Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Support Group
Find support with others who have gone through a traumatic experience. Whether you have chronic or acute PTSD, we are here for you.
I just had a short road trip with my old college roommate (class of 1979, so years ago) and caught up. Turns out his wife just got diagnosed with PTSD! I'm sorry for her, but glad we can connect. Memories surfaced for her of sexual abuse as a child--something that rings true for so many of us here. So it turned into a profound friendship weekend of sharing beyond the usual. Great time.
Just when you feel isolated and that people out there don't understand, someone out there reaches out from the past and asks YOU to understand THEM. Puts things is a new, more hopeful perspective. Even when he was my roommate, I hid my flashbacks and panic attacks from PTSD from him fearing he wouldn't understand. Now seeing how he cares for his wife and her symptoms and came to me for help, I see, happily, how wrong I was. I've suffered the PTSD stigma several times, at work and even at church. So it's a noteworthy gift and a victory to share when it goes the right way, too.
Anybody else have this kind of surprisingly thing happen to you here at DS PTSD? It really is great, let me tell you, after all the miserable interactions with some others I've also had to report, so it's really worth sharing.
Muji
Just when you feel isolated and that people out there don't understand, someone out there reaches out from the past and asks YOU to understand THEM. Puts things is a new, more hopeful perspective. Even when he was my roommate, I hid my flashbacks and panic attacks from PTSD from him fearing he wouldn't understand. Now seeing how he cares for his wife and her symptoms and came to me for help, I see, happily, how wrong I was. I've suffered the PTSD stigma several times, at work and even at church. So it's a noteworthy gift and a victory to share when it goes the right way, too.
Anybody else have this kind of surprisingly thing happen to you here at DS PTSD? It really is great, let me tell you, after all the miserable interactions with some others I've also had to report, so it's really worth sharing.
Muji
Went to catch up with a former work friend yesterday. I had always felt like she was a friend who probably could understand anything, but yesterday was exactly what you describe. She disclosed some family stuff to me that parallels a lot that I went through. Heavy stuff, but we were both relieved to have one "real life person" (anonymity allows me to share more with you all than with most people I see face to face) to talk to about these things.
Something really cool must be happening astrologically maybe?
This is about as close as it can be, Mujica, to saying "I know exactly what you mean.
Seriously, I wonder if your experience is different because people relate to you as a guy. To me, I tend to view you as well liked and I usually read stuff you write, whether or not I respond (may have nothing to add).
I think our responses to traumatized people can vary a lot based on particulars of gender, age, what they experienced, etc. I wonder if people in general (including people here) may sometimes respond to guys in ways that infer "boys shouldn't cry" "stiff upper lip", or whatever, just less nurturing than we are to other women.
I'm sorry if I have ever contributed to that sense. Just because a person isn't meaning to, doesn't mean it can't hurt. Do let me know if that is ever the case.
no worries. wasn't trying to bum anyone out, and for what it's worth, i'm pretty comfortable being `on the outside' observing.
guayaba, isn't it amazing that we had the same experience carrying the word, so to speak, about PTSD out there in the world Wow, when it rains it pours!!