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My dad made a point to always tell me how good I had it and that I was selfish/dramatic to think otherwise. It wasn't until several years after I left his home that I began to identify the physical, emotional, and mental abuse for what it was. About two years after I moved out of my dads house...

Do you consider it to be a bad thing to be subtle with your family? Really that just sounds like a benign observation. Did she go on to say that you shouldn't be subtle with your family? She could've been trying to validate your feelings of being put down by your family. Really there are endless...

How do you mean "done"? How long have you felt that way? I'm pretty early into recovery but I'll have days that I feel like my best self and I'll have days when I feel like the world is falling apart. I think the objective is to feel better more often than you feel worse but I don't know that it...

I know exactly what you mean! For me, it's hard to resist that urge once it's there. Like I know something will trigger me and I know that avoiding triggers is in alignment with my life goals but the pull is sometimes too strong. Doesn't happen as often as it used to.

This may be a dumb question but does a stressor have to directly pertain to your trauma to be labeled as a "stressor"? I'm composing a list of my stressors and triggers. Some items on my list could potentially have been developed by my trauma but I really don't have the energy to think about it...

For some of us it can take a very long time to Open up in therapy and that's okay. It's important to establish trust with who you decide to tell. Trust is hard, I would say for most of us. Don't be hard on yourself. We're all just doing the best we can.

That's fantastic that you have a supportive partner. It won't be like this forever. You're freshly triggered. It's going to be worse than usual for a period of time. I like the idea of journaling. Journaling helps me to look through and get an objective look at how I've been doing over time...

Yes it is very common. Sometimes we call them body memories or phantom touches. You are right to treat them the same as flashbacks. Use grounding and anything else that works for you. If you're in therapy, I have found talk therapy to help the most. It's not an immediate cure but helps me to...

I'm terrified of people walking towards me. Hearing footsteps coming in my direction makes me lose it. Closely related to this is walking past a person or feeling like someone is in "my bubble". My therapist used to wait for me to enter her office and close the door behind me but now she lets...

You did the right thing. You told him counseling was the deal breaker and he chose to break the deal. Stay strong. You're doing the right thing.

I'm slightly confused what you're asking if we've experienced also. What you're describing is your PTSD symptoms being exacerbated by lack of support from your family. Personally, I don't have much family so that was never an issue but several members here have experienced non-supportive...

It took me a really long time to open up in therapy. Don't beat yourself up. We're all pretty damaged and that means building walls.

I'm a lesbian and genderqueer. I don't like to identify as one or the other. I'm okay with "she" but I don't like it when someone directly calls me a "woman".

This is the best analogy I've ever seen.

When i say "I'm feeling bad" that means I'm losing control and I might be weird for a bit. I just need someone to sit with me, talk about something light, check in with me from time to time, just allow me to be and not judge me. Sometimes I say "I'm having bad thoughts" and my friend will say...

I know that you probably don't want to hear this but... if he's willing to drop you over this then he clearly doesn't understand it or respect the therapist-client relationship. My last therapist dumped me and I had an excruciating obsession with her. When she did it I thought I was going to...

I think it simply just takes time. A lot of times in therapy I'll actually want to open up and get it out but somehow lose the ability to speak a word of it. My therapist said it's a defense mechanism. Anyway, slowly, as I'm ready, I've been able to release bits and chunks of my trauma in...

@Naoru im glad you posted this because I needed everything @RecedingMoonlight had to say. God therapy is so hard. I wont quit because I know what direction my life was going in before therapy and my life has improved immensely since starting therapy but sometimes it feels like the process might...

I have had this experience with every therapist I have ever had. It is excruciating at times! I have tried lots of approaches. I was convinced at one time that seeing my therapist less often would help but the opposite turned out to be true. Now I go weekly and feel safe to talk about my...

I get those. I had something interesting happen recently. I finally told my therapist about an event in detail. Now when the associated body memory happens, sometimes I imagine her doing it. Definite case of transference and it's uncomfortable to think of her in that way but it's so so much...

So I guess what I'm saying is that I don't want you to be discouraged. Of course it doesn't work for everyone but it has value.

Thought stopping works for me (it was a huge epiphany when I first discovered it) but it's a honed skill. You have to train your brain to listen to your commands and act accordingly. Then your brain reacts faster and more efficiently over time.

I was very very guarded when I started therapy. The therapist I am with now is very patient with me. I recently started opening up. It just takes time. Some take more time than others. I have seen my current therapist for 10 months. I saw other therapists for a year prior to finding her.

I've accidentally come across child porn before. I didn't report it or tell anyone. Thank you so much for being so open and honest here. I relate to your original post so much. It helps to know I'm not alone with all of those feelings.

I'm terrified of coming within 5 feet of other people. Grocery shopping is the worst. Work sometimes distracts me and I forget about it.