Immediate support
Immediate support

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.

Start a discussion

FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

View the FAQ

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

View the guidelines
Jump to
Start a discussion

Pinned discussions

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

All discussions

Start a discussion

Patches63 Mix of emotions
  • replies: 7

Talking with a friend yesterday she pointed out to me that there are few topics that I talk about on semi regular basis. I know I’ve mentioned them couple times, she tells me I’ve mentioned lot more than that. I never realised. Main areas related to ... View more

Talking with a friend yesterday she pointed out to me that there are few topics that I talk about on semi regular basis. I know I’ve mentioned them couple times, she tells me I’ve mentioned lot more than that. I never realised. Main areas related to reasons I chose to retire early and feelings of being let down by cousins, my only living relatives, especially at Christmas and on my birthday. part of me knows this friend cares deeply about me and would never do or say anything to hurt or upset me. I felt a sting for her words though and they hurt. We usually chat online once a week, at the moment I’m struggling to want to chat with her. anyone else experienced similar? Is this linked to head and heart trying to cope with things?

Anna-anastasia How do I help my husband? PTSD
  • replies: 2

Hi, I'm new here and I'm posting this out of desperation with the hope that I might be able to find some advice on how to help my husband and save our relationship. We have been married for almost 10 years and have children together. He is a wonderfu... View more

Hi, I'm new here and I'm posting this out of desperation with the hope that I might be able to find some advice on how to help my husband and save our relationship. We have been married for almost 10 years and have children together. He is a wonderful, genuine person and I love him to death. From the day he was born he has experienced trauma. Childhood abuse, extreme domestic violence in his family home, surviving and escaping a wartorn country after watching many die. He eventually married and had a family which led to a divorce in the most traumatic way. She took his children and she ran and vowed he would never see them again. He came to Australia and got remarried to me. I am almost certain that he has PTSD. He has extreme defensiveness and episodes of anger that I cannot understand. At times i ask him a simple question and he behaves as if I have attacked him. Other times he lashes out at me for no reason and I can't understand why he has become so angry. He needs to have control of everything and I have fought him tooth and nail since the day we met to have control as well. If I did not have such a strong determined personality myself, he would be controlling me too, but I have not allowed that to happen. He is not abusive and he hates violence. However, his defensiveness and anger it's taking its toll on me and I don't know what to do to help him. He refuses to accept that there is something wrong, and he refuses to speak to anybody about it. I can't even speak to him about my own feelings, because if I do he interprets it as if I am attacking him. And no matter how much I explain to him that I am only trying to explain my own feelings or hurt. It doesn't make a difference. For example, the other day I was expressing how exhausted I am juggling so many things at the same time. He responded to me as if I had accused him of being the reason for my exhaustion. This happens all the time, I feel like I cannot turn to my husband and tell him anything. Discuss my feelings with him because he will interpret it as an attack. I can't discuss my problems with him because he will try to control the situation. I can't try to make a decision with him because he will make the decision for me. I can't go out in public with him because I don't know if I might look at him the wrong way or say something the wrong way that will make him suddenly yell at me. I know this sounds like we have a horrible relationship but we don't. He's such an incredible person and I want to help him and not lose him. What do I do if he will not get help? How do I reassure him that I'm not a threat? How do I reduce his anxiety?

Patches63 Unsure best steps
  • replies: 5

Hi, I’m new to the forums and think I may have PTSD. When I was about 9 my dads only brother committed suicide in his family home. When I was about 11 my mums youngest sister died of heart attack as side effect effect of MS and for long time I strugg... View more

