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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Ambo PTSD
  • replies: 1

Just sitting around, then all of a sudden I've burst into tears can't stop crying.

Just sitting around, then all of a sudden I've burst into tears can't stop crying.

Anzee Healing from childhood trauma
  • replies: 3

Has anyone started or overcome the journey of facing and healing the effects of childhood trauma. I’ve only just brought my trauma back to light but have not been able to escape my thoughts about it and it became so overwhelming yesterday I had to ca... View more

Has anyone started or overcome the journey of facing and healing the effects of childhood trauma. I’ve only just brought my trauma back to light but have not been able to escape my thoughts about it and it became so overwhelming yesterday I had to call a few hotlines and they still couldn’t put me through to the specialist councillor they wanted to but I still had a chat to one of the everyday councillors and she made me realise that as scared as I am to face my trauma and as much as I feel like I’m not prepared emotionally at the moment, my mind has been made up in some part of my brain and so I’ve decided to face it. I told my psychologist last week I’d been through the trauma and she said she’d refer me to casa (centre against sexual assault) so since my thoughts won’t leave me alone I’ve decided I will tell her at this weeks apt that I’m ready and get the referral started. I feel so bad for my partner and our two kids having to see me in this state. I barely stopped crying yesterday and was just a mess but I also know that I will be so much better to them all if I follow through with it. If anyone has made the healing journey do you have any advice or necessities? I’ve told one of my good friends what I’m about to embark on and she is a teacher at my eldest daughters school so she has messaged the principal and my daughters teacher to say I am going through some stuff at the moment and that I need some space so I won’t have to worry about one of them calling every day to make sure we’re doing school work, understanding everything etc. I had to take the day off yesterday because I’d also had about 3 hours sleep Friday night but I’m going to TRY and go to work tomorrow. I work for my mum so I’ve messaged her and said I’m going through some stuff but I’d try to come to work tomorrow. I just for some reason don’t feel comfortable talking to my family about it and bringing it all back to the surface. anyways I would live to hear anyone’s stories

Anzee Struggling with triggers during Victoria’s lockdown.. *trigger warning, childhood sexual abuse*
  • replies: 8

Hi all, I’m new here and anxious to write this post but I had a medical scare in April and ended up in icu and then transferred from my country town to a hospital in Melbourne 2 hours away from home to have a procedure done on my heart. I wasn’t allo... View more

Hi all, I’m new here and anxious to write this post but I had a medical scare in April and ended up in icu and then transferred from my country town to a hospital in Melbourne 2 hours away from home to have a procedure done on my heart. I wasn’t allowed to see my two young kids and their dad was only allowed to visit me twice once I got to Melbourne, thankfully it ended up being a straight forward procedure and my condition was fixed but when I got home I was a mess and had severe health anxiety for a couple of months, quit smoking, drinking and coffee and started a new medication for my anxiety and depression. I had terrible side effects coming onto it and have had to change the dose a couple of times the latest being last week, so I know I’ve been through a lot and have reasons for my anxiety (I’ve been having weekly phone apts with a psychologist since May) but last week something unexpectedly triggered me about years of sexual abuse I went through as a child, I’ve always known it affected me but just left it at that, after going to court etc at 12 years old I did the opposite to what I should have! I shut everyone out, started drinking a lot at about 14 and started smoking cigarettes and going to parties or anywhere I could drink and smoke as I wasn’t allowed to at home anyways that was my way of dealing with it and I thought that was it, it was gone but since this trigger I cannot get the thoughts of trying to overcome it out of my head and I keep telling myself I can’t get past it unless I address it and work through my trauma but right now I am not in the mental state to address that on top of everything else covid has hit my mental health hard and I am struggling with the isolation. The kids dad works away a lot and is away at the moment and we’re in the middle of moving house, I’m working 4short days a week and doing remote learning for my eldest so I am keeping myself busy but as soon as I have a moment to think all I can think about is the trauma I’ve experienced and that I’m never going to get over it so then my anxiety kicks into overdrive and it’s a vicious circle. Sorry this is such a long post I wasn’t expecting it to be haha and I don’t know why I’m posting it here I just think I need to get it off my chest and deep down I think I’m hoping someone will be able to relate and I’ll realise I’m not alonein these feelings. Thanks for reading if you actually managed to get through the whole thing haha.

