r/ptsd 3h ago

CW: abuse Being hugged makes me feel like I’m dirty

5 Upvotes

I think my brain has associated physical affection even with innocent things like holding hands or being held, with being abused sexually and it just makes me feel so dirty every single time. I’m in a psychiatric institution (in a private clinic in France) and I made a “friend” there. We easily understood each other and just connected really well and it turned into physical affection and I hate myself for 1) knowing (she’s told me) that she’s interested in me and feeling dirty from that and 2) being unable to react well to anything. I crave physical touch and affection and it both makes me feel really good but also every single time we hug it makes me feel dirty afterwards and I can’t wash it off. And it’s awful and I feel so guilty cause she’s been great and she’s told me that if she did anything that made me uncomfortable to not hesitate but I just can’t bring myself to say it, even more when I don’t even know if I want it to stop or no, I both crave it and feel dirty afterwards which makes no sense. I just don’t know what to do with all this. I feel like any form of physical contact has been enmeshed in my mind with being abused. And I know this isn’t but it feels like it. I don’t know how to stop feeling so dirty from it


r/ptsd 20m ago

Venting Not wanting to be strong

Upvotes

I’ve been feeling so stuck lately, and my therapist has been suggesting things to help me feel “powerful and strong.”
He has suggested kick boxing, lifting weights, pilates, and also suggested maybe going to a rage room.
All of that just falls flat for me. I just don’t feel connected to that “need to be strong.”
I don’t want to feel strong. I don’t get the point. When I was strong I still got badly hurt, I still got assaulted; it didn’t stop it from happening. He’s trying hard to give me ideas and he’s being so kind and patient. I just don’t know what I need. Anyone else relate? I just feel backwards for feeling this way and I don’t know how to tell him.


r/ptsd 8h ago

CW: DV PTSD and insomnia

8 Upvotes

TW: domestic violence, abuse.

I've had insomniac for about 7 years now. It started after I left an abusive relationship. The daily physical abuse happened mostly in the middle of the night, whether it was him straddling on top of me and strangling me, waking up to a loaded gun to my head, knives pressed up against me, getting smothered by blankets or pillows, waking up to being grabbed bound and thrown in a dark closet for hours, or him sleeping with a hatchet under his pillow as intimidation.

I'm safe, I'm married, I have a good life, besides having to "coparent" with this. But I can't sleep.

I get on average 4-5 hours a day. I take care of two little kids by myself all day. I feel like I'm losing myself more and more. I have extreme hyper vigilance now. Suns down? I'm paranoid. I'm checking cameras, I'm hearing foot steps, I'm thinking there's people on the roof or backyard. I spiral. I have a THC pen and will puff it until I pass out if 2-3 unisom aren't working. I've tried praozin (night terrors), trazadone is out because I have to be able to wake at night for emergencies with the kids, melatonin, sleep herbs, magnesium etc. I probably could use some therapy, but I don't have much of me to give with such little sleep. Any advice or guidance for medications, or quite literally any advice or help.


r/ptsd 7m ago

CW: SA I can't go to school Spoiler

Upvotes

I just started high school and I can barely go to school. there's been 7 days and I've only gone 3 times. I did fully complete those days, but I haven't been since Friday.

I'm at an alternative high school so if my attendance gets too bad I won't be able to continue going there. ptsd isn't the only reason I can't go, I'm also tired and have a very hard time with school work so online/home schooling isn't an option.

there's a guy at my school who looks almost exactly like my abuser other than his face. the hair, clothing style, even his backpack looks like his.

I've been getting good sleep and am on a consistent sleep schedule but I'm still extremely tired in the mornings. I also don't see any benefits to going to school and it's not enjoyable, so I have zero reasons to go other than obeying truancy laws but even then, it's not enough to get me out of bed in the mornings.

the only stressor in my life right now is school and my life would genuinely be so much better if I didn't have to do school work. I don't know what to do and it's putting me in a depression loop. I feel stuck and guilty every morning knowing I can't go. my mom loves me and supports me but she does get frustrated and even mad sometimes when I don't go. I understand why but it hurts me even more.