Hi, I’m new to the forums and think I may have PTSD. When I was about 9 my dads only brother committed suicide in his family home. When I was about 11 my mums youngest sister died of heart attack as side effect effect of MS and for long time I struggled to deal with her death. Within the following couple years my remaining grand parents both died and my dad had a stroke that saw him become physically and verbally abusive. When I was 16 my mum and I fled family home and did not return for approx 4years which was after my dad was in long term medical care. 23 December 2006 my mum took heart attack in my arms and didn’t survive, not long after I thought about suicide, went to gp who referred me to physc at some stage. I was discharged from his care after approx yr. November 2019 I was involved in near fatal car accident on my way home from visiting my husband in oncology ward due to truck verging into my lane. Lots of things that happened when I was a teenager with my dad I don’t remember or feels like I’m only watching. I have panic attacks when driving near trucks. I have recently sold my home and am having flashbacks in my sleep of aftermath of my uncles suicide. Can calmly write these words as if didn’t happen to me and other times can’t stop crying

lemonsqueeze Stomach anxiety
  • replies: 4

Hi guys! I'm really struggling with life ATM and was hoping to connect with people who may be experiencing what I'm going through.Long story short Ive experienced childhood trauma which has made me more anxious than a typical person. Anyways, this ha... View more

Hi guys! I'm really struggling with life ATM and was hoping to connect with people who may be experiencing what I'm going through.Long story short Ive experienced childhood trauma which has made me more anxious than a typical person. Anyways, this happened in school were I was hungry and my stomach rumbled I immediately panicked in class, and was so embarrassed. A boy laughed and my life has never been the same since. I would get anxious it would happen again, and it did,and he would laugh more and more, then it escalated to other classes, outside school etc. It has plagued my life. I have tried all types of meds, therapy, etc but nothing seems to work. Because of this problem I find it very hard to leave the house and when I do I'm often met with people laughing, mimicking the sound, saying I'm gross etc. I don't remember the last time I was able to go to the cinema or 'normal' places people enjoy. I really hope there is someone out there that can relate, cause at this point I really feel my life is worthless.

Sej Years of childhood abuse
  • replies: 59

Hi, This is my 1st time posting. I have been through years of sexual, emotional, and physical abuse when I was a child. It started when I was 6. I buried everything as much as I could when I became an adult. I didn't want people to worry, and I could... View more

Hi, This is my 1st time posting. I have been through years of sexual, emotional, and physical abuse when I was a child. It started when I was 6. I buried everything as much as I could when I became an adult. I didn't want people to worry, and I couldn't cope with it. I put myself in a horrible workplace. and I struggled and became suicidal. I knew I needed help and started seeing a Psychologist. I have been seeing her since July. I recently did the ptsd test and got 64 points. It was a good yet terrifying feeling. My thoughts and emotions weren't made up. I am seeing my Psychologist twice a week as I am having repressed memories come back and recurring nightmares. I struggle with trust and I am so scared that my Psychologist won't want to see me anymore. She has made it abundantly clear she is there for me, but I can't help it. I am still trying to process the past, the future, the therapy. My head is like a tornado, just filled with insults, abuse, hate towards myself, memories and pain. Will this stop?

spotted Bullying/verbal abuse after effects
  • replies: 5

Around 20 years ago, I was badly bullied (verbal abuse, nothing physical) by peers, as a young adult. At the time, I don’t know why, but I felt trapped and couldn’t do anything to escape that situation or confront the bullies. This went on for a few ... View more

Around 20 years ago, I was badly bullied (verbal abuse, nothing physical) by peers, as a young adult. At the time, I don’t know why, but I felt trapped and couldn’t do anything to escape that situation or confront the bullies. This went on for a few years and at the time I felt very, very low but never let it affect me externally; I continued to show up everyday etc. Anyway, I moved on from it and have a family of my own, get a job, the likes. This thing though was always there at some corner of my mind, sort of always taunting me, making me feel less than. Now, I have started feeling terribly low, nothing seems interesting anymore and I’ve been having therapy. Sharing this incident with the counsellor left me very shaken up. For a few days thereafter It felt almost as if I was back there being abused. Is this usual?

