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Sufferer Ex Had Internet Porn Addiction

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Mtgirl

New Here
Hi, I am new here, but have been suffering with PTSD for years. As my title says my exhusband had an internet porn addiction which let to my PTSD. I am hoping to connect with someone who has had similar experiences. I watched this addiction daily for 13 years before I got out of the marriage. I had begged, and hoped things would change and in the process I totally destroyed who I was.

I have a new wonderful husband now, and I find it hard to trust him. He has never given me even a hint that I can't trust him, he is rather the opposite, and I feel so bad that I hurt him so often with this.

Like I said, just looking for some support. Thanks for taking the time to read. :)
 
Welcome Mtgirl
my exhusband had an internet porn addiction which let to my PTSD.
I must say I haven't read or heard of a partner's porn addiction causing PTSD. Are you able to share how it caused you trauma? I totally appreciate how distressing it would be along with the sense of betrayal but it doesn't seem to fit the PTSD criteria as I understand it. Is there more to the story?
 
Hi Nicolette, unfortunately yes it does in fact cause PTSD. I have been diagnosed and treated by two separate dr. for this over the past years. The story is in fact a long one, as you guessed. In my introduction I tried to keep it brief, as the site recommends. I am just looking for support in hopes someone else can relate. I am sure that is what we are all looking for. :) Thanks for the welcome.
 
Hi Mtgirl

Thanks for explaining a little more. I did not think a doctor was qualified to diagnose PTSD and in fact a psychiatrist would be the appropriate practitioner for such a diagnosis.

The current criteria is set out in the DSM V - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DSM-5 published by the American Psychiatric Association http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diagnostic_and_Statistical_Manual_of_Mental_Disorders.

The DSM has been revised over the years and what once fitted the criteria for PTSD may no longer. I am intrigued by your diagnosis in relation to what you have so far revealed.
 
Hi MTgirl,

Was there physical abuse in your marriage? If not, then porn addiction of a partner does not come close to meeting diagnostic criterion for PTSD. That is the same with bad relationship breakdowns. Unless there is abuse that can meet the level of abnormally traumatic, i.e. rape, physical abuse, emotional abuse to the point of torture, and so forth, you cannot have PTSD. A partner masturbating, ignoring you and so forth, actually fits into the realm of 'could be normally expected within a relationship' thus, doesn't meet abnormally traumatic event.

That's like saying you got PTSD from your partner being overtly anxious, or depressed. You can become anxious or depressed, but that isn't PTSD.

Did you fall into the above? If so, which area and what specifically?
 
I will not be posting here again, and am surprised at this site. I have a diagnosis from two doctors, psychologists, for PTSD. I was just looking for someone who has had similar experiences such as disasociation, severe panic attacks, etc not a debate. I will look elsewhere.
 
MTGirl, nobody is dismissing your experience. I am absolutely questioning your diagnosis though. There is either more to it which I don't understand to agree with your diagnosis, or it's simply nothing new for psychologists to make such idiotic slap happy diagnoses with clients to keep them coming through the door for more therapy.

Look at the first criterion for PTSD yourself, and tell me what the traumatic event was that fits you to continue the diagnosis:

A. Exposure to actual or threatened a) death, b) serious injury, or c) sexual violation, in one or more of the following ways:

1. directly experiencing the traumatic event(s)
2. witnessing, in person, the traumatic event(s) as they occurred to others
3. learning that the traumatic event(s) occurred to a close family member or close friend; cases of actual or threatened death must have been violent or accidental
4. experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to aversive details of the traumatic event(s) (e.g., first responders collecting human remains; police officers repeatedly exposed to details of child abuse); this does not apply to exposure through electronic media, television, movies, or pictures, unless this exposure is work-related.

Sexual violation is just that... sexually violated (rape, sexual assault, so forth).
 
I can understand that if he masturbated over you whilst asleep, and if you awoke, that could be distressing... but he was also your husband, which means that if you didn't feel your life was in danger, or from being raped or such, still not PTSD.

If you did feel like he was going to rape you, then you would fit the criterion for PTSD diagnosis.

Again... not dismissing anything, but trying to understand. When people say some things of lesser traumatic events, it can be absolutely misconstrued as misdiagnosed. Most are, but some aren't.

There is no need to be defensive... questions are simply a discussion.
 
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