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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Migalu_H Hi im new so will do a small into
  • replies: 2

Hi everyone. Im 33, mum of 5 (2 bio children and 3 step children). Ive been with my partner for nearly 6 years. Ive been married n divorced from my kids dad since 2009. My ex husband was very abusive n violent to me. i have been exposed to abuse, tor... View more

Hi everyone. Im 33, mum of 5 (2 bio children and 3 step children). Ive been with my partner for nearly 6 years. Ive been married n divorced from my kids dad since 2009. My ex husband was very abusive n violent to me. i have been exposed to abuse, torture and friends commiting suicide n finding their bodies. I have not been exposed to any form of violence or abuse since being with my current partner. My children are not in my care and im doing everything i can to get their care restored. I have enxperience n training in trauma care and helping people heal from childhood abuse and trauma. Im currently doing courses on mental health. I also have some understanding of the Autism spectrum as both my children have been diagnosed with Autism and im wanting to get myself tested for autism as well. i have alot of passion about helping people out when they are at their lowest point in life. I know what its like to have no support and no friends. Im here for anyone and will answer any questions to the best of my ability, i am non-judgemental and also have experience helping the aboriginal and lgbt out. I prefer to be called my indigenous name which is Migalu or Miggi for short. Thanks for taking the time to read my intro. Have a great day or try the best you can for it to be a good day.

Mikky Need help
  • replies: 2

Anyone out there now who can help me with my ptsd, bi polar2 and dealing with horrendous recent traumatic events?? beaten axiety with daily use of cbt.... but need advice help without going on specifs re receng trauma. Feel so lost, broken and destro... View more

Anyone out there now who can help me with my ptsd, bi polar2 and dealing with horrendous recent traumatic events?? beaten axiety with daily use of cbt.... but need advice help without going on specifs re receng trauma. Feel so lost, broken and destroyed.

Pip25 Feeling Lost
  • replies: 3

I had a session with my psychiatrist this week which left me feeling really down. I was previously in a domestic violence relationship on and off for many years. I took the step to seek help earlier this year which I found really hard. I was diagnose... View more

I had a session with my psychiatrist this week which left me feeling really down. I was previously in a domestic violence relationship on and off for many years. I took the step to seek help earlier this year which I found really hard. I was diagnosed with PTSD and have been seeing a psychologist and psychiatrist for treatment. I've had a few sessions with my psychiatrist and she's told me it's been about a year since I saw my abuser and I need to let it go and move on. When I expressed that I finding it difficult to do this she questioned if I still had feelings for him. She appears frustrated with me and said that her other clients on the same medication have made more progress. I feel like I'm failing at getting better, even though I'm trying really hard. I don't know how to just let it go and I still experience panic attacks and flashbacks on a regular basis. I don't know what I'm doing wrong or how to get better quicker. I just feel lost right now and don't know what to do.

startingnew carers guilt and grief
  • replies: 6

Hi everyone So i was a carer for my nan for about 2 yrs maybe more and we were really close ans when i began caring for her became closer who passed away two years ago now. . I wasnt really able to grieve at the time as i was tyring to hold my pop wh... View more

Hi everyone So i was a carer for my nan for about 2 yrs maybe more and we were really close ans when i began caring for her became closer who passed away two years ago now. . I wasnt really able to grieve at the time as i was tyring to hold my pop whom im now a carer for my mum together and making sure everyone needs were met. im having so many regrets about what i should have done whati should have said what i should have changed. I feel selfish alot of the time because every now and then i would go out with a friend and i really regret it now. My nan had many illnesses including cancer so i went to all of her appointments and made sure she was ok. It hurts me everyday. I miss her so much. I get alot of flash back esp of the year before like Christmas and birthdays easter and all the rest of the occasions. She was in a wheelchair and home oxygen 24/7 as she had bad lungs from copd. So it did make it hard for her to go out when she was getting worse I get flashbacks of the night i stayed at their house and i heard my pop completley break down and found my nan slumped in the wheelchair in the bathroom as thats how she got around She was so weak and couldnt even hold herself up so i had to while calling am ambulance calling my who was 10 min drive away and help pop keep it together. It hurts me every single day. I also have the last memory of my nan in the hospital amd as i was leaving she gave me a little smile and a wave and off we went. She died 2am that next morning.