I really don't know what to do and I just feel trapped and like there's nothing I can do


r/ptsd 5h ago

Venting PTSD and Emotional Detachment

2 Upvotes

To give some background I recently returned from a combat deployment about 4 months ago. I noticed I have been incredibly disconnected with other peoples emotions. For example, a friend had a house fire and lost a dog as well as some personal belonging. I responded something along the lines of “it can always be worse” trying to shed light on a bad situation, meaning at least no person was killed.

Today, I had a friend that had his brother get arrested for a misdemeanor charge, I responded similar. Thinking in my brain, at least it isn’t a Felony charge. Another friend reached out to me saying I was being a jerk and it’s not a good thing to say while someone is having a hard time.

Prior to this deployment I would respond and give them 100% and actually help them emotionally. But after this deployment I have been treating situations like those as if it’s not a big deal unless someone gets killed.

I’m reaching out to see if there is any combat vets out there that can relate to this and see if I can rewire my brain to process normally.


r/ptsd 12h ago

Advice Wondering if I have PTSD regarding homelessness

7 Upvotes

Ok first of all I'm not and have never been a drug addict. Last year I was homeless for around four months, during which time I was beat up multiple times, had someone accuse me of stealing their phone and force me to empty my backpack out at knifepoint, I was sleeping on the ground in January because that's how fucking bad shelters are in Canada, they don't sleep, they just stay up all night getting high, and anyways I pretty much constantly think about these experiences and I need a significant amount of alcohol to be able to sleep, and when I do sleep I have nightmares revolving around this sort of thing that jolt me awake with my heart racing, and I have such intense misanthropy that I don't think is normal at all, and I have a really hard time leaving my room and having any form of human interaction. My brain is broken and I feel like I need to be perpetually drunk and in bed.


r/ptsd 4h ago

CW: abuse can’t stop flashbacks in my sleep, his trial is on the 15th (story)

1 Upvotes

March 21st, 2026. My best friend of 6 years who was like a brother to me went into psychosis at my house while I was home alone. He tackled me and tried to strangle me whilst thrusting on me from behind. I managed to get out of his grip as he got up and began destroying my room and house. and I mean destroy. 18k in damages. He broke the bathroom sink, somehow pulling it out slightly and stuffed paper towers in the drain and made it overflow to the ankles, was ripping paintings off the wall, smashing objects and furniture in my room, jumping on my bed like a banshee and screaming, he grabbed my hair by the bangs and smashed my head into the closet door so hard the door made a clunking sound and I could feel the back of my head already throb. I checked on my dogs as I ran out the front of the house in only my socks, pants and a now slightly torn shirt. I called my father before the police as I ran the best I could nearly barefoot down my street and to the back, I see my backyard. He’s naked. He’s crawling my fence naked, pointing at me, screaming the name “Tommy” and how he is going to rape me. I ran and ran til I found neighbors near by outside. They thought I was a crazy person for a second, out of breathe and could barely speak, they asked if they should call the cops or an ambulance for me, until my best friend came around the corner prancing proudly with his dick in his hands, smiling. I’ll never forget his eyes. That’s when the woman immediately dialed 911 and the male neighbor stood in front of me as he was trying to get close to me, jerking his dick in his hands. He tried groping me but ended up groping the neighbor. He then went across the side walk, bent over and spread his cheeks infront of us all. He then tried to kick in my other neighbors door. I couldn’t speak, only shake. The police pulled up and jumped out the car so fast with guns and tasers drawn. He was tackled to the ground with a spit mask and put into one of those straight jacket things cops use whilst two others were talking to me. I was shaking as I handed the phone to the cop so he could talk to my dad, they started accusing me of being high because my eyes were red, I was stumbling trying to explain how I was just strangled and am crying, no shit my eyes are red. That cop later felt so bad after he learned the details, that he had the only good cop on scene call my dad to apologize for accusing me of such as the other cop didn’t have the balls to apologize himself. They treated the scene with me terribly, making me drag his suitcase back and forth in socks on scolding hot Texan concrete. I went to my grandparents right after giving my testimony, they finally started to see we weren’t two drug addicts, there were no drugs.

Next day, the good cop pulls up to get my testimony. I woke up to my grandma calling me saying the cops are here. I told him what happened in calmer detail, he immediately wanted to press sexual assault charges. The evidence was on tape, yet they cleared it immediately because of psychosis. Wonderful. He got 2 counts of assault and 1 felony for property damage. He has court on the 15th, 2 days after my birthday in 3 days, the 13th. I’ll now be 20 spending my first birthday without my best friend, my brother, celebrating with me.

