Does Anyone Else In Your Family (parents/siblings) Have Ptsd?

[jmni]

My mother exhibits symtoms of scizophrenia. She is a hoarder. She also exhibits some indications that she has a personality disorder or is bipolar.

When I was around 10 years old she was walking with friends to lose weight. Anyway, some man sexually assaulted her and based on her description he attempted to rape her but she got away. But it occurred to me that despite all of her other disorders she has never exhibited any sign of ptsd. She never once mentioned it happening after it initially blew over.

It seems strange to me because she is clearly mentally unstable. But she doesn't care that she was attacked at all. Even though he was never apprehended.

Was wondering if anyone else in your family had symptoms of ptsd. Clearly I don't mean spouses.

 

[arfie]

Chronic perfection is the most common problem in my family. My spouse's family, as well. My spouse has gotten as far as freeing himself from the delusion of perfection, but let himself be "psycho-labeled?" Probably not this week, either. Oh well. Each to their own coping methods, ¿no?

When I let myself go down the family analysis rabbit hole, yes, I see symptoms of PTSD everywhere I look. But I try not to go down that rabbit hole. As one of my favorite therapists told me, "If you were qualified to do psycho-analysis, you would know better than to analyze family members and casual acquaintances."

 

[Britt.f7]

My grandpa, I believe, after the war. Just from some of the things he and the family told me. Of course they didn't call it PTSD then.

As far as the rest of my family? I don't know. I do believe they have some mental health problems, but I wouldn't label them. Mostly because I don't like to be labelled and I'm not a professional.

 

[Madhather]

I believe my sister does, but it is not diagnosed. She has chosen to self medicate using alcohol and isolation. We haven't spoken in years.

 

[Lady of Longbourn]

My grandfather. He was in the Army during the Korean war. He used to have nightmares and scream in his sleep. While I know he knew what he had and so did some of the family, I don't think he had much knowledge about it and I don't think my family was supportive. I know he traveled half way across my rural home state, by bus, to the VA center for once a month therapy. He is not alive anymore but looking back I do feel sorry for him. He didn't have the support or live in a world with better mental health care. I am lucky for my support, the internet and the money to pay for my medications and treatments.

My aunt (who had to take care of him, something she resented) told me that sometimes he would 'act like he was drunk when he wasn't'. Not sure if he had another mental illness with his PTSD or not.

 

[Spiderallis]

It took me a while to seek treatment because I thought some of this was fairly normal, just me being like my mother. When I was diagnosed she asked me several questions before saying that several people had brought it up over the years- she worked in banks half her life and faced several robberies. A change in professions decreased her symptoms a great deal, I don't know if she'd meet the diagnostic criteria at this point. From what I know of her childhood, she might have had some symptoms before working in the banks.

It looks like there's a few generations of possible trauma to be honest. There's a lot of things that don't get mentioned, and from what has been said I'm sure my family history is hiding some bigger scandals than I've been told about. If it's okay to talk about grandpa's other family across town, I'm afraid to imagine what could be taboo. We met them after he passed away, he kept the same mistress on the side through two marriages and I can see why. She was a great lady, even grandma liked her once they got a chance to meet.

 

[Notsowild]

Great thread @jmni
My mother was agoraphobic most of my childhood. She also had panic attacks and was committed to a psych hospital when I was 7 or 8. I know she was sexually abused when she was younger and then living with my abusive father couldn't have been easy for her either .

I have a schizophrenic youngest sister and she went through the same sexual abuse from our father as I

Now I come from a huge family- 7 girls and 3 boys plus 3 half- brothers . I think most if us turned out relatively well considering what we went through. But I was the only one to develop PTSD from the abuse. I always wondered why? I was the shy one , definitely more sensitive. Does that make a difference in developing PTSD ??? Hmm

 

[ill]

There's lots of trauma all over the place on both sides of my family that manifests in a few different ways but I do believe I'm the first and only one to be diagnosed with anything, probably because I'm the first person to seek outside help for my mental health. I'm convinced that my mother has PTSD too, but I cannot imagine her ever willingly discussing her trauma with a mental health professional.

 

[Deleted member 20280]

My grandpa, I believe, after the war. Just from some of the things he and the family told me. Of course they didn't call it PTSD then.

The old phrase was "shell shock" PTSD was only named in 1989. Poignant year for me BTW!!!!!

Lots of hugs

Laurie

 

[Abstract]

As arfie wisely mentions there is no way of truly knowing as I am not a professional but here I go anyway :D My immediate family don't have PTSD despite being decidedly messed up. I don't believe you can have PTSD without showing some signs of startle reflex over a period of time at some point over many years and if there are no sign of the sleep issues that come with hypervigilence. All have had traumatic experiences.

I would be very surprised if my father didn't have a serious personality disorder and I would also call him traumatised but no PTSD. It is possible that my sister would have met PTSD criteria for a short while and I would definitely call her traumatised but for example I know she has never had issues with dissociation or had any obvious intrusive symptoms (visuals, sensory). She has OCD too and suffers a lot in life. All have depression. My brother is the best adjusted and has a pretty normal life and I am glad for him. But then he hasn't had some of the trauma my sister and I have had and my mother cared and looked after him in a different way to how she reacted to us. That must go a long way. My brothers one child has been diagnosed with a dissociative disorder (age 4).

So with PTSD it is just me. Something else to use against myself! Ironic though as in certain ways I am the most rational one out of them all.

 

[SMC_1987]

Both my brother and father are war veterans, my brother has been officially diagnosed and is seeking therapy. Unfortunately my father is too proud to get help and self medicates with alcohol, ironically he's the one pushing my brother to get help. My father and I exhibit many of the same symptoms which I find interesting, it makes me wonder if PTSD can be in some ways hereditary in terms of personality types being more prone/likely to developing it despite having been exposed to different traumas.

My mother was also in the army for 15 years before she broke her back on work up training to go to Afghanistan in 2002. As a result she is permanently disabled and was medically released from the military. I often wonder if she suffers from PTSD as well, she's never been diagnosed but definitely has many signs.

So basically, my whole immediate family. Thats a scary thought. I guess thats what we get for choosing careers in military/law enforcement lol.

 

[Hashi]

It seems strange to me because she is clearly mentally unstable

This describes so many people I'm related to. They don't realise they're mentally unstable, though. They think other people are the problem.