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Sophie_M If you need to talk about Bondi Beach - Our community is here
  • replies: 8

Hi everyone, After the heartbreaking events at Bondi Beach on Sunday night, we know many people in our community may be feeling shaken, distressed, or unsure how to make sense of what has happened. Religious and political violence has no place is Aus... View more

Hi everyone, After the heartbreaking events at Bondi Beach on Sunday night, we know many people in our community may be feeling shaken, distressed, or unsure how to make sense of what has happened. Religious and political violence has no place is Australia and we extend our heartfelt condolences to the individuals and families affected by this tragedy. We wanted to create a space where you can share whatever you’re feeling - whether that’s fear, shock, grief, or anything else that has come up for you. If you need support from others in the community, please feel welcome to post here. Violence and acts of terror can bring feelings of shock, grief, profound sadness, anger and fear. It’s normal to experience these emotions while trying to make sense of distressing events. It may take time for these feelings to ease, but it’s never too early to seek support if you are feeling distressed. Beyond Blue is here for you anytime, by phone on 1300 224 636 or via webchat: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/talk-to-a-counsellor You can also support those around you by being available to them and listening. Thank you for being such an important part of this community, and for the kindness, honesty, and wisdom you continue to share with each other. We remind the community that Beyond Blue is here for all people in Australia, no matter what you believe, how you live or who you worship. Kind regards Sophie M

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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Quinn_tm Need to talk and for someone to listen
  • replies: 3

4 months ago I finally acknowledged the sexual abuse I recieved at the hands of both my brothers, calling it for what it is. The strange thing is, I don't recall the ongoing abuse by 1 of them. I only know this because he came to me 12 yrs ago to ask... View more

4 months ago I finally acknowledged the sexual abuse I recieved at the hands of both my brothers, calling it for what it is. The strange thing is, I don't recall the ongoing abuse by 1 of them. I only know this because he came to me 12 yrs ago to ask for forgiveness. I did, only because I wasn't ready to talk. Internally, Things fell into place, for instance, who I had lost my virginity to. This is a big one, especially for a woman. But I am ready now. This brother (1) has been an incredible support and allows me to ask many awkward questions. He does feel guilt and shame. It started at 7. He would have been 11. My other brother started when I was 13 it occurred twice. He would have been 16. My 2nd brother denies it happened. I did chat to him to try to get answers, to forgive him for my sake. It's complex because despite this, I looked up to both of them and love them. I was also physically abused by my grandfather and bullied throughout school. My father was a verbally abusive alcoholic. I need to air this as I can't be open with it because (I hate to say) of the consequences for my brothers and my family. I know I didn't grow up in a safe environment as I was repeatedly exposed to my abusers. But airing this would devastate my mum as she tried her best to keep the family together. I internalised all my pain. Even to the point of blacking it out of my memory. i was diagnosed with depression as a teen, tried suicide multiple times. The counsellor I had back then never dug deep enough to expose the abuse then. All we discussed was the school bullies. I never did heal and now suffer with fibromyalgia. Years later (I'm 32) and After months of treatment, I'm still finding it hard to find a way to put this trauma to bed. My psychologist tells me I need to find a way to move on but I don't know where to start. I would appreciate some advice and direction. i am new here and I'll research the other threads too. But I'm desperate to tell my story and I thank you for reading

LostonaForum Coping With a Touch Phobia
  • replies: 4

Okay so I have a phobia of people touching me, this phobia is the result of living with an abusive parent when I was a child. The way my touch phobia works is that I cannot stand it when people touch me I feel scared and (this sounds very dramatic) v... View more

Okay so I have a phobia of people touching me, this phobia is the result of living with an abusive parent when I was a child. The way my touch phobia works is that I cannot stand it when people touch me I feel scared and (this sounds very dramatic) violated. I also struggle to be able to touch other people so I avoid any and all physical contact and intimacy. The problem is that not everyone who goes in for a hug or handshake knows this and even though it's hard I push through it is physically trying for me and sometimes it takes hours for me to feel safe again. I don't want to say no and give them no reason as to why because i'm probably going to offend them and ruin alot of relationships, but I don't want to tell everyone I meet about this phobia or the fact that I had an abusive parent. Is there some way to work around this?. Note: I am seeing help about this but it doesn't get better overnight.