Clare2 I need help, please
  • replies: 3

Hi, I need help.. i don't no what to do ive had depression since I was in year 7, trying to find who I was was really hard, I had learning difficulties but I didn't have a select group, I was friends with everyone in my year. then year 9 came and I s... View more

Hi, I need help.. i don't no what to do ive had depression since I was in year 7, trying to find who I was was really hard, I had learning difficulties but I didn't have a select group, I was friends with everyone in my year. then year 9 came and I saw myself being more rebellious and would lie heaps with my mum. year 11 and 12 came and I did VCAL because I couldn't see myself getting through VCE. I mixed in with the wrong group and started doing drugs and drinking heaps, I lost all of my friends because of one night I took drugs and ended up on the bathroom floor of a club unconscious. after school I hung out with my sister because I had no one I met one of her friends and I then had a boyfriend for 4 years so I wasn't lonely but then I was because he mentally abused me by cheating on me constantly so I had self doubt because I didn't think I was good enough. we broke up got back together broke up and then finally I cut him out of my life I went over seas to America and it was amazing I loved it I met so many people and then I came home poor and back to how things where before. I worked so hard and then had enough and moved for the snow season, loved that and met a girl that I liked she was seeing someone while seeing me and chose her over me when we left to go back to our life's. I met one her friends and her friend liked me we where best friends but I couldn't give her what she wanted I had depression again and went on medication for it I joined the gym and tried to get fit I then worked heaps but always got put down at work so that was bad too then saved up enough and went to Europe was was amazing I loved it met great people found myself and was just loving life.. Then I was raped and my life was over, it was someone I knew that I trusted.. i got a boyfriend for the wrong reasons we never really had sex he didn't get it, but kept saying he did, we broke up I met a girl that I loved and made me happy and had a connection with I felt safe and could actually have sex with, she doesn't want a relationship because she came out of one and didn't want to be tied down to anything..i was broken and now I'm in a rut I don't do anything I just have melt downs and I don't know what to do because everything I try do is to scared to because what happens if I'm noticed by guys if I look to sexual I don't want to be looked at. im on anti depressants and there not helping.. i need help to be happy again

highlysensitivepersonhsp Coming to terms with my life
  • replies: 14

Recently, I had my 54th birthday. I realise that I have reached middle age. It is a far cry from where I had hoped to be by now. It got me thinking, what went wrong with my life? Where do I begin? My sense of self and my ability to concentrate were d... View more

Recently, I had my 54th birthday. I realise that I have reached middle age. It is a far cry from where I had hoped to be by now. It got me thinking, what went wrong with my life? Where do I begin? My sense of self and my ability to concentrate were damaged through child abuse in my youth. I was only an average student at school. My parenting and my education did not prepare me for what I would encounter in the world. I was naive about people and the effects the system can have on you. But I took responsibility for myself and started to work on my mind and my future. After a low level career as a public servant I realised that I wanted to become a psychologist so I enrolled in a course at uni. It proved to be my undoing. While studying I fell victim to intense and intrusive harassment. I was assaulted psychologically. The effects were disastrous. I was unable to continue my studies and was forced from my home. The perpetrators of my demise are still a part of my life. They are authority figures who intimidate me into believing that there is something inherently wrong with me. They imply that they are not trying to harm me, but their treatment has caused me nothing but harm. Every facet of my life has been adversely affected by them. I am now a disabled pensioner without a soul in the world. As I see it, the situation is helpless. They are my enemy, not my ally. I don't want their treatment. I don't want to be their guinea pig. I feel helpless, powerless, and worthless. I do not have what it takes to do battle with them. Meanwhile I continue to suffer while doing what I can to help myself cope. Many of us are victims of a vastly inadequate system. We never reach our potential or have a life that is worthwhile. I will continue to be desperate and lonely. Praying for mercy. For an end to the suffering before my old age. Mine has been a wasted life. Serving no purpose. A loser in a game I cannot win. The perpetrators delude themselves that they are right. I know who is inherently wrong. The truth will die with me one day in the not so distant future. My life has been an injustice, from beginning to end. Sandra

summerdays Family hurts, but I want it so bad
  • replies: 4

Hi everyone, I am having a bit of a rough time. I've come to realise that I have C-PTSD and I am learning about how this has happened, and why. My attachment with my Mum was screwed. She no doubt had CPTSD when I was growing up due to my dad being vi... View more

