Recent content by Ellen Francis

Thank you so much @Justmehere. That really means a lot to me & helps me continue to put things in perspective.

I have co-occurring diagnoses of Bipolar 1, severe GAD, OCD disorders, an eating disorder, ADHD, etc. The only 1 I feel might not necessarily fit is/are the OCD disorders (pure-O, Dermatillomania). Though I'm not sure how Dermatillomania could be CPTSD in disguise...but the purely-obsessional...

@DharmaGirl thank you <3 I really appreciate what you & @EveHarrington have said. I feel bad saying I was "beaten" or even "borderline beaten" by my parents though, because I know some people have been through sooo much worse. But at the same time, I try to remind myself that the only person who...

I thought it was normal. I knew that it was much, much more-so (almost entirely so) directed at me & not my younger sister (scapegoat child vs. golden child dynamic to a T). But I didn't know that most kids don't get spanked (aka borderline beaten in my case) 1) at all or 2) for as long as I did...

@EveHarrington - Thank you <3 It's amazing what I'm discovering that is most likely linked to a PTSD or general trauma response. For example: the more someone ignores me or doesn't talk to me, the more I want to talk to them (that's a watered-down version but you get it), I use some of my most...

My current therapist doesn't specialize in trauma, but my eating disorder therapist (whom I'm seeing for a few recovery tune-up sessions) has an EMDR therapist she really wants me to see (if my parents will ever allow me to try EMDR...they're against it currently b/c they think the only "trauma"...

@DharmaGirl - I was diagnosed with Bipolar 1 with rapid cycling & mixed features after being admitted inpatient psych 2.5 years ago for a manic episode. Personally, I feel the bipolar diagnosis fits & is separate from my C-PTSD. Neither my therapist nor my psychiatrist have re-considered the...

Hi, call me Ellen. It's a pseudonym but I like it that way. I'm a lifelong (childhood & present day) survivor of verbal, emotional, psychological, & (until age 13) some physical abuse by my parents. I'm also a survivor of lifelong social trauma & bullying. I'm ("high-functioning") autistic &...