MHead Manipulating your memory to forget a traumatic event
  • replies: 2

I have a friend that went through some traumatic events recently. They have tried counseling but have not had much success with it. I am just curious if there is anyway a person can get rid of their memory? My friend says that if they couldn’t rememb... View more

I have a friend that went through some traumatic events recently. They have tried counseling but have not had much success with it. I am just curious if there is anyway a person can get rid of their memory? My friend says that if they couldn’t remember the event they would feel better. I did some research and read that they are trialling something like this overseas by giving people large amounts of a certain drug to erase their memory, and they’ve had a bit of success although it’s very dangerous. I just wanted to check and see if someone out there could give me some help with this, or if someone knows something that I dont

Mara56 Complex PTSD
  • replies: 216

Hi, I'm new to this. I have complex PTSD as a result of multiple traumas including childhood sexual abuse, physical, mental & emotional abuse. My father was a violent alcoholic, mother psychologically disturbed, I was raped at 19, my first husband na... View more

Hi, I'm new to this. I have complex PTSD as a result of multiple traumas including childhood sexual abuse, physical, mental & emotional abuse. My father was a violent alcoholic, mother psychologically disturbed, I was raped at 19, my first husband narcissistic, highly manipulative, controlling, possessive, emotionally, mentally abusive, controlled finances, also an alcoholic and eventually threatened violence. Second husband had depression and I believe PTSD. I carried the relationship emotionally and financially until it took a toll on my mental health. I've seen many counsellors over the years, some caused more damage because despite me telling them about my history they never connected that I had PTSD. Finally found a psychologist I could work with and after several years I got to an ok place, where I could coexist with the flashbacks without them overwhelming me. Then my son died, I worked so hard to give my children a happy, healthy childhood, losing my precious boy has devastated me in ways I can never adequately express. 6 years later I met another man, for most part a good man and things were ok until I started having problems with my health. I've had multiple surgeries, too many to count. The last surgery, was horrific. The treatment I received in hospital triggered so much stuff from my past. When I've dealt with trauma in the past, I have had the benefit of compartmentalisation, as a result of what happened to me in hospital, I seem to have lost the ability to compartmentalise. The past 16 months have been a nightmare. My anxiety is through the roof, and the lows have been frightening at times. I have gone back to regular sessions. But as I've dealt with most of my past, except for my father, I have blocked out a lot of my memories around him. I am starting to wonder whether I need to just accept that this is me, I have complex PTSD and that anxiety, flashbacks, depression, insomnia are all part of it. But when I think that there is nothing I can do to change it.......... I go to a very dark place. I have told very few people in my life that I have PTSD and only a handful of people know about my past. I am conscious it's a lot for people to get their heads around. I'm hoping to connect with other people with PTSD, I feel very alone in it sometimes and I'm interested to hear how other people manage their PTSD. Many thanks

The_Wolf Not the Victim. Not Sure What To Do
  • replies: 2

Long story short: I grew up in a poor home. Nonetheless, my mother did what she could to feed my sister and I. I was sent to live with my father at some point. He was a heavy drug-user and I barely ate so my mother even provided for me when I wasn't ... View more