Hi everyone, I am having a bit of a rough time. I've come to realise that I have C-PTSD and I am learning about how this has happened, and why. My attachment with my Mum was screwed. She no doubt had CPTSD when I was growing up due to my dad being violent, and then his suicide when I was 8. We still do not have a good relationship and it hurts. I know she wants it, and I want it, but we are both too damaged to let each other into our hearts. One of my brothers died by suicide many years ago, and my remaining brother and I are/were/try to be very close. To cut a long story short, my Mum and brother are triggers for me and I do not enjoy their company. I really really want to, and I love them very much but I am on edge and scared and I can see their pain behind their masks and it cuts me so deep. We are planning on catching up for Xmas and a significant birthday and as much as I want to see them, I don't want to. I feel so sad because I live close to my partners family and they are a close and lovely family but I just feel like such an outsider. I so deeply want a connection with my family and yet I can't see it happening. I am opening up the past because it is controlling me and I need to deal with what happened throughout my childhood (The brother who died was violent and we lived in constant fear). I fear that my Mum and brother will not be supportive or ready to face what has happened and so I feel like I am on my own with this. I am a mother of 2 now, and my C-PTS is going to be passed onto my children, so I need and want to heal and recover. I know it is possible but I feel so alone. And sad. I don't know which treatment will be best for me. I am interested in body based stuff, and art but I feel like I am facing a big mountain trek and I am scared. Thanks for listening

Motorhome My daughter told me she has been sexually abused by her Father 
  • replies: 14

My world changed on the 20th May when my daughter told me she has been sexually abused by her Father from 10 to 16. The man who was my world. He had a breakdown 10 years ago and can't remember anything about the abuse when I confronted him. He attemp... View more

My world changed on the 20th May when my daughter told me she has been sexually abused by her Father from 10 to 16. The man who was my world. He had a breakdown 10 years ago and can't remember anything about the abuse when I confronted him. He attempted suicide, was unsuccessful, now has brain damage, as yet not known how much. I am with my daughter continuously while the man who meant everything to me sits alone in hospital. The mixed feelings are a nightmare.

Odie1981 My blood family is my least support
  • replies: 3

Hey guys. I have been feeling the anxiety really hit me hard lately and I was directed here. Here is my story. Since October I have had so much lOSS it is now finally hitting home. First my father in law pasked away from natural causes and not long a... View more

Hey guys. I have been feeling the anxiety really hit me hard lately and I was directed here. Here is my story. Since October I have had so much lOSS it is now finally hitting home. First my father in law pasked away from natural causes and not long after my mother's partner I have known for twenty years. I separated with my partner of 10 years. Although we still get along well it was a big change. On new years day my 6 year old son accidentally lit a fire in my car (no one was harmed) so I was down to public transport for 5 months. Then the worst of all happened when my 9 1/2 months old son passed away after drowning in a bath tub at my ex partners boyfriends house on the 03/03/2017. The time was 4.50 pm. Ten minutes before he was meant to be coming to my house for the weekend again. As you could understand I was distraught. I had very good help from my co-workers and friends. Even my ex partners family were very supportive towards me. What really killed me even more was when the funeral was meant to happen I was told that my sister may not make it because of a holliday she was booked to go on and my own father might not because he had to work. The date was changed and they did make it but neither wanted to see his body. Which meant in his short life my father never saw his grandson even once. Now I need help most of all but the only time I hear from my family is because of something I have done wrong yet again. Even though I do not touch drugs. Always at work without fail. And I love my other kids dearly. Sorry about the blabbering btw. Just wanted to get ithe off my chest. In no way do I want to harm myself or anyone else but I do know I need help

lisa1987 Anxiety
  • replies: 3

Hi I'm new here just checking it out

Hi I'm new here just checking it out