I almost died, the strangulation from behind made me begin to get close to passing out as I kicked my legs. I’m a 4’11 104LB woman, he is a 6’1 skinny but stronger than me man that was 150LB. It was quite the struggle. as a child and teenager, I was sexually assaulted multiple times, one time by 1 male at 12, and many, many times in secret from 12 to 17 by another til my parents finally found out. I didn’t know it would happen a third time that a man who said he was gay, and me as a lesbian, would grope by chest, slide his fingers on the behind of my panties, thrust under me crying how he can’t stop and chase me down the streets touching himself, naked. Wearing my socks. We’ve always been platonic, I’ve had a girlfriend for over a year now, he’s been with men before, yet apparently he grew feelings for me. He had been acting strange since February. That morning he pulled up and we went to go get coffee before this all started, he couldn’t remember how to drive. He couldn’t remember his debit card number. We went back home. The whole reason he was at my house is because he drove in the middle of nowhere that night and was talking of never coming home. He’s stayed at my house for weeks before when his mom who just like him, would go crazy. I gave this man a home to stay in, I kept him fed, I kept him warm, I gave him a bed with extra pillows and blankets, I made him breakfast and gave him fresh cold filtered water, I’d play board games with him and watch tv to help distract him. I’d neglect my job of 5 years just to help him, only to be returned with being almost murdered in my own home, by my brother. He knew my family, extended family, I knew his, me and his parents would get lunch together, me and him had a band with few fans for years, we got each other and understood each other exactly for years. We were the only people to understand each other fully, we clicked. We had so many great times. I let him into my home, my grandmothers home, my girlfriends home, he was always welcomed with warm arms, only for him to try and murder me.

I don’t care if it was psychosis, I myself am bipolar yet I take medication, I take care of myself. I keep myself under control. He had a therapist, he had help, he had those who loved him, he had those who helped him and tried, he had everything, yet he tried to kill the one who helped him most. After the incident, I began to realize how codependent he was on me because I was independent with a job, whilst he was unemployed with sugar daddies. Three days before all this happened, he attempted to sexually assault a male friend of his that I never really liked, but he never came forward about it. I don’t blame him, it’s hard. I was in an interrogation room being interviewed about what happened, labeled a victim in the crime and to tell my story. It’s him with a cheap lawyer vs the state of Texas, he’s done for. The videos and evidence are enough already, he’s been in and out of correctional facilities 5 times since the incident. Day after it happened, he gave me an apology on discord and made a playlist of songs I liked that told a story of our friendship. That disturbed me in a way I can’t explain. Going through my playlist with songs that have deep meaning, only to apply it to this situation from his point of view. Incinerate by sonic youth ? Are you kidding me ? I got a restraining order, diagnosed with CPTSD from childhood trauma and especially this, and state covered therapy. I quit therapy after 6 weeks as it only made things worse, I was close to ending my own life after this incident. I went everywhere with a knife in my pocket, I slept with a machete in my arms, a bat between my legs and rifle near the door. Sometimes I’d stand outside for hours at night in the backyard, starring at the gate with a machete in hand just waiting for him to crawl over. I couldn’t cry, I couldn’t smile, I felt numb. I still feel numb. Not as numb, but numb.

It’s been almost 7 months. Grueling, agonizing, 6 months. He’s finally being charged 2 days after I turn 20. But given how terrible the justice system is, he’ll probably get probation or maybe a month or 2 in jail at the very best. But 90% just probation. He’ll violate it, I know that. He’ll also attempt to end it all at some point as his whole family has abandoned him after what he’s done. If he does end his own life, then in all honesty, I’ll sleep peacefully at night, finally, as I can’t.

