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

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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avalon2 Secondhand trauma (help for 16yo)
  • replies: 1

Hi everyone! I'm 16 and am trying to just get my mental health in better shape: so a little background. When I was a few months old my mother lived with my father (who was an alcoholic/drug addict/emotionally abusive etc.) and the relationship ended ... View more

Hi everyone! I'm 16 and am trying to just get my mental health in better shape: so a little background. When I was a few months old my mother lived with my father (who was an alcoholic/drug addict/emotionally abusive etc.) and the relationship ended pretty quickly. He was diagnosed with manipulative traits + threatened to kill her one night and disappear with me. She left pretty quickly and I have no memory of him at all (I grew up with mum and my step dad . His mother/father I was in contact with for a long time until I learnt more about how terrible his father was as well so we lost contact. I"m still best friends with his mother though (who has divorced her husband). A few years ago however I learnt that my father had threatened to kill my mother, that his father was physically violent to his children, that people had accused him of sexual assault + he slapped me across the face when I was a baby - and some more stuff. All this information had a deeper impact than I thought it would, I thought it wouldn't affect me too much but it completely consumed me. I felt violated, felt that I had been betrayed by both my father and grandfather and felt very unsafe. What it led to were constant nightmares where my grandfather tried to kidnap me, and by far the worst, a dream where my father had both my sister and mother at knife point (I woke up thinking I was going to die). I was waking up anxious, I felt anxious when talking about anything family related and was just consumed by this knowledge and info about my father. While I havent had a nightmare for 6 months now, I am still consumed by my father and get very anxious very quickly when asked to talk about family (hands shake, heart beats) etc. Ive never really spoken to anyone about this but upon reading about PTSD a few weeks ago, it hit me that that's what it could have been - but then, I don't remember the trauma? Can PTSD stem from hearing about the trauma you were a part of even if you can't remember it? Thank you all so so much xx

JimmiD I'm new here. Call me Jimmi. No expectations. Give what I can recieve what comes my way.
  • replies: 21

The title says it all. So hi to everyone. Yep...I'm in pain. Not Robinson Crusoe there hey. I don't have a 'victim mentality' but I do recognise that I am a victim...a victim of many things. I've always been a fighter but I'm not invincible...tho may... View more

The title says it all. So hi to everyone. Yep...I'm in pain. Not Robinson Crusoe there hey. I don't have a 'victim mentality' but I do recognise that I am a victim...a victim of many things. I've always been a fighter but I'm not invincible...tho maybe once I thought I was. I have given everything my best shot...and done well all things considered. I have reached a point...or maybe the point has reached me...where I am not capable of giving it anywhere near what used to be my best shot....but for now its the best I can do. I really don't know if that will be enough. That's why I'm here. I need support. And I will give that too...as much as I am capable of giving. It will never be as much as I used to. But one needs to reserve love and energy for oneself and not deplete it to their own detriment...as I have in the past. So Hi all and I wish you all the very best Jimmi

TBella Ready To Do My Charlie!
  • replies: 8

Bad news from my family interstate yesterday. Miles away from my family worried about them & feeling helpless, stressed. Then at work, I am stuck in a toxic, unhealthy & unprofessional place- where today my boss totally undermined me in front of the ... View more

Bad news from my family interstate yesterday. Miles away from my family worried about them & feeling helpless, stressed. Then at work, I am stuck in a toxic, unhealthy & unprofessional place- where today my boss totally undermined me in front of the child I sent inside for hurting another child. Totally disrespected me because she wanted to kiss butt & not give a stuff about her staff. Leaving me feeling like worthless poo! No chance of the kids listening to me at work now, when the boss undermines my authority. But it's ok for her staff to be verbally abused & some have also been physically assaulted by children. Now it's almost 2:30am & I can't sleep because the noisy, inconsiderate neighbours seem to think it's ok to play loud music at this hour & don't need to use their inside voices. Its alomost every night & ive had enough! I am so fed up with living in a superficial, fickle, self absorbed & self entitled world, where no one has life skills, social skills or even manners. SERIOUSLY how flipping hard is it to show consideration, common courtesy & respect to humanity!! Just to be aware of others around you! GRRRRR!!!!! It makes me so angry & sad. It makes me feel like an alien from different planet. planet manners or planet respect perhaps! I ready to lose my Charlie! And then I'm angry that I'm angry coz that's not the real me & a total waste of energy! Arrrgh so stressed! So over this world- give me a Labrador dog any day! It's really not that hard to be kind, treat people with respect & yet it can make the world of difference to someone's life! Beam me up!!! Ok end of rant. Thanks. Ticked of Bella