Long story short: I grew up in a poor home. Nonetheless, my mother did what she could to feed my sister and I. I was sent to live with my father at some point. He was a heavy drug-user and I barely ate so my mother even provided for me when I wasn't in her care. As such, I hold a level of respect and love for the lady. She, herself, came from a heavily abusive home and, as such, she is of a simple-mind and has major emotional issues now days. I recently caught up with a relative who I haven't seen in years. We ended up in deep conversation about growing up (we are the same age), etc. This relative told me that when she would stay over my house when we were children, that my mother would physically abuse her nigh torture her. Some of the things my relative was saying was absurd; it wasn't smackings, it was serious physical abuse. It was upsetting, terrible things that my relative was claiming happened to her as a child, while in the care of my mother on some weekends and so forth. I dismissed these claims as I knew my mother, despite her own horrible upbringing, would not do these things to a child. Then it happened, a day later. I started to recall these things. They started flooding back to me. I could recall the abuse my mother gave to this relative. I could recall my relative running away once, only to be caught, locked in a room, and abused. There was a time when my mother was abusing my relative and I begged her to stop because I couldn't endure hearing the screams any longer. She then made my relative apologise to me like a dog for "saving her". I recall lots of it and it has absolutely broken me. I am waking up in the middle of the night just remembering these things and, yet, not one of them happened to me directly. I don't know what to do? I want to confront my mother but her mental and emotional state may lead her to do something stupid to herself. I want to tell my relative I remember but I don't know. I want to tell other family members but they are--to be honest--highly reactive, judgemental individuals. I don't know what I am asking for. I am seeking advice from someone...I am devastated.

Roo123 Being misrable
  • replies: 2

Hi, I ve had about 12 years of misery in my life, excluding being sexually exploited at 6 years of age, an alcoholic father, a toxic environment growing up, dating wrong men all my life, to Paint the picture, I have been absolutely misrable most of m... View more

Hi, I ve had about 12 years of misery in my life, excluding being sexually exploited at 6 years of age, an alcoholic father, a toxic environment growing up, dating wrong men all my life, to Paint the picture, I have been absolutely misrable most of my life. Now things are different I am over 30 and never really experienced true happiness in my life. I am a misrable person, I attract misrable people. I am so unhappy with the life I am living that I cry internally every waking minute of my life. I curse the day I was conceived and born, why was I made to live like this, most people tell me it's fate, askgod for forgiveness, but in all honesty I have never done anyone wrong. Even people that have used and abused me, I have never done them wrong. This can't be karma. Now I have this addiction where I make anyone who is mildly even connected to me misrable, I make my partner misrable I make my family misrable. How do I stop, how do I become happy. I am so unhappy, if Shakespeare wrote my life it would be the Prefect tragedy one of the classics. I feel Some people only born into this world to be misrable so other people who get everything at the right time can feel better about their perfect little lives. I think God forgot to write any peace into my life. I just seek peace and happiness, even though it evades me every single day. I always remember that famous saying misery seeks company, I guess I am misery indeed.

Fritz_01 I think I have PTSD
  • replies: 3

I’m 18 yrs old and i’m studying nursing... I have not been clinically diagnosed with PTSD but i think i have it. It started when I found out I had half sister(dad side) when I was 15yrs old and she was few days older than me. Me and my dad had always... View more

I’m 18 yrs old and i’m studying nursing... I have not been clinically diagnosed with PTSD but i think i have it. It started when I found out I had half sister(dad side) when I was 15yrs old and she was few days older than me. Me and my dad had always been very close to each other we have very great relationship, so it was very shocking to me I felt like the person who I trust most and the person I looked up to growing up and everything was just a lie to me. I had this massive trust issue. I felt betrayed by my family on my dad’s side. And my mom who ofc was hurt the most at that time just told me after 3 days to just forgive my dad and just be thankful that he chose to take care of us. I wasn’t happy about it but i felt terrible looking at my dad I saw how sorry he was and he told us he couldnt tell my mom coz he was sure back then that she’d leave her. Anyways time went by and I’ve forgiven him but the scar just stayed in there. I have been dating this guy for 3yrs now and he knows bout my dad. But the beggining of our relationship was not very well (at some ways). He’s very lovely man, whenever we’re together he seems to treat me right and everything else. Everyone who knows us personally thinks we’re like the ‘couple goals’ but that’s not rlly it behind those between our 1st to 2nd yr together... he have this huge feeling on one of my friendd. I knew bout this before we even started dating... we became so toxic as he would tell me how he’s not over her yet then we would have a huge fight then we’ll get back together then 3-4 months latur he’ll admit that he tries to get over her but then She will always have a part in his heart. (They never dated, they were just close to each other but she never liked him) then this pattern went on for about 1 and half yr. (WE’RE OKAY NOT AS A COUPLE BUT MAYBE NOT ME) I know my problem is not as big as everyone else here but this really affected me big time to the point that my trust issue is really bad ANd i wasnt like this before. I’m always open. I just doubt everything (i try not to but because of the things thats going on in my head im like going crazy) but anyways recently i’ve been having nightmares about it. Im getting lots of flashbacks (broad daylight and night) whenever something inconvinient happens or something reminds me bout it. I start to cry and it just keeps hunting me. I want all of this to end. Also i noticed i tend to like forget things reacently but i couldn’t forget the feeling it caused me.