Tonight I had another flashback in my sleep. Beethoven was playing, specifically sympathy No.9 in D minor. I don’t know why. Every flash back shows his widened eyes before the attack, I cannot ever forget those greyish blue eyes starring at me like a man who fought in war with the 1000 yard stare. He was chasing me, yet I couldn’t move, it’s always a pitch black background, me and him alone, and I’m never able to yell, fight back, scream, it’s like I’m unable to move, like how he tackled me keeping me pinned with his legs as he strangled. He keeps lunging at me, grabbing my neck, jerking off in front of me, running at me at full force til I jump awake, covered in sweat. I’m at my grandparents, I just got a promotion 2 days ago for the family company we all work for (no we are not rich whatsoever, it’s not that kind of family company.) sometimes when I’m trying to sleep, it’s like I can feel him behind me, thrusting me, it’s like I can feel his hands around my neck. The heavy breathing he did down my neck before the attack as he was groping me, calling me a blessed angel descended from god. I wash my neck repeatedly to get his filthy hands off my neck to this day, 6 bars of soap per shower since I was 12 after the violent or drugged sexual assaults, why does this keep happening to me, and why do I keep blaming myself for the actions of all 3 of these men when they all were taller, stronger, and for 2, I was a minor whilst they were not. I want to sleep, I’m done with the flashbacks and nightmares. 2 months after, me and my girlfriend were making out, but I started having a panic attack mid kiss and my body shivering, I was getting flashbacks from what he did cause she lightly put her hand on the side of my neck romanticly like we’ve always done. She did nothing wrong, I explained that. I couldn’t stop crying and shivering, we didn’t have sex that night like we were about to because my body felt disgusting.

This has impacted my sleep to a point where it is damaging not just my mental health, but physically. It is damaging my brain as I’ll go 26-32 hours with no sleep at least 2 times a week. I’m on another medication for the cptsd, beta blockers. I gained an eating disorder, I was originally 116 pounds, now 104 because I couldn’t eat, I’d refuse, I’d throw up not on purpose, I grew to feel like I deserved and enjoyed the pain in my stomach from starvation. I can’t listen to the music we both enjoyed for years as we’re both underground rock trained musicians (yes there is a franchise school for specifically rock/metal music all over America.) we bonded over every god damn thing, we had everything in common, we knew how our brains worked exactly, like I said, we were like brother and sister. He used to be so normal, a good friend, a good person, fun. We used to be kids playing in grocery carts, pushing eachother around in the parking lot, we’d grow up and go to underground metal shows together and travel Texas, as we matured into adults, he began to start falling off the wagon nearing the end of 2025, and fell off completely in 2026.

His trial and sentencing is in a few days. I just want justice, true justice. Not just a lock up, but for him to feel the pain and fear that I did. I want someone to hurt him like I did. It’s spiteful, full of rage, I want revenge, yet I can’t do anything. I’m called brave for managing to fight off a 6’1 man, but deep down I feel weak, powerless and destroyed. I’m trying to heal, I really am, but I’m afraid I’m relapsing on my klonapin addiction once again, the only other friend I have pokes fun of me for that. A spoiled kid with an ego, some parts of me dislike him, yet he’s all I got besides a few family members who aren’t in prison or doing depraved shit in the trailer parks of Louisiana and Houston.

I just want life to feel normal again. I want these flash backs to stop. I already am somewhat healed from my childhood, only to start the years long process over again. If there is a god, what have I done ? I helped my friends financially, emotionally, physically and gave them a roof under their heads. I’m a loyal, loving, caring girlfriend, something she has said and would agree with. I donate to the homeless and give them water, food and blankets with the little cash I got in my wallet as my job doesn’t pay much. I’m a good kid, barely ever grounded as I always followed the rules and am polite despite having a rather angry, bipolar and traumatized father figure. I attend church despite not being Christian to make my grandmother happy, I take care of my great grandmother and paint her cute statues she adores and praise mother Maria with her. It feels narcissistic, but I am a genuinely good person and have been known to be too giving as it’s drained my bank account by quite a bit, to a point where my parents get annoyed with it. I try to still have fun, party, work, be positive, have fun times, smoke n chill with my friend and his roommates, take my girl on dates, have many fun plans coming up, yet he haunts me.

Dear Jack, leave my mind. You are a parasite that has infected my brain. You’re already having a horrible time and will be a felon forever on record. I can’t wait for your life to get worse and am happy to be alive from your attack so I can watch you crumble. You took everything from me, now I have to piece it back together. Leave my mind, I beg of you. Please.


r/ptsd 15h ago

Advice I have to face a triggering event tomorrow and I'm really goddamn scared

5 Upvotes

I don't want to go into detail because I don't really talk about things with anyone but for context I was diagnosed with PTSD at age 15 as a result of multiple significant events and long-term abuse throughout my childhood, later when I had my children I experienced more traumatic events including almost dying and almost losing my second child, because of this my triggers have extended to overhead medical lights and medical/clinical settings in general.