Tigermoth Has anyone had any experience with someone with PTSD who is addicted to driving uber
  • replies: 2

Can someone give me some advice or help me understand? My husband is driving uber till 2 and 3 am. I have tried begging him, reasoning with him, threatening to leave, nothing works. I am feeling very tired most of the time as I am going to work on di... View more

Can someone give me some advice or help me understand? My husband is driving uber till 2 and 3 am. I have tried begging him, reasoning with him, threatening to leave, nothing works. I am feeling very tired most of the time as I am going to work on disturbed sleep (sometimes only three to four hours). I asked him to come home before 2am tonight and he just snapped at me that he was going out to make money. I thought he was starting to better but now I wonder. He has become very self centered and Uber has become his addiction

PookieHasPTSD PTSD - Motor Vehicle Accident
  • replies: 8

I have PTSD, Chronic pain & fatigue, Depression & Anxiety following a MVA almost 3 years ago(High speed head on collision with a Ute while I was passenger in a B-Double Truck), I have had ongoing mental health & physical pain issues since. Now its ju... View more

I have PTSD, Chronic pain & fatigue, Depression & Anxiety following a MVA almost 3 years ago(High speed head on collision with a Ute while I was passenger in a B-Double Truck), I have had ongoing mental health & physical pain issues since. Now its just too much! So over this right now!! I can't do it! I am in too much pain and can't seem to do it anymore. I am on the verge on a meltdown just thinking of such an early start for work. This is NOT normal behavior for me. I want OUT of this. I can't keep working like this anymore. To be told to prepare for a busy week ahead to then be told to stay home for 3 days (no pay) is not on! For this 6:00am start I have to be up at 4:00am for breakfast and to wake up enough to drive the half hour to get to work at 5:45am Pre-Start meeting (I don't get paid for!). My health is suffering so bad and I can't find anything to replace my job with to make my life better. My own stay at home business would be perfect but I need an income straight up, no stuffing around with network marketing and "might replace your income" stuff. I don't need "Feel sorry for you" stuff I need HELP! If anyone knows anyone that needs a new worker that understands and would be compassionate about my health issues please let me know! Or a way to start a business to earn a living from straight up!- Sounds desperate I know.... I am beginning to be desperate. (I can't take leave from work either as I am Casual = NO SICK PAY) I feel like running off to join the Circus.... But I just don't have the energy! I almost begged my GP last visit for permission to stop working because I just can't cope anymore!

Bella2311 PTSD - Where do I go now?
  • replies: 7

My husband suffers from PTSD & anxiety badly. He is from the Vietnam War era. We are both in our 60's. He is getting all the appropriate help etc. from Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital and VVCS at DVA, but is no better. Today has been hell. He will n... View more

My husband suffers from PTSD & anxiety badly. He is from the Vietnam War era. We are both in our 60's. He is getting all the appropriate help etc. from Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital and VVCS at DVA, but is no better. Today has been hell. He will not talk, ignores me if I try to help and has locked himself in his computer room all today. This behavior happens regularly. If he does speak to me he tells me it is all my fault. I know it isn't my fault but it is wearing me down. I am his 4th marriage. I love him dearly, but he clearly needs something extra other than the meds. he's on at the moment. We have no relatives here in Victoria and I am from interstate. Any suggestions? Can anyone help?

Lostandfound My PTSD
  • replies: 5

It started out wit small things, like bikes speeding would scare me, my life slowly came to a halt i was afraid of everything and i had no clue what to do, at school i was alone really, i had a limited group of friends as i was "weird" "too quiet" or... View more

It started out wit small things, like bikes speeding would scare me, my life slowly came to a halt i was afraid of everything and i had no clue what to do, at school i was alone really, i had a limited group of friends as i was "weird" "too quiet" or whatever else they thought, yet noone knew my inner battle. i was diagnosed with PTSD in grade 5, as i had been abused by my mother for about a year to a year and a half, i tried so hard to block everything out, the memories and the pain but i could't it consumed me. I was just this shadow who had no purpose my life was a mess and i wasn't old enough to comprehend everything no matter how hard i tried to understand it, i went down a spiral of thinking everything was my fault that i was a screw up and she hit me every day because I couldn't do anything right you know? the tears were punishment and the pain become my existent, i am now 17 and i still battle my depression and anxiety and PTSD, i am slowly progressing w\by getting help and have been put on medication as this year i hit a real low point as i confessed about the sexual assault that occurred with my uncle and well telling someone after keeping it in the dark for so long, destroyed me it was like being back into square one, I had to try to start over again, and i am slowly i have my bad days and teh days when things couldn't be better but i guess that's how it goes/

