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I used to go to a support group for survivors of childhood abuse, many of them had PTSD. Most of them met people at parties, through friends, lived next to each other. Think of what you are currently able to tolerate in the social arena and think of making small goals for things you would like...

It is a good sign that your wife is going to therapy with you. This means there is a part of her that wants to try. It is also good to hear that she feels trusting and close enough with you to share her doubts with you about the marriage. If she did not, she would just leave and you wouldn't be...

I strongly encourage you to try and convince your husband to attend marriage counseling sessions and also to continue with therapy on his own. He trusts you, he feels awful and pathetic and so he hurls those terrible things onto you because he can't deal with how he feels about himself. I...

If you were to meet a woman with PTSD, there is no guarantee that it would work out (that you'd be attracted, get along, have other things in common) though it could give you some common ground. Or it could be too much baggage for one relationship if you both were working on things in the same...

Growing up in an abusive environment causes a person to fuse love with abuse/danger/fear/pain- "Trauma Bonds". It isn't like they go out searching for abusive people on purpose but they unconsciously recognize abusive personalities in others and it is familiar to them and in a way comforting...

I used to be really unable to talk about what was troubling me. For about the first year of therapy, I played scrabble with my therapist while either talking about small talk or a little bit about my issues because it was just too hard for me to open up. I couldn't have forced myself to do it...

I have PTSD from multiple childhood trauma and I would say that you don't necessarily need a therapist that deals with complex PTSD. I chose my therapist because one of her specialties was helping trauma survivors and she has been excellent. Since the DSM has not yet accepted the diagnosis of...

I have been helped by some holistic therapies including EFT as well. Your psychiatrist sounds awesome!!

Krikkit- It's awful to be in so much pain and not know when it is going to end. It sounds to me like you are doing the best you can and that's gotta be enough for now, don't be too hard on yourself with where you "should" be. I hear you saying that you don't think this is going to get better but...

Invisible guy- EFT is emotional freedom technique, it is basically tapping certain points on the body (head, chest, etc) and saying something specific about how you are feeling at the moment, for example, "event though I am anxious, I deeply and completely accept myself". EFT also stands for...

Stringthe0ry- what happened to you was aweful, no one should have to go through that. I have experienced dissociation and emotional numbness. As others have mentioned, what you are describing sounds like emotional numbness or depersonalization. Depersonalization is more of an experience of...

Oh yes, sometimes I say I am fine when I am not. I think I do a quick assessment of who the person is, how close they are and what I think they can handle. I have found that going out on a limb and sometimes sharing things helps to make me feel more connected to people. Even saying, 'Oh, I...

In a lot of ways my life is great now, I have a good job, I'm financially blessed, have a supportive husband and look like I am doing well from the outside. On the inside I feel like hell sometimes. I grew up in poverty with a mother who hoarded and had a diagnosed personality disorder...

I can identify with your story, abusive childhood, distancing myself from people, not trusting, anxiety, numbing with substances. I strongly recommend therapy for you, you are having some troubles now but I promise you that things can get better. You have done things the way you have your...

Good for you for seeking help. The most important thing is to go to the counseling so you can get better, your insurance may get some of the information but you can't worry about that. They will probably want to know your diagnosis and then the goals of therapy. In the grand scheme of...

I second the EFT, I've been doing it as well and it seems to reconnect me with reality instead of being stuck in my memories.

I have tried acupuncture for PTSD, I think it did help some. I have gone about 4 times, the first time I went, I had a pretty strong emotional reaction that night, feeling like I was in the thick of it per se. The explanation was that acupuncture releases the stuck energy, memories etc. I did my...