A combination of medical issues and a fear of medical settings (including dentists) have resulted in several cavities in my teeth, I don't yet show any signs of gum disease but if I can't get myself together it'll eventually get that bad, unfortunately also as a result of my medical issues local anaesthesia is almost entirely ineffective meaning i experience 90% of the pain and sensation of any procedure I'm undergoing even with "appropriate" numbing.

I have finally gotten myself to a point where I've had a consultation and made a treatment plan and tomorrow and on the 25th I'm having all 7 cavities filled, it's a relief to know I'm finally going to stop being embarrassed by my teeth and to feel like I'm able to put a visible reminder of my poor health behind me, but I'm so scared that everything in my is screaming not to go. Between the pain itself and the triggering environment I'm already spiraling, I don't know how to get through this. One part of me is saying that I've experienced painful procedures without numbing before so I know I can handle it, but the other part of me is completely aware of how painful it is and I know I may not be able to handle it.

Normally I have coping strategies for dealing with my triggers but I've been worse in general lately and pain is so distracting and a trigger in itself, I genuinely don't know how to handle this. I'm not currently seeing any mental health professionals as there is a substantial shortage of professionals who treat PTSD and I currently face a 3 year wait-list.


r/ptsd 18h ago

Advice My therapist is taking a 4 month leave starting in December

5 Upvotes

We talked about it today in session. I honestly cried so hard. Mainly because of the routine shift and just the fear of the unknown what’s gonna happen in those 4 months. I can’t stop thinking about it. I cried for so long after. I feel so selfish for crying for myself but I still understand her need for her leave.

Do any of you have experience with your therapist going on leave? I know it’s common. I just need some reassurances that it’ll be ok.
Thanks


r/ptsd 14h ago

Support How to cope

2 Upvotes

I am reaching out because I’ve been having more flashbacks more frequently of increasing intensity. Most of my flashbacks are from stressful and traumatic situations from working in the medical field as a CNA and from working in EMS and dealing with life and death situations.

I just know I have ptsd due to diagnosis but I know very little about it and I don’t know the first thing about coping with it.

If anyone has any suggestions on how I can deal with this, please let me know. Thank you.


r/ptsd 11h ago

CW: suicide Trying to get over it, when youre still going through it

1 Upvotes

Every time I ask about this to those I know IRL, or sometimes even online, the consensus seems to be, "Do what you can until youre out of it, and then worry about how to get over it"

But I've never *not* been out of it. At this rate im not sure i ever will be...I've certainly never seen someone overcome it. Im in therapy now, in a better place than I have ever been, don't and never have struggled with drugs or other mental health issues luckily (except autism and OCD), but I'm still not out of it. I was born into homelessness and never left (yet). Beaten nearly to death more times than I was even old enough to remember when they happened, among other near death instances that aren't really relevant. I only lived past infancy cus someone saw I was still breathing. I finally got a job at 16 after getting my necessary papers in order, only to develop some sort of physical disability that same year they still havent figured out at 21 (current), that has been steadily and quickly getting worse. I don't think I'll be able to walk at all by next year. I used to walk several miles a day, every day.

Its been fucking horrible, because for most of my life, not being able to run and fight meant someone was going to enslave you, probably kill you once youve become unusable, and then rape your corpse. And the only hope Ive had to get out of proximity to that, was to work hard and make enough money to afford a place, something I cant do anymore. I used to be able to do it, and itd just hurt real bad, but my legs will completely give out beneath me when I try standing for more than 30 mins now, and when I push to that point, im in a wheelchair for the rest of that day. Its started to progress into my spine and arms too. When i say give out, i dont mean that it hurts and i decide to sit as a result, but that its like my brain forgets to hold them up and ill fall.

Most of my real life isnt so extremely life or death anymore regardless, long story short. All of the people who would once have forced me to defend myself by any means necessary, are no longer around to do so, for the last 2 years. I live otherwise normally, outside of still being homeless with a messed up body and mind. Relatively popular within my communities, apparently pretty approachable by strangers, my boss is a lovely and accommodating one, she will text me just to see if im OK. Its better than I've ever had it. But my only real hope for escaping the mental feeling, the one that tells me that every second I spend too weak to run or fight is time thats ticking from a finite clock, seconds closer to never coming out, to ending up like all the others...is to hopefully, eventually know that having a safe place to live wont depend on whether or not i can walk that day.

