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What to tell your children

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I am entering family counseling with my husband and 2 boys (ages 5 and 8). My husband and I went to the first introductory session today. The subject came up as to what to tell my children about what has been going on with me because I have had frequent hospitalizations due to PTSD and DID (dissociative identity disorder). The therapist was talking about the need for kids to know the truth. Does anyone have any recommendations about how much to tell children and how to tell them?
 
So I don't say I have CPTSD to my kids. Otherwise I would be saying, "Bad things happened to mommy..."
I don't know how to explain the abuse and all of that.
I do say that I have anxiety. I talk about my emotions and that I can feel anger, sadness ect. But that I can feel overwhelmed by these emotions and so I need a doctor. I also say that it is ok to feel these emotions, like the movie Inside Out. That is essentially what it is like. Being sad and being ok with that.
I emphasize that I am getting help and doing better everyday. What does your therapist say?
 
My daughter found out about my struggles by accident a couple of years ago and was very upset and called my therapist to help me. When we met with him, I decided to only give her a general explanation of what was going on and he reassured her that he will help me and she had nothing to worry about. I felt at the time too much detail would be a burden for her to carry. When she's ready and asks for information I will tell her more. Maybe your counselor can help reassure your kids of the same thing until the time comes when you feel they are ready for more detail of your experiences and health issues.
 
When I explained to kids, it was usually along the lines of what they could understand at that given time.

So things like, that I'm sad a lot doesn't mean they did something wrong, and I love them very much. Or that I've got to go a lot doesn't mean I won't be back, because I will be back after a couple of weeks. I never dealt with being outwardly angry around kids / if angry it was mostly fear and /for/ them, I don't tend to get angry at kids, former own or in my care and if I'm dealing with something else, distancing.

D.I.D. I explained to my daughter as just what it was, that I'm kind of different people at different times, but all of us feel the same to her & care the same to her & the same rules apply for everyone so nothing changing, can we now please worry about if she took the sandwich with her or not :D. (We make it a policy for the same rules applying in relationships to about anybody, as much as possible, and /always/ to kids, no exceptions, get on the line or don't be around.)
 
I sometimes struggle with this because in an effort to explain my symptoms to them I do use the wording that goes, "Mama is sometimes sick. Or mama is having an off day." I am also recovering from insomnia and drug withdrawal from a benzo. So I worry about this because I don't think my kids want a sick mama that does not feel secure. How can they depend on me? Yet, I want them to know the simple truth so they don't internalize it.
It is very hard to be in this position as a mom. You do not want to f*ck your children up. I am telling myself the most important message is that they know I am getting help, I am getting better.
 
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