Bobbie1982 Visiting the place where it happened
  • replies: 14

Hi, I was sexually abused throughout my childhood and have worked through a lot of stuff, but still have some “stuck points” where flashbacks run rampant every day. My therapisthas recently suggested maybe one day going back to my childhood home wher... View more

Hi, I was sexually abused throughout my childhood and have worked through a lot of stuff, but still have some “stuck points” where flashbacks run rampant every day. My therapisthas recently suggested maybe one day going back to my childhood home where it all started could somehow help me... I am wondering if anyone has done something like this - returned to the place where the trauma happened, and if so, did it help? Ive sometimes thought about it, going back there, but the thought of it made me feel really anxious. But I think I’m in a much better state since having worked through a lot of it...

Just_talk Ok putting it out there, A guy that was lost for a while
  • replies: 5

Hey, I will keep it brief, I lost my way and struggled with depression and PTSD and this has been a bad time. I wont fight it anymore. But guys its time to speak up and deal with it. I NO YOU GUYS HAVE GOT THIS. PLEASE TALK.

Hey, I will keep it brief, I lost my way and struggled with depression and PTSD and this has been a bad time. I wont fight it anymore. But guys its time to speak up and deal with it. I NO YOU GUYS HAVE GOT THIS. PLEASE TALK.

Shazzzy Life catching up with me scared to deal with emotions
  • replies: 4

Life has had many ups and downs starting 23 years ago with 1st child diagnosed with Lissencephaly making us full time carers 24/7..... that was tough but toughest thing happened 9 years ago when my husband losing 20 years of memories taking him back ... View more

Life has had many ups and downs starting 23 years ago with 1st child diagnosed with Lissencephaly making us full time carers 24/7..... that was tough but toughest thing happened 9 years ago when my husband losing 20 years of memories taking him back to before our family started..... I’ve had to be strong and keep each day going for the kids and him we still have our family but I’ve never dealt with what it means to myself what I’ve lost also while dealing with this all I’ve had 3 others kids to raise 2 with learning difficulties and adhd so been in and out of meetings, courts and everything else in between while keeping our family running We have also has 4 deaths in the family over 6 years and 2 friends taken one to suicide that’s broken me to who’s got time to deal with the emotions that come along with all this having no close social circle hurts to no one to chat to daily living remote sucks sometimes this year my dad died and I still haven’t dealt with that yet it’s too hard to let the emotions out incase they don’t stop wish I could of said goodbye Lost it yesterday hubby was looking at pictures and I felt lost, robbed, sad, angry even pissed off that we’ve lost so much of us it’s not the same only I remember our past and I feel robbed we can’t share these memories together yes we get to make more but our life together seems empty without these to share am I suffering ptsd or am I just lost in life quick run down on me gotta now put on smile and head to work thanks to anyone who reads this

3T Intense counselling session for PTSD has taken me back
  • replies: 3

I had a counselling session today with a new counsellor for complex grief and PTSD it feels like it has forced me back in a place that I don't want to be in. I had a panic attack after the session I don't like the way I'm feeling any suggestions or i... View more

I had a counselling session today with a new counsellor for complex grief and PTSD it feels like it has forced me back in a place that I don't want to be in. I had a panic attack after the session I don't like the way I'm feeling any suggestions or ideas to help please xx

Anroca78 Needing PTSD advice
  • replies: 5

Hi, A year and a half ago, I was randomly attacked on my property by a stranger. I attended V of Crime counselling for 3 months and felt ok..until 6 months ago I started drinking. Binge drinking.At first, just once a week, but now it's 2-3 times a we... View more

Hi, A year and a half ago, I was randomly attacked on my property by a stranger. I attended V of Crime counselling for 3 months and felt ok..until 6 months ago I started drinking. Binge drinking.At first, just once a week, but now it's 2-3 times a week. I hate it. I hide bottles and my son and partner are obviously worried. They want me to attend AA. I tried to find support groups for PTSD but can only find online support, not actual face to face support groups. There is lots of Anxiety meetings but most don't deal with PTSD. I am Bi Polar. You can see why the drinking needs to stop. The PTSD triggered multiple trauma I experienced under the age of 5. I just want to hear from others about how they deal with PTSD and alcohol abuse and would it be worthwhile for me to attend AA ?Thanks.