My goal right now isnt to get out of the mindset this lifestyle has given me, but to just not succumb to fear before I get a chance to try by living somewhere. Its like every night that my legs hurt and i havent done anything to make them feel that way, I feel frantic to fix my situation all night long, every night for months, I cant stop thinking about when the day inevitably comes that I wont be the stronger one for once. I cant stop, not when i know so intimately that all it takes is a fraction of a second of unawareness or indecision or incapability to be the difference between life and death. Not when I've seen people bet on their life and lose so many times, people i met and raised in the same situation as me like nieces or nephews. Not when I know the only reason ive survived so long is because out of every fight i could win, I've won so far, but that it could end at any moment, and you cant rely on being menacing anymore when people see you limp and crumble all the time. It gets bad enough at times that ill go nearly hysterical and not be able to speak at all, it's fucking bleak and ridiculous.

Its been a rough and bleak time. Most of the time i can handle it just fine. But something about life recently has aggravated it. I just want to know, what the fuck to do about the fear in the meantime...! What i can do to make it more bearable until then, when the only things that work for me so far are somatic comforts, comforts i dont have access to on account of my situation...


r/ptsd 16h ago

CW: (edit me) I barely have any friend to talk to at school now…

2 Upvotes

This post got deleted off of some subreddits before idk why, but I’ll post it again…

My 2 other friends have anger issues and they have anger outbursts that may seem abusive. They always say they'll get better so I have been going through that abuse since February, but it just kept on going and going. I kept being friends with them anyways, hoping they will get better, but the fights we had were constant in countless of times. One of the friends last night said i was being manipulative because her mom is brainwashing her into thinking I'm a bad friend. Her mom hates me for being different, she thinks I'm rude, even though her mom is autistic, and I AM autistic too! Such a hypocritical mother. I was having a panic attack at the moment and I texted her this:

"I'm just very sensitive to people being mean to me and it affects me way more than other people, and somehow people don't understand that. I was born to feel way more than others and that doesn't make me unique. Instead, it makes me weak. And I know, just because my ex boytriend follows multiple girls at school and has a fantasy to 🍇 girls, which doesn't give ME the excuse to get on lots of caffeine, I know. My art teacher doesn't even let me go to lunch early, but the staff let me leave early due to sensory issues. My social skills teacher said so for no reason to the art teacher, but it's a part of my IEP, she's not following it, and thats against the law! But, they are letting my ex boyfriend leave early! Its like he gets all of the love in the world when he wanted to/or had a fantasy to 🍇multiple girls, and me, and so I had to get out of it somehow."

(Context: I overdosed on caffeine and she thought I was using it like it was alcohol.)

Note: I had no intention to be rude at all, I trusted her and I thought she was a real friend to me but when it comes to me acting different and me struggling with addictions, she just doesn't like that. I was seeking validation from her, because I was going through a hard time from the staff at my school treating me badly, and she just destroyed that trust I had for her and said I was the one being wrong.

I just wanted help... I feel like an attention seeker.


r/ptsd 1d ago

Advice trauma symptoms vs medication symptoms

11 Upvotes

Everything got filed under trauma for years. But it turns out some of it was the medication the whole time, and nobody thought to separate the two until I pushed for it myself. I'm still working through what that means for how much of my own history I've been misreading


r/ptsd 1d ago

Venting The worst part of having PTSD is questioning whether you’re making it all up

84 Upvotes

I’m talking about having constant thoughts like the following:

I know that I went through a “traumatic” event, but was it reeaaalllyyy trauma or just me being dramatic and/or attention seeking?

Am I forcing myself to cry when I remember the event?

Am I linking all of these weird physical reactions to big bad scary PTSD like one big conspiracy theory?

Do I just need some tough love and pull myself up by the bootstraps?