Bellamaree Anxiety or PTSD?? (trigger warning: domestic and sexual abuse)
  • replies: 5

Hi I am a newby so please bare with me..... I have lived with anxiety for a very long time (30+ years). I was indecently assaulted when I was around 3 years old for approx 2 years. I didnt tell anyone about this for fear I would get into trouble (tol... View more

Hi I am a newby so please bare with me..... I have lived with anxiety for a very long time (30+ years). I was indecently assaulted when I was around 3 years old for approx 2 years. I didnt tell anyone about this for fear I would get into trouble (told by abuser that if I told I would get into big trouble by my mum). So I carried this secret until I was in my 40's. I told my mother then and she was shocked and upset. Funnily, I did not blame anyone for this..... I just put it out of my mind for all that time. I didnt dwell on it. I met my partner when I was 18 and everything was wonderful then the abuse started. MaInly if he had been drinking. Physical abuse.... The usual back hander, thumped on the head, pushed, black eye, split lip. Then of course next day he was sorry and be the most wonderful man on earth filling my heart with love. At age 23 I was pregnant, we got married and the abuse was still happening. One night when I was 8 months pregnant, he came home drunk, we had an argument, he oushed me over and then kicked me in stomach. Next day he was sorry etc etc.... We ended up having two children. Abuse continued. This went on for aporox 10 years. He had even threatened me with "if you try to leave me you wont get out alive"...... I was very afraid so I stayed. All this abuse was alcohol fuelled. The short story is I have stayed with this man for 36 years. Whilst he is not physically violent now, everytime he drinks alcohol I feel myself getting very stressed and aggrevated. I have spoken to him about this but he says its my problem not his and if he has to stop having "a couple of beers after work, he will stop working". I dont know if I have developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or if its anxiety. He is very selfish in he will not own the fact that he did abuse me..... He always says "if I hit you you would never have got up".... (He was amatur boxer when he was young). He will not admit to the way he treated me or he just says that I deserved it. Im sorry this post is a bit all over the place - I would like your opinion if its possible for me to have PTSD?

private24 Surviving sexual abuse
  • replies: 5

Hi I've never done this before but I'm so lost in what to do, I'm under the age of 16. When I was six I was sexually assaulted by a family relative for an ongoing two years and whilst that was happening my father was abusing me for 10 years. I was to... View more

Hi I've never done this before but I'm so lost in what to do, I'm under the age of 16. When I was six I was sexually assaulted by a family relative for an ongoing two years and whilst that was happening my father was abusing me for 10 years. I was told I have a photogenic memory but I can't remember the important parts of everything that happened. I told the police whatevert I could remember but that made it worse. I'm living with bullying at the moment at school and I've been absolutely kicked to the curb. I feel as there is nothing left anymore. It has been so hard writing this. I haven't been sleeping and I have had multiple flash backs from that night and is it possible for PTSD??

MoodyLou Do I really have PTSD
  • replies: 3

Hi there I have been feeling depressed and increasingly anxious since late last year and finally sought medical help and was placed on antidepressants . In short I was subjected to intimidating and bullying behaviour (including swearing, name calling... View more

Hi there I have been feeling depressed and increasingly anxious since late last year and finally sought medical help and was placed on antidepressants . In short I was subjected to intimidating and bullying behaviour (including swearing, name calling and discrediting me) by a number of staff in my workplace for a couple of years including a male person threatening to 'take me out to the car park'. A number of these people also made disparaging public comments against me on face book. Anyway, I knew I was becoming down and stressed about their treatment toward me and needed to get away. I was successful in finding another job (albeit) temporary for 12 months. My mood and anxiety, while not going away completed, did improve significantly. The temporary job then ended and I was faced with returning to my old job (I cant afford to not work). The boss agreed to allow me a few months leave to try and find another job, however within a few weeks my depression and anxiety became so bad I needed to get medical treatment. I also started seeing a psychologist who believes I am suffering PTSD. My question is ...is it possible to have PTSD? I understood that PTSD related to experiencing a life threating situation. I also would appreciate any thoughts on whether it is unusual for medication not to be effective. I have been on my medication for a couple of months and the anxiety (at least) seems worse than ever (I have an appointment tomorrow to have my medication reviewed). Sorry if this is garbled, but any thoughts would be appreciated. lou