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First off- this is *not* a post to debate politics. The current state of politics in the US directly impacts me and people I care about. This is not a distortion. It also looks like things could get a whole lot worse for me and many others I know. Yes, things could get overturned. Yes, things could get better. My PTSD symptoms are high. I am assuming I am not the only person who is dealing with this? How are you all coping? Tips and tricks? Anyone want to vent? (mods, sorry if this is in...

What do you think it is to be self aware in therapy. I have this long email to send my therapist and I've wrote how I feel like I'm pretty self aware, because I do....but what does that mean to you? Would you guys say I was pretty self aware too?

First I had no idea where to put this so if it needs to be moved, have at it. I was thinking about how so many people struggle with the care they didn’t receive when the trauma happened. Then I started wondering, What would that look like? I mean what kinds of words of comfort can anyone provide that helps a 10 year old CSA victim feel anything but terrible? What do you say to a victim of rape that somehow could help them be whole again? It’s kind of like what can anyone say to the war...

Is anyone experiencing excessive sleep, I don’t have energy to do anything throughout the day I just want to sleep the day away?

I joined the gym recently and I've booked a spin class for Thursday...but I didn't think it through 🙈 If it was my old gym that I'd been to before, I'd be fine but because it's a new gym I've never been to/I don't know the layout etc I kinda feel like I need someone to come with me for the first time but there is no one I can ask. I feel ridiculous but I have issues with anxiety. I don't know what to do 🙈 please tell me It's not just me like this! 🫣

Hi! So i had my first session back and it was OK. She has said that i should be curious about why it is I can read/watch all the horrible things around true crime/drawn to law and order SVU but can't talk about my trauma. I don't know, I guess I've never really thought about it 🤷‍♀️ I this a trauma related thing?

At this very moment-as I'm writing this- my abuser/father is passing. Some family is with him continuously. I must work, so I won't go see him till later - if I choose to. My husband has been wonderful and realizes how hard this is for me. We went last night to see him. I couldn't figure out what I was feeling - if anything. I didn't know even what to say to him (between him and me) I know that he is technically gone...so whatever I say or do is only for my benefit, not his. Do I want to...

I hear the word closure used a lot but I am not sure I understand the idea. I understand that as we deal with our trauma our view of it evolves, anger can turn into forgiveness or acceptance or murderous rage. But closure to me implies some sort of endpoint. Do our views on our trauma ever stop evolving? Is there really an endpoint as the word closure implies?

Diagnosed cPTSD - childhood sexual abuse - I seem to keep getting into narcissistic relationships. The first one was through high school - about 5 years long. Guy broke my phone and windshield, tried to break my fingers, etc. - left me when he found a new girl while we were together - you know the deal. 2nd guy I dated 9 years! We got engaged even. Lived with him. He would literally FREAK out on me and go suicidal if I tried to even mention how I felt. He punched holes in the wall - broke...

I am really happy tonight as I've been freaking about my "switching off" moments which can last up to 10 minutes and finally found out why. There is no apparent trigger apart from I'm not too happy with life at that time. Problem is I haven't got a "graduated" emotion switch. So I'm either smiling or crying, quiet or raging, well down or flying high. The end result is. I just switch off, aka zone out. I don't collapse or anything dramatic. I just stand, sit, and it even happens when lying...

Anger is an action, which is made up of many other emotions. When you understand the emotions that trigger anger, you can help yourself to control those smaller emotions, which in turn controls your anger.

Fight, flight & freeze are automatic, instinctive survival responses, not thoughtful or considered responses. Which one occurs depends on the limbic system’s perception of the strength and time available.