g44 Tired, scared starting over again.
  • replies: 12

Spent 13 weeks in Hospital the first half of the year. Diagnosed with Depression by my GP who put me on a plan with a Phycologist. 3rd weeks in for the first time I spoke about my childhood after 50 years of keeping it a secret. Where I broke down. I... View more

Spent 13 weeks in Hospital the first half of the year. Diagnosed with Depression by my GP who put me on a plan with a Phycologist. 3rd weeks in for the first time I spoke about my childhood after 50 years of keeping it a secret. Where I broke down. In sort, I was sexually abused raped by 4 different people from the age of 11. I won't go into the details it's still too hard to deal with. While in hospital for 9 weeks at one hospital and 3 Weeks at another health facility I was diagnosed with Major Depression, Complex PTSD, Borderline Personality Disorder, and Dysthymia - (ongoing Depression). During my stay in hospital, it was decided that I could no longer be with my family due to my Mental health and physical health. My wife also has Mental and Physical health problems. I made the choice to move out. My eldest son moved in with his younger brother with their mum. This ended a 40-year marriage. A bit hard to take. We have slowly drifted apart over the last 12 years sleeping in separate rooms. So there I am in hospital homeless and nowhere to go. In the 9th week in the hospital, I finally found shared accommodation 100 mile away from family. Only to find out that 3 tenants were smoking. I did not feel safe, breathing in secondary smoke. I went backwards became more depressed, anxious started to self-harm again thinking I would be better off dead. Community Health Acute Team were keeping in touch with me. Spoke to them said do you want to go to ED? Yes. She rang for an Ambulance. I self-harmed. Lost everything why should I care or want to be heard. Spent 2 weeks in Mental Health Hospital 1 week in another. Then left thought I was good to go. Wasn't I was going back to the same place. One day sitting on the stone wall at the beach watching the waves people & dogs thinking I could quite easily take a long walk into the sea. A dog had run up to me sat on the wall next to me with his head on my shoulder. He would not leave me. His mum called for him to go back to her. He did. The owner & dog came back up to their car. The dog did the same thing again with his head on my shoulder. Both of us went home that day. I finally found a unit which is a lot safer. Second-hand car. Everybody thinks just because I have a unit and car I should be good & happy. I'm not living alone & was self-harming again 2 days ago. Just over it all having to start all over again.

Guest_09801 Introduction/asking for advice or your experiences
  • replies: 3

Hi all, Wasn't really sure what forum to put this in but was wondering if anyone knows any resources (especially online, since the covid-restrictions) for, or has any experience of dealing with childhood-trauma but with memory loss? I have a really g... View more

Hi all, Wasn't really sure what forum to put this in but was wondering if anyone knows any resources (especially online, since the covid-restrictions) for, or has any experience of dealing with childhood-trauma but with memory loss? I have a really good psychologist but would otherwise probably be looking for something like a support group also - if there are any? So as to not be triggering (hopefully) - I was already aware there was an environment of abuse in my childhood but had only remembered two moments but I've just learnt more about it from a family member in the last 2 days - including the duration the abuser would've been in my life - and I'm finding it very hard to process her emails, partly because I don't remember it. (I was of an age that you'd normally remember.) As the family member wasn't present physically, we can only cover so much and the information I have is regarding things I would've either witnessed or been in the place when it happened, if that makes sense, it's not towards myself (so unsure if abuse resources covers that) and it's also I guess not a PTSD-issue (as I don't remember)? If anyone wants to comment or has any tips that might be helpful, it would be much appreciated.