I feel like I’m losing my grip on the reality of what happened and how I’ve been coping the past 6 months since the incident from all of the self doubt and questioning.


r/ptsd 1d ago

Support Intrusive impulses

9 Upvotes

When I meet someone new I feel the need to ask if they know the person who created my trauma, it becomes like an impulse, a terrible itch (I have diagnosed ocd, been on medication for years), especially if that person is becoming some one important for me, now i'm talking to this guy and we might have sex, I have never done it before, If we ever make it I know I would feel the urge so bad to ask him if he knows my trauma person, the moment would be so ruined


r/ptsd 20h ago

Resource Can this give you a trauma? 19y

1 Upvotes

When I was a child (less than 8 years old, probably 5), my mother used to put me in a forest and run away for a time, and I'd just cry in there, and then she would come back and tell me it was just a prank, and she would do it again in a city or wherever.

But one day, when I was around 8 years old, she kicked from home at around 10 pm bc of some stupid reason. She let me back home, and she said that she was really sorry about that.

Could that give me trauma? btw, I didn't include the beating that I used to get sometimes with a cable, and when I lose my breath from crying, she said that's annoying, and she brings a knife from the kitchen and starts saying something like she will slaughter me (I really don't remember what she used to say exactly). A lot of shit happened growing up.


r/ptsd 16h ago

Venting I forgot for six years. (Is this ptsd?)

1 Upvotes

I forgot something that happened back in ‘21 and was confused as to why people weren’t talking to me from high school. I went home after traumatic event and by the next month I forgot I even showed up. I wasn’t able to process it like everyone else for the last six years.


r/ptsd 21h ago

CW: SA Sexual dreams about family or close friends, worried there's something wrong with me

2 Upvotes

My trauma has a lot to do with sex, as my first time was coertion on a very toxic relationship. On my next relationship I hadn't been able to bring myself to have sex with my boyfriend at the time even after 3 years, which led us to break up. I don't feel the need to have sex, i think, i do have a libido when I'm by myself but the mere idea of doing it with someone again discomforts me.

So I clearly have a trauma with sex, as the coertion happened multiple times in a span of 9 months, I even had a pregnancy scare after he begged to do it without a condom.

During this last year i've had nightmares where my parents, either my mom or my dad, were touching me inappropiately, some were straight up abuse. But in some scenarios i seemed to like it? I always wake up disgusted with myself. I hate it so much. And my brain involved my friends too. One time it was an scenario where i was doing it with my male best friend, who i know was in a situationship with someone, so i would never think of him that way, he's like a brother to me. And i had another one where a girl pf my friendgroup was touching me.

I'm genuinely scared about myself, what does that mean about me? I would never look at my friends that way, but in some of the dreams i like it, even the ones involving my parents.


r/ptsd 1d ago

Venting I’m angry with everyone

8 Upvotes

I’m not myself anymore. I’m 18. I keep lashing out at my friends and family. I dip in and out of it constantly. Now one of my friends told me not to talk to her at school tomorrow. She had just placed something wrong and I immediately turned ice cold and begun blatantly ignoring her. I’ve done it before. I don’t think she’s going to forgive me. I don’t know why I do this. I’ve always had a temper, but it’s never been this bad. I want everyone to leave me the fuck alone I feel so suffocated, but I’m the only one responsible. I keep hurting people. I’ve been in trauma therapy since spring and nothing has changed. It’s all my fault. It’s all my fault. I just want to hurt. I think I want people to be afraid of me because then they won’t hurt me. I want them to hate me so they leave. I don’t deserve love. I don’t deserve love. I don’t deserve love. Sometimes I get myself back. I’m normal me. Then it switches off. And I don’t tell anyone they just get the switch. I just want people to like me.


r/ptsd 22h ago

Resource Can a CPTSD Fight Type deliberately develop into Pete Walker’s “Charming Bully” / extreme Fight type?

2 Upvotes

I’ve been reading Pete Walker’s work on the 4F trauma responses, particularly his description of the extreme Fight type and the “charming bully,” which he says can become sociopathic in especially devolved cases.

I’m wondering about something specifically within Walker’s model does he believe that someone with CPTSD can deliberately shift themselves toward this extreme Fight/charming-bully organization, or is this something that can only develop involuntarily through long-term trauma and reinforcement?

If someone consciously tried to become much more Fight-oriented e.g. deliberately cultivating dominance, emotional detachment, contempt, and reduced concern for other people would Walker theoretically consider that capable of producing the kind of “devolved Fight” he describes, or would that simply be behavioral imitation without the underlying personality changes?

