I don't want to be alive either. I dream about being someone else.. having a new body that has never been touched, having a new brain that actually works. I've spoken to so many professionals but I can't click. I hate myself so much I can't accept the help. I don't know how to be ok, enough ok to actually feel like I deserve more than this. Please tell me I am not alone..

Curleee C-PTSD and a myriad of other items
  • replies: 2

Hello there, 3 months ago I was diagnosed a Complex PTSD, with symptoms of bipolar and borderline personality disorder (and previously have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder). I've had a few months off work to get my head together and a few wee... View more

Hello there, 3 months ago I was diagnosed a Complex PTSD, with symptoms of bipolar and borderline personality disorder (and previously have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder). I've had a few months off work to get my head together and a few weeks ago, I started a new job in Federal Government. Whilst I had time off work, it gave me time to reflect on my life and have lovely conversations with my lovely and supportive house mate. I don't think my life has been that easy. Whilst I try to be optimistic and a silly sort of soul, deep down, there has always been anxiety and some level or filter of distress. The Psychiatrist (first time to see a Psychiatrist in my life this year) said that the matters I am presenting with (and also agreed by my psychologist) issues that relate to attachment and are from an early age.... I have always had tremendous caring responsibilities for 2 of my 3 sisters that have disabilities (from as early as 8yo). My father was absent emotionally, which resulted in this situation. Both my parents have mental health issues, it is suspected that my father is on the spectrum and my mother has a hoarding and gambling addiction. Parents divorced and a very complex history of court visits associated with the care of my 2 sisters. One parent declaring the other parent unfit. My father directs his internal anger about his behaviour towards my sisters with disabilities towards me. This has created a very insecure and fraught relationship. Intermingled with all of that, I was a victim of occupational violence in a workplace (over an 8 year period). I've also been sexually assaulted by a masseuse and a boyfriend when younger. And in a community role (over the last 9 months), I was significantly assaulted 6 times ..... time to take better care of myself....I won't mention the details because I don't want to trigger any readers..... I naturally am drawn to a caring role, to points of very unhealthy.....trying to have quiet time this year and working on fundamentally changing my patterns (I hope). In reading about CPTSD, I find the dialogue interesting about relationships where there is a power imbalance (is what has brought it about). I am starting to notice that I have this same trait in many friendships where I tend to put up with things for too long from others. I am not blaming the other people (I am responsible for my actions too)....just interesting to note how it all works.

TimTams Anyone decide no to counselling?
  • replies: 4

Hello, Sorry I have been using this forum a bit but am not sure who to consult. I have seen a counsellor this week and I did not leave feeling 'better'. I really did not like remembering what happened. I do not want to talk about what happened to me ... View more

Hello, Sorry I have been using this forum a bit but am not sure who to consult. I have seen a counsellor this week and I did not leave feeling 'better'. I really did not like remembering what happened. I do not want to talk about what happened to me anymore. I do not want counselling anymore. Has anyone else decided this as well? I feel like I would rather hide the secret after my bad experiences with professionals in the past. I really did not enjoy counselling or remembering what happened.