• 💖 [Donate To Keep MyPTSD Online] 💖 Every contribution, no matter how small, fuels our mission and helps us continue to provide peer-to-peer services. Your generosity keeps us independent and available freely to the world. MyPTSD closes if we can't reach our annual goal.

New To The Forum And Just Diagnosed With Ptsd

Status
Not open for further replies.

dragonflymom

Learning
Hi everyone,

This is my first time posting on this forum, a friend from another forum recommended it to me. I've been reading through the articles along with my husband and they seem to be helping me make sense of a lot of what I've been feeling.

I was just diagnosed with PTSD by my doctor after telling her about years of abuse by my ex husband and all the recent issues that have cropped up with me related to it. It is so hard because he still has some visitation with my daughter so I feel like I can't get away from him - 6 more years til she is 18 then we will never let him set foot in our home or call.

I have my first counseling appointment tomorrow, here's hoping that it helps...
 
Welcome Dragonflymom!

We're very glad you're here!
Good luck with tomorrow's first therapy session! You're taking very good steps for healing!

Looking forward to hearing how your session goes, and to seeing your posts.
I'm so sorry you need to have some continuing connection with your ex :p
Hopefully your therapist can help you with some creative, protective and healing ways to deal with this and heal.

Sending warmest welcomes,
Deer
 
Hi dragonflymom

Welcome to the forum.

Good luck with your first therapy session, it will be tough and it may well upset you more at the beginning. but keep going with it, post how you feel on here when you can. It will get easier eventually.

Good to here your husband is working with you on this. It helps you both enormously if you can fight this together, both heading in the same direction.

I am not sure how it works where you are, but in the UK, once a child reaches 12 I think, they can decide for themselves whether they see the absent parent. Just something for you to look into and maybe let your daughter decide for herself.

Amethist
 
Welcome to the forum.

There is great information and the support from most of the members is amazing.

Good luck with your counselling session

KP
 
Thanks so much everybody for all the support!

Sorry I have not posted sooner, it has been a hectic couple of days - trying to get ready to run a competition at an SCA event next weekend just when I feel like everything is falling apart.

The first counseling session was really hard - she asked a whole lot of questions! But I think I learned a lot from it that ultimately will help. We worked on improving my breathing and posture to make me less anxious, she had me block my ex's number from my cell phone so I have places to go where I can feel safe and he can't contact me, and had me talk to my family about triggers and how yelling a lot and throwing things remind me of the abuse. In addition to the counseling she wants me to start going to our local YWCA's program for victims of domestic violence, and she also thinks I have depression in addition to or as part of the PTSD and wants me to talk to my doctor about anti-depressants.

So it was an awful lot to handle in an hour but I think that it will definitely help me to handle all this.
 
It sounds as if you are off to a good start. I'm so pleased for you. Well done, it is tough and a lot to digest. You should be pleased with yourself.

How do you feel about going to the d.v. program? I am v stressed and anxious in new or different situations but have made some progress lately.

Small steps, take it at your pace and be kind to yourself. Treat yourself, you deserve it.

(((HUGS)))
KP
 
HI Dragonfly and welcome to the forum. You are indeed off to a good start. As others have stated, take your time, read the articles and post as you feel comfortable. Things may get worse in the beginning of therapy, but they do eventually get better. I am so sorry that you had to go thru such abuse. Kudos for you in having the courage to leave! You are obviously a strong woman, your daughter is lucky.
 
KP - I'm going to the first support group meeting at the d.v. program on Monday. I admit I am a little nervous because I'm very shy, but I think it will probably be good for me to talk about it with people who understand and have been through what I have - I can't talk about it with my parents anymore they have no clue, and my husband tries to help but can only do so much. So I think it will be good for me once I can get over the jitters. Thanks for the hugs! *hugs back*

Iam - thanks so much for your support and encouragement! :)
 
KP - I'm going to the first support group meeting at the d.v. program on Monday. I admit I am a little nervous because I'm very shy, but I think it will probably be good for me to talk about it with people who understand and have been through what I have

Good for you, I think it will be good for you.

I'll be thinking of you
Love
KP
 
Hi dragonflymom. Welcome to the forum. I think you will find a lot of support and helpful information here. I am glad you have a supportive husband first and foremost (the first step in healing is having someone close to you supporting you
smile.png
). Secondly, I am pleased that you are off to a good start in therapy. It will feel a bit overwhelming at first and you may feel more irritable and tired than usual - this is where your husband has to be your rock! I say this because I have severe PTSD symptoms at times and my husband has been absolutely amazing by learning all he can about the condition, supporting me where he can and giving me space when I need it, and being the sensible partner when I am irrational.

I also have an exhusband who gives me a hard time but was abusive to my youngest child. My husband has helped in that area as well. When certain things that my exhausband does trigger off certain responses, he has the ability to remain level-headed and helps me to see things rationally and to deal with them as an average person might. You will need to do a lot of reading and reasearch and to learn as much as you can in order to help yourself. Let your husband support you and thank him for the effort he will be putting in to helping you. Together you will go a long way to healing you and your family. I wish you well from now on.
 
welcome to the forum. This place is warm, supportive environment. We are in various stages of healing. I wish you the best and don't hesitate to ask.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top