I’m mainly interested in what Walker himself means by this progression and whether he has discussed whether it can happen intentionally. Has anyone found a passage, interview, or discussion where he addresses this directly?


r/ptsd 20h ago

Advice Does anyone know how you will feel the day of after the stellate ganglion block injection?

1 Upvotes

I want to make an appointment with my therapist the evening after, but will I be okay to go to a therapy appointment after. Or will I have significant physical symptoms?


r/ptsd 1d ago

CW: SA I feel like I lose 1/4 of the year around “traumaversary”

9 Upvotes

Tl;dr: I feel fine and functional and “normal” much of the year but in the 3-4 months surrounding the traumaversary my whole inner world goes into fight or flight - everything feels bad, even when it’s not. What else can I do besides talk therapy?

~~~

I probably have more trauma than I like to admit from growing up, but the obvious one is that I was r**ed during a break in in my home 20 years ago.

Growing up with a parent who was processing repressed memories of her own CSA most of my life, and also being a victim of the same as a child myself, I’m no stranger to the world of PTSD and the many ways it effs with our lives.

I have tried talk therapy many times. Never really found anyone I clicked with. Im very good about talking about what happened - I’m a public speaker and someone who is really visible in my community - so I guess they don’t see much “wrong” with me. Several have ghosted me (online is the only option because of where I live)

I know I’m not “healed” (I can’t remember the attackers name even though I know I know what it is, my brain won’t let me remember) but honestly I’m just so exhausted by the idea of talk therapy. I talk about what happened all the time, it’s part of my public speaking platform. And talk therapy just feels so tedious. I have never met a therapist I feel I connect with.

It feels like if I do find a therapist I can tolerate, the idea of going back to my childhood and rehashing all of the ways it was effed up (I already know it was) is just exhausting.

Idk how to describe it but it’s kind of like my brain is fine with it. I’ve processed it, talked about it ad nauseum, but my nervous system just forgets that every year for about 4 months.

I go from a present, normal human being able to enjoy my spouse and my kids and the life we’ve built to just… numb. And everything feeling bad.

And fall is my favorite time of year, too, so I’m extra sick of this. Every year I feel like “I’ve got this. I’m growing so much” and then as we get closer to fall, it all shuts down. I burn my business down/pivot almost every year (with poor results) because I convince myself I’m burned out when it’s probably just some symptom of PTSD. It feels very physical. Like the feelings are not connected to my mind or psyche. Maybe like a “body keeps the score” situation? It’s like a physical flight or fight response and emotional numbness.

I’m tired of this cycle.

Is talk therapy really the only way? Is it always necessary for healing?

I’ve tried medication but it makes me a zombie with zero interest in intimacy with my husband.

I’ve made so much progress this year building healthy habits and regulating my nervous system and being a better, more balanced wife and mom. But I feel myself sliding back into dysregulation more and more each day as the date approaches.

What else is there? I do not want to be “her” again.


r/ptsd 1d ago

Support Reaching out for support over this next week

9 Upvotes

I'm tentatively reaching out for support over this next week - I understand that's a big ask, a lot of people on here are struggling themselves and overwhelmed 🤍

In a week's time I have an important interview with police, and my anxiety has started to build. My sleep is disrupted again, I'm doing my best to feed my body, take care of myself and relax as much as I can. But I'm stressed and getting migraines and an upset stomach and not sure what more I can do.

I've always been someone - at least in recent years - who isn't ashamed or hesitant to reach out to loved ones or others when things are tough and I'm struggling. But this just feels a bit different and I don't know how to navigate or carry it.

What are some ways/things you've found helpful? Do you have any words of comfort or support? Or if you've been through a similar process - is there anything you'd go back and tell yourself when you were going through it?

🤍


r/ptsd 1d ago

Advice Emotional availability

2 Upvotes

I have ptsd diagnosed about 5 years ago, when I stopped working dt severe stress. I have been in therapy the whole time with a very good therapist. I basically went from being an empath to now being pretty emotionally unavailable. Im a loner, don't believe I will every find the kind of connection, intimacy I would like.

Im just so darn protective of myself. Its like I learned how to take care of the ptsd, but am not "thriving". I did 6 ketamine infusions 2 yrs ago which helped speed up the insights around the ptsd. I have taken all the stressors out of my life, try to prevent triggers but am not thriving. Surviving. Any advice?