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I'm Opening Up To My Family About My Feelings And It's Hard

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Mim28

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I've been opening up to my family this time about how I am feeling and I don't think they know how to handle this side of me. I've usually the advice-giver and I keep my feelings to myself, but I've crying lately and just asking them to listen to what I'm saying. It's a double-edged sword because I feel like I'm letting it out, but then I worry about what they are thinking of me.
Does anyone else feel this way?
 
Sharing one's feelings is always a bit risky, even when sharing with those we love.

Ben
...[/QUOTE]
Thank you for responding Buck. It is so risky but I feel like a fraud otherwise. I guess I've felt like a fraud my whole life. I'm limiting my feeling to my immediate family. I'm not even sharing with my friends. I am so fragile right now that I just have to reach out to those I trust and today I made my dad cry by telling him that I'm not as brave as he thinks I am. That hurt so much.
 
I agree with Ben. I hope it helps to write about your feelings. I know that helps me. Just getting it out there can be healing.

I don't know your story, but one thing that has helped me to learn is that when we have ptsd or c-ptsd, our true feelings get buried along with the bad feelings associated with trauma. Surviving often depends upon keeping those bad feelings suppressed, whether it's to appease abusive parents or function smoothly in the workplace. To open those feelings up can literally feel threatening despite the fact that it really needs to come out for us to be who we really are. It truly takes bravery to allow those feelings to surface and even more to speak them. But every time you can do that, you're helping yourself become whole again. Best wishes in your process!
 
I can definitely relate to it being a bit of a struggle to take on a slightly different role in my family. I don't know if this would help with your case, but one thing that I do when I get a new diagnosis is let some of the people close to me read the things that my therapist gives me that explains the diagnosis. My family doesn't really look things up online, so I think it helps them actually understand what is going on with me. It also takes some of the pressure off of me to explain myself clearly.

I can also relate to having one of your family members cry while you talk about these kinds of things. I try to remember that part of loving people means that you'll cry for them. If there hasn't been already, there will be days that you cry for them too.
 
I told my family I was suffering from PTSD about 7 months ago, only now, they view me as this fragile being. My boyfriend values the time he has with me when I seem 'normal' like my usual self. I hate feeling so vulnerable and worthless, because I can't control how I feel. Feeling like I want to be back 7 months ago, when I didn't have to deal with this all. - I completely understand how you feel.
 
My living relative does not believe ptsd exists outside of war, says people should get over it.

Oddly enough , not sure if they have it.
 
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