Differences Between Combat And Abuse Related Ptsd

[Sideways]

The hospital I'm in (& frequent!) has a special unit (enormously successful one at that) for combat-related ptsd. Knowing many of the guys who have gone through that unit, I know that their experience of ptsd is different to mine, & that's why they're getting such good results from treating it differently.

But in my mind, that's all it's ever been. Different. Not better, not worse, not more or less acceptable or shameful. Just different.

 

[Stickler]

I think children are still thought of as property...enough that people don't want to get involved.
That was the old attitude.
The new one; that children are supposed to be more of a trust given to their parents...and to some degree kids are a collective responsibility?
We're still working on accepting that.
Just my opinion.

I feel ashamed to talk face to face about my trauma in detail.
It's not my fault, what happened, but somehow I ended up being ruined and contaminated by being used as a thing by so many adults.

 

[Thomas Mariani]

I need to preface this by saying that I have so much love and respect for veterans of war, not just t...

From an outside looking in because I have a dear girl friend that sufferers with CPTSD, I see know difference each sufferer has their own demons and triggers what ever caused them there real in every way. Hope this helped a little bit.

 

[Ndg]

I need to preface this by saying that I have so much love and respect for veterans of war, not just t...

Hi! I am new to here and feel a little uneasy and unsure how things work. I am dealing with a difficult time right now because of a couple of friends I thought were close friends more or less rejecting me since I disclosed my DX of PTSD. I'm also not a combat veteran and my PTSD comes from severe childhood physical and emotional abuse. I was only dx about 6 months ago. I had never even been to a counselor before now and I went because apparently from my therapists perspective, my coping skills served me well but finally collapsed. I have had two friends do a slow fade and one friend said some very offensive things when I told her. I was told to tell my closest friends but I feel that was bad choice. One friend literally said to me "well I knew you were damaged goods". I'm having a hard time with the sort of rejection and stigma I'm feeling. Does anybody have any advice?

 

[Virtues]

Hi! I am new to here and feel a little uneasy and unsure how things work. I am dealing with a difficult time...

I'm sorry to hear this and I wish I had the right words to say, but in my experience there is a lot of stigmas about PTSD, and people who don't take the time to try and want to understand the disorder will just continue believing the misconceptions. I am a vet with PTSD, so you think in the veteran community there would be a lot more understanding and acceptance (well there isn't). I am very careful who I tell about my condition. One thing is for sure; you are always safe here in this forum. As far as the world outside, I try and look at it like this: There is no reason for anyone to know what I am going through except those who are so close to me that it affects there life on a daily basis (like my wife and kids), and my doctors and T's. This disorder doesn't change my moral fabric, only the way in which I view the world. On my bad days I try to stay away from other people, on my good days you wouldn't even know anything is wrong with me, and in the event I have a meltdown or flashback in front of someone I know, but doesn't know I have PTSD, this is always a bit embarrassing and warrants an explanation, but I can count on 1 hand the number of times I've had to have this uncomfortable conversation with someone (maybe that's because I isolate, I don't know), and it has never gone terrible.

My suggestion to you would be to find an outlet with a T or a group and as you become more comfortable than bring your inner circle in. The worst thing you can let happen is for this thing to become your identity. You are still you. I hope this helps a little bit; please keep your head up.

 

[Kintsugi]

@Ndg So sorry to hear your friends have recieved your Dx so poorly and have treated you badly (or disappeared) because of it.

This is a pretty old thread. I suggest you start one in the PTSD Relationships forum for more responses related to your issue

 

[O-2-Tango]

The points you raise are interesting. You've made the distinction between PTSD caused by veterans i...

I tried to respond, not sure if it went through. Anyway, thank you for your post. I am a vet, not combat PTSD, mostly CPTSD I suppose from what I'm told. I feel shamed at the VA because it's not combat related. The dx is really new, so I deny it. I feel like I'm in limbo between vets and civis... Just whining and crying and getting no where. I hate myself so much! Failed as a soldier and now I continue to fail. I dismiss my trauma and feel like I spend time trying to convince myself that something happened because my therapist tries to validate me, but I just feel weak and cowardly.

 

[Ed Norton]

With the exception of a few who broke a nail during prom night or stubbed their toe and now have PTSD. We are all here for a reason..we suffer in different ways and different levels at different times. But we aren't here for fun...the difference between combat and noncombat PTSD is that combat PTSD came from combat the other traumas came from other stuff

I have two friends who were once in my tutorial center one a Marine one Army and they had a similar upbringing as me, they both LOVED Iraq said less crazy! Even were honorable enough to buy me some stuff from the PX


As everyone here knows my traumas were playing with matches and eating mom's cooking Lol

Sorry couldn't resist -I swear I'm not crazy!

 

[mary1979]

For comparisons sake, and looking only at a society level I feel like people accept combat ptsd with much less stigma (though only in recent times I know)
To me the obvious reason is that combat ptsd is the result of heroic actions.
The serving member is looked at with respect, he after all sacrificed his everything for the greater good of us all.

Csa or related trauma is looked at from more of a victim stance than a hero one.

Like I said though, this is my opinion on a societal level.

Really though, ptsd isn't to be compared, because what one person experiences as trauma another might consider everyday life.

And where then do those suffering the myriad of other equally disturbing traumas fit in?
Society doesn't even want to know, they're busy having a hard enough time avoiding the thought of the first two types of trauma by watching fictionary people be traumatised on tv

On a personal level, id rather survive my trauma than have to live through ANY aspect of war.
I feel blessed to have been born where I was that ill likely never have to be exposed to that kind of suffering.

 

[Virtues]

For comparisons sake, and looking only at a society level I feel like people accept combat ptsd with mu...

I wouldn't say there is less stigma with combat PTSD, maybe different but not less. One of the biggest stigmas with combat PTSD I face is "you're dangerous" or "you're prone to violence". This is the reason I don't share my diagnoses with others; I can't count the number of people who are legitimately threatened by combat vets with a mental health diagnosis. You can't imagine what it's like to have a world of people afraid of you, the same people you swore to protect now vilifying you. When every bit of your moral fabric has been to serve and protect and now your treated like a threat. One minute you were their hero the next their enemy, it is a very unsettling feeling.

 

[Ed Norton]

@Florian7051
I have many Veterans in my family from WWI to Nam and I know 2 as mentioned above who are great guys
I HATE that. ..Thanks for your service. I was really honored for the trinkets they got me from the PX. I felt like I was special since I know that is for the armed forces. I also have a 50cal round shhh and a bill with Saddam's face...they were happy to pass biology and chemistry :)

 

[Ed Norton]

Oh and I know stigma if I told a lot of people what triggered my latent PTSD they would say 'well what did you do to threaten them?' my new answer is 'I rented a truck and also tried to get my house straight so that I can always be at the airport on time so that the captain can get started with the jet'
I really should stop dressing like a whore though lol