Military PTSD V. Sexual Assualt PTSD

[fin]

Can I maybe add that we can expect the unexpected sometimes also, we may not always respond how we think we might. or even perhaps anything like how we have ever responded in the past.

I can say in my case, each new situation brings different things that may or may not trigger me. I know I have become better at recognising emotions and reactions, and to know when to trust myself and my gut (a bit better), and also when and how to be able to calm myself. It takes work ongoing managment, but I can say it does work, I know I have some a way to go yet but I didnt ever think I would have come thins far even, or even in the time i have been here. It can be done and we can learn to manage PTSD. And I think also it isnt out of the realsm of possibility to hope for a better life also.

 

[NoOne]

In my opinion - All people are unique, and so it seems each case will be unique. Categorizing all childhood traumas vs. combat traumas ie. doesn't seem to be the right answer. In reading the posts and getting to chat here, there have been similarities with some aspects of what some of the vets have share in their resulting issues with some of the issues in my life. We all react differently to different situations....for example, from what I understand, some rape victims can come away virtually unscathed while most do not, some vets come home virtually unchanged and most do not. I think categorizing the different types would probably make a lot of t's only look to treat some issues, and never look for the rest, limiting treatment too far....the way many now only see bi-polar or depression etc. and never seeing the real issue of ptsd.

My communication skills are not great, one of my issues, but hopefully you understand and I've not offended anyone by accident. I can only really say that I am greatful for everyone posting here, including vets.....their views on their issues help me better understand and sort out where I'm at...If I can really put myself in even just one issue where they are, even if not all of them are the same, then it seems more damaging to deny access to access to that communication by putting walls there.

Sorry if I said anything wrong....hopefully this came out right... :stupid:

 

[starshine]

Well. My PTSD is due to neither. Rather, I endured cumulative traumas, beginning with early trauma, then being bullied and physically assaulted over a decade every day by my peers at school, as well as witnessing domestic violence - and being emotionally abused myself - at home. Plus some years of re-traumatisation. Classic C-PTSD really.
And I have the Fight response. For years it was solely flight and freeze. I still get those, but not in isolation. As I started to connect with myself and my feelings, Fight came into the equation. Violence was done to me, so it 'makes sense' I would become and/or feel violent back, albeit a couple of decades later.
My point is that we can't classify.
Humiliation, powerlessness, terror, helplessness, are all part.
What matters is listening to each person's unique story.
Whatever our traumas, we share similar symptoms AND we are also each unique.
What's to say that someone's military induced PTSD hasn't been made worse because it touched on childhood abuse in a violent home - what if they even joined the military to fight back for their rights after abuse?

 

[Jagged Angel]

PTSD is an individualised thing. People don't respond in uniform ways to symptoms, so it is very difficult to say things like military PTSD needs to be treated in different ways to sexual assault PTSD.

SGT Bilko, I can see why you have asked the question, but unfortunately, it's not that simple - you get people like me, who have been traumatised by a series of things that are different... abusive relationships, gang rape, living in an urban area of high violent crime and being a witness to and/or victim of extreme violence. I, like so many others on this forum, cannot be placed into one basket for treatment.

I am suspecting that many others here have experienced that moment when their therapist sits back in their chair and says: 'I don't know where to start'.