Karen0901 PTSD recovery
  • replies: 3

Has anyone recovered from PTSD? What influenced your recovery? I have had mental health issues in the past. These have always peaked then recovered for awhile. However, I have complex PTSD now. Multiple traumas. I would love to know if anyone had rec... View more

Has anyone recovered from PTSD? What influenced your recovery? I have had mental health issues in the past. These have always peaked then recovered for awhile. However, I have complex PTSD now. Multiple traumas. I would love to know if anyone had recovery periods after their PTSD became severe. It can be disheartening sometimes. The panic is the hardest part. Does this ease? It can come out of nowhere sometimes. I have had talk therapy for a number of years but I still see little improvement. SSRI medication has helped but not enough.

Gamechanger New job causing major stress
  • replies: 4

I started a new job a few weeks ago. It is incredibly busy, stressful and basically quite awful. The lack of training is a big issue. One is expected to spend a few hours doing the training online..no actual people involved. I completed the training ... View more

I started a new job a few weeks ago. It is incredibly busy, stressful and basically quite awful. The lack of training is a big issue. One is expected to spend a few hours doing the training online..no actual people involved. I completed the training early and have now been thrown in the deep end. We are always short staffed. There is no let up to the amount of customers waiting in line. I often have complex issues to deal with that I am not able to resolve. I have to constantly ask other team members for assistance and I know that is wearing thin with them. I have gone out of my way to learn more in my free time. But as I cannot access the systems from home I am limited as to what I can achieve. I dread going to work and I hate it there. It is chaotic and stressful. I am coming home absolutely shattered but so wound up from the hours of stress I drink too much to try to calm down. It is a very bad situation. I know I have only been there a short while but I cannot see it getting better. Everyone is focused on sales....not on serving customers who are there for basic transactions. There is never enough staff to help out. It is appalling. I am already looking for another job. I am so depressed and disillusioned. I was so happy to get this job but as usual once they get you in you are just another number to make money for them. Not to mention the sheer volume of dreadful customers I am forced to deal with daily. Smelly, foul, belligerent 'people' that upset my sensitivities. I am so sick of everything. I just want a peaceful life and to have a job I like to go to and know I am making a difference. I am on a disability pension for reasons I will not dwell on here. Suffice it to say the reason I am on it is being flung in my face daily. I try to do the right thing. Work, make some contribution. I lose most of my pension for working this job. I feel if I can't do it anymore I will be ridiculed and laughed at by my 'family'. I am so over it all.

Romaine I think I have a person in my head
  • replies: 2

Hi. I don’t really know where to post this or what to say.I’m really not sure what’s going on with me, but I’m starting to think this is abnormal. For most of my life I’ve had what I called an imaginary best friend, he felt like a lot more than that ... View more

Hi. I don’t really know where to post this or what to say.I’m really not sure what’s going on with me, but I’m starting to think this is abnormal. For most of my life I’ve had what I called an imaginary best friend, he felt like a lot more than that but that’s what I called him. Then I moved when I was 17 and it felt like he died. I genuinely felt like he died and I couldn’t think him up anymore and I grieved for two years and it felt like I lost a part of me. today he came back. It was pretty normal we just had conversations and picked up where we left off and really clicked and it all felt natural. The thing is it’s like he is himself, I don’t tell him what to say or do. I am very aware that he’s not real and he’s in my mind, I’m not hallucinating him in front of me or anything. But it’s starting to scare me a little bit because I’m not sure if it’s me going crazy. It’s like he’s in my head and I can just talk to him and he’ll say whatever he wants to say back. He feels like a completely different person to me. If you know what this is please tell me. Please tell me I’m not going crazy and that this is normal or something

jennufer Hello my name is jennifer I have ptsd since I was young child I experienced abuse, trauma.
  • replies: 3

I have post trauma stress disorder since i was three or four I experienced abuse, trauma, hurt people tried to hurt me in a painful way in the physically way is not okay. so I got help with the doctors and counselling as well it helped now I am on an... View more

I have post trauma stress disorder since i was three or four I experienced abuse, trauma, hurt people tried to hurt me in a painful way in the physically way is not okay. so I got help with the doctors and counselling as well it helped now I am on antidepressants it's helping a bit not a lot.