Abrasumente Reliving trauma from sexual abuse
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone, this is my first post so sorry if I break any rules, but I’m recently having quite a hard time dealing with thoughts about my sexual assaults from my past. With lots of people becoming more open about talking about sexual assault, it see... View more

Hi everyone, this is my first post so sorry if I break any rules, but I’m recently having quite a hard time dealing with thoughts about my sexual assaults from my past. With lots of people becoming more open about talking about sexual assault, it seems to be bringing up the memories more often. The first time I was raped was 8 years ago when I was 18 by my best friends much older boyfriend, and it was a complicated situation where I was blamed and received large amounts of abuse for it. I lost frienfs, and it was a hugely traumatising experience for me. Back then I was from a small town and the people around me didn’t understand that I was raped, they blamed me and said it was my fault. I dealt with it but it creeps up on me now and again. I’m usually good at dealing with my thoughts and getting on with life but recently I’ve been really struggling to stop thinking about it. My partner, the love of my life, is away on a work trip so I’m spending a lot of time alone and I’ve come to realise how much I repress my thoughts when I am with him as I only begin to feel like this when I’m alone and have time to think. Is this normal? When I’m with him I barely think about it. But now I’m alone it’s terrorizing me. But I never talk with him about it, he knows I have been sexually assaulted before but he doesn’t know any details, although the most recent assault happened while I was with him (I was assaulted by his boss’ wife at a party while I was black out drunk) and it was one of the only times we’ve ever argued, because he was trying to work out if he believed it was an actual assault or if it was consensual. Since then we haven’t spoken about it, and I see my abuser on a regular basis. It still hurts but I try not to think about it. Today I was triggered by a friends facebook post, where she was openly describing what happened to her when she was also sexually assaulted, and since then I’ve been going over and over both of the times it happened to me. I feel like I need help in managing my thoughts when im alone, because it seems that when my partner is around I am distracted and don’t give myself enough time to deal with my thoughts. I’m not sure if I’m just putting a block on my thoughts, or if him bring around helps me deal with it. I just don’t know. if he was here I wouldn’t be having these thoughts, but i had to get this off my chest and see if anyone else has some insight.

debbie99 dermaphotagia
  • replies: 5

Dermaphotagia is a compulsive disorder associate with sever trauma, anxiety and depression. have been struggling with dermatophagia for a few years now and it causes lots of embarrassment and makes me uncomfortable. i find it extremely hard to explai... View more

Dermaphotagia is a compulsive disorder associate with sever trauma, anxiety and depression. have been struggling with dermatophagia for a few years now and it causes lots of embarrassment and makes me uncomfortable. i find it extremely hard to explain it to anyone when they notice my hands and i understand that therapy is the best treatment. i have alot of serious underlying issues with my family, and cannot afford therapy. i was wondering if anyone in here struggles with dermatophagia or has overcome it and has any tips to help combat it without therapy.

CloudyKayla Accepting that I was abused [Trigger warning: sexual assault]
  • replies: 31

Hi, im 21 and a few years ago my current boyfriend raped me. A lot. After a lot of arguing over it he finally stopped. He also used to be physically violent. I have only come to accept that i was raped and abused recently. I cant have sex with him wi... View more

Hi, im 21 and a few years ago my current boyfriend raped me. A lot. After a lot of arguing over it he finally stopped. He also used to be physically violent. I have only come to accept that i was raped and abused recently. I cant have sex with him without having flashbacks and crying, i have constant anxiety around him. I love him and i feel its too complicated to break up, all of these things stopped because i did break up with him but we got back together. I recently had social workers come to my work to talk about domestic violence and i broke down crying and had to leave the room, i had forgotten all of the awful things he did but they made me remember and everything just plays on loop everyday in my mind. I look at him and just cant understand how he could do that to me. I have the worst anxiety ive had in years, i dont know what to do.

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