Hello

[Alice1]

I'm looking for a support group online for ptsd sufferers so I hope I'm in the right place! I have suffered now nearly 6 years, so far I have been treatment resistant and each time I try treatment it seems to make it worse, creating more triggers, more isolation etc. My main problem right now is finding anyone that can relate. I lose friends and family all the time and the frustration that they just can't understand means they have an overall perspective of "it's bad behaviour" or "she's having another turn" or "she is cranky", my gosh it's none of those, I'm hoping to connect with others that endure the same crippling effects and learning different ways of either helping my family and friends to understand or helping myself.

[Peppermintbach]

Hi Alice,

Sorry for the late reply.

It must hurt so much when there's a lack of understanding from people around you. They just don't get "it", which must be painful for you.

I personally don't have PTSD so I'm probably not the person you were looking for. But my reply will bump your thread to an earlier page so hopefully someone else will see it as there are lots of BB members with PTSD- you're in good company in terms of understanding.

Kind thoughts,

Pepper

[blondguy]

Hi Alice

Welcome to the forums and good on you for posting too!

There are many people on the forums that have PTSD. I used to have chronic anxiety for 13 years followed by 20 years of depression. Im sorry that you havent found any peace with a counselor.

The forums are a safe place to post and there is no judgement here too

Treatment can be difficult as a good therapist is meant to put us out of our comfort zone so they can get to the core issues that started the snowball rolling in the first place.

I hope you are still around and can post back when convenient for you

My kind thoughts

Paul

[MarkJT]

Hey Alice, welcome to the forums and i think you will find it a hugely supportive place and very protective so i think you have found what you are looking for.

I have been suffering PTSD symptoms since 2003 and was hospitalised in 2013 when i was formally diagnosed with PTSD, depression and anxiety.

Paul's comments above are spot on. I would not want you going to a psych if it was not challenging and sometimes making you feel worse.

I have walked out of some psych sessions feeling absolutely crap but then again i have walked out of some thinking i could walk on air. When you get to the core issue, as Paul says above, it opens up pandora's box - which is something we have to do to recover.

I would recommend that you start practicing mindfulness, get your diet as good as you can get, cease or cut right down on any alcohol and caffeinated drinks and get yourself into a position where you can take on the trauma that caused your PTSD.

It is not an easy journey but one that is well worthwhile. I have got my life back, you can to.

More than happy to chat to you here - you are supported and protected.

Mark.

[Nellym]

Hi Alice,

As a newbie myself on this site I completely understand looking for a support group for PTSD. I have recently been diagnosed with PTSD from a childhood trauma but also from witnessing trauma's in my workplace over the last 5 years. I have just started in my treatment journey but completely agree with Mark. I leave the psychologist feeling like crap sometimes and other times it feels like I have had a breakthrough.

My family struggle to understand what I am going through and think I will just 'get over it' with time. I have given up trying to explain it to them and just tell them I am 'fine'.

Happy to chat with you. I find it easier to relate to people on here where they understand without having to explain the why's.

Regards,

Nelly

[Guest_9809]

Hello Alice and I add my own welcome to that of the other members who have welcomed you over the past couple of days.

Beyond Blue Forums is a peer support forum for anyone suffering from a mental health disorder, or anyone supporting someone with a mental health condition. Although not specifically a PTSD support group, it is a support network for anyone with Depression or Anxiety. As you would know, PTSD is an Anxiety disorder, and those of us with it often suffer from periods of Depression as well.

We have many members here who have been diagnosed with PTSD, of which I am one. I have suffered the debilitating symptoms of PTSD for many years, but was only officially diagnosed last year. It took me a long time to admit I wasnt coping, and to seek help.

I joined the BB Forums last year and have found that the support and advice I've received from others here to be of huge benefit to me. And not just from those who suffer from PTSD ... all members here have one thing in common - we all experience mental health issues. So the BB community as a whole are very understanding, knowledgable, non-judgemental, empathetic and supportive.

Yes I do understand what you have said in your opening post as I too have gone through all of that. Its very hard for anyone who does not experience what you do, to fully understand. Although PTSD is now widely discussed in the community, it is still largely misunderstood I think.

Its true that sometimes trauma-based treatment is highly triggering. Sorry to hear that, to date, therapy has proven to be unsuccessful. Can I ask if your treatment has been with a therapist who specialises in trauma therapy? And what therapies have you tried so far? If I know more about what you have already tried, I may be able to suggest something else. I have also undergone several therapies, with more planned for later this year. So I'd be really interested to compare notes and share experiences with you.

If you're comfortable in doing so, please tell me more about yourself - what caused your PTSD, family situation, hobbies, pets, work. This site is secure & moderated to ensure your ongoing safety and anonymity. You can talk openly if you choose to. I know discussing trauma is triggering, but it can also be therapeutic.

I notice you posted 3 days ago. I've been away until last night, so only just had the chance to catch up with new posts. I hope to hear back from you as I'd love to talk more with you.

Taurus

[Alice1]

Hi, just reading through the replies to my post and very emotional, it's like a parallel universe where I actually fit in but at the same time very sad that so many others suffer. I'm fine to share my experience/event that begun this nightmare however there's no sugar coating horrendous events and I would not like to upset anyone either, I say that because a few groups I looked at before bb really upset me in terms of details, I'm very sensitive to external things of any description, I do not watch news this can affect me greatly. So if I can say it here ok I feel ok with it but let me know please if it should b done in private.

[Alice1]

I'm feeling really welcome thankyou all so much, just these 5 replies have shown me I'm not alone, made me feel a huge sense of relief and I'm emotionally overwhelmed.

I think a big issue with treatment is my sensitivity to ssri's, extreme adverse reactions with all 5 I have tried, even staying on them for extended periods making my condition worse ultimately. The last meds I had were a combination of pre ssri with a beta blocker at night to stop the nightmares but my blood pressure wasn't coping with it and leg tremors (extreme) from the pre ssri

[Alice1]

My initial therapist used emdr, I found this intrusive and was unable to focus on anything other than please stop, the next round of therapy was based on talking about actual events, breathing exercises, coping strategies and the last round of therapy was the same, dr wanted to try emdr again but I become aggressive if people r too close. I'm currently in medicated I don't feel like the doctors listen, the side effects were extreme, and 2 of the medications I researched myself and suggested so I don't feel like they care as much as I do for me. I think right now I need to treat the anxiety leaving me a little calmer to deal with the rest of it, but they just want me on the ssri's and honestly what they do to me is worse than my darkest hour. Part of me says accept it, life is unpleasant now ur damaged girl but the other part says oi u there, maybe u will see sunshine again, but in that acceptance I then have all the non understanders saying get better, just get better! I think after 6 years nobody is more accepting of this than me, it's mine.

[Alice1]

Thanku