New Forum For CPTSD Information Created

[justme4]

I am new to this forum and by reading the responses you all sound like very intelligent articulate individuals. I have had non-combat PTSD for many years from multiple traumas. The fact of the matter is that my startle respones can be just as bad as someone who has combat related PTSD. If I am at a restaurant and the waitor drops a plate of dishes I will jump just as high as the person with combat PTSD. Same symptom but different origin.
I have found this forum very helpful in the short amount of time that I have been a member. If there is alot of in fighting and my Dad is bigger than your Dad stuff it will stress me out and I will drop off the radar for a while. If you were in the states I would say that you should discuss this over Bud light in the rose garden.

 

[SunnyBrookFarm]

I think the information area for C-PTSD is a good idea - simply, because I do understand that some treatments should be handled differently and I believe the process has to be a bit slower (which I don't believe even some therapists quite understand).

I have personally (I'm sure) offended some on this forum - but I don't think it's a difference of PTSD vs C-PTSD - I think it's just not truly being able to get your message to come across as you intended or it not being received as you intended. That happens on every forum. This happens with any written message as opposed to face to face.

I personally have benefited greatly in my diary and in general areas from advice from a broad range of people including C-PTSD, PTSD, Carers, Suffers, Suffers that are also Carers, military PTSD, sexual abuse PTSD, childhood sexual abuse PTSD etc. etc. Sometimes (for me) it's very helpful to have that additional perspective - from another point of view.

After all, regardless of how we got here - we are all in the same boat now.

 

[godhelpusoneandall]

Anthony, thank you for the ne CPTSD section. I am having touble navigating the site. Is the section up yet? If so, where is it. Sorry. Kat

 

[cherryblossom]

It's in the information section,

here

[DLMURL]http://www.ptsdforum.org/forumdisplay.php?f=50[/DLMURL]

Hope this helps

 

[becvan]

Anthony thank you, once again, for creating this section.

I also do not agree with creating a special diary or chat section for us C-PTSD'ers. We tend to isolate ourselves enough as it is. I do have some difficulty understanding PTSD as a stand alone at times and if I had a section just for my type of PTSD, I'd never be seen again! Mingling does help.

What our problem is, is that those of us with C-PTSD never discuss it (myself included.) We just don't say a damn word. I'm hoping that with this new section and many more people with this type of PTSD, we will start to talk about it more.

Others that do not have C-PTSD will NEVER UNDERSTAND US, if we do not ever talk about it. Having our own section.. wow what a freaking mess that would be.

bec

 

[frangipani]

Hi all,

I'm a newbie here and am very afraid of sticking my head in the lion's mouth on this, but maybe a fresh perspective would be appreciated?

Also, please forgive me if I can't get my thoughts out well (or all at once...this may take a couple of posts). I'm still digesting everything on the site and on this post in particular.

That said, I would LOVE to see a CPTSD forum on here.

Here are my thoughts:

- I'm still new to CPTSD and am desperate to read fellow members' experiences with it. There are quite a number of references to CPTSD that come up when I do a search and I find myself sifting through a lot of information that I'm not looking for in order to find the information I am looking for. For example: Some posts are about CPTSD, while others just have passing references to CPTSD. I'm overwhelmed by all there is to sort through and am finding myself frustrated because I know more information is in here, I just can't find it. I think breaking things down a little more would be a helpful way for members to find information. Especially as this site continues to grow, I think it may eventually become impossible to find useful information about anything if it's not grouped in some way.

- I'm coming here from a larger, "all-purpose" MI forum and there are sub-forums on it for just about everything and across many different aspects (e.g., bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, substance abuse, relationship issues, religion issues, med issues, etc.). However, there's also an expansive "Central" forum for general depression and/or less-specific issues. I imagine something similar could be done here...sub-forums where people can post and receive support specifically for various aspects of the PTSD experience. CPTSD, yes. Sexual abuse, yes. Combat PTSD, yes. And on and on. However, it doesn't have to go on ad infinitum. I think it doesn't have to be one extreme or another. (BTW, I'd be happy to refer you to this forum if you want to see what I'm talking about.)

- Further to the above, I don't think having separate forums necessarily separates us as a group. Just like on my other forum, I tend to use the "View New Posts" button instead of just going to one forum; I like to participate across the board.

- I personally would rather see the diaries section remain grouped into one section. I think the diaries section is where the separateness of the symptoms or current issues don't matter, where the theme is most common: we've all endured some type of trauma and are trying to work through it by sharing our experiences.

- I wonder whether a post (a poll, maybe) could be created so that members could chime in with their thoughts. Whether they would like to see more forums, what they might like to see, etc.


Whew! That was a lot for me to get out! I still have thoughts in my head about this but can't get any more out right now. I really do hope, though, that even the few things above can help get this discussion opened back up.

Thank you for taking the time to listen.

 

[anthony]

That said, I would LOVE to see a CPTSD forum on here.

Again, where does it then stop? Police, fire, ambulance, combat, rape, bullying, etc etc etc... the moment you categorise one you open it up to categorise all.

You use the reason of search, and how you have to sift through threads, however; if you had a cptsd forum, there would be more with ptsd responding than cptsd, thus you would be back to the same issues.

There are various ways for members to group themselves if they desire, and so far, I have not seen it done, which means its not as popular as some people would like it to be. I do not see a group for cptsd, a group blog, nothing...

You would need to convince me other ways before I even thought about putting such a thing to a poll. I understand your opinion, but are you thinking beyond yourself?

I would off loved to create an area years ago for combat PTSD, but you don't see that either. Why? Because the moment I did that I would be thinking about grouping people and isolating them. It has been proven here already, this concept of making people communicate with others here opens there eyes beyond their own trauma, which helps every single person in ways never thought. The forum is designed to push people, not make it easy for them.

I understand you may think it is acceptable to group people, and that is ok, but this forum is not designed to do that, this forum is very specifically designed and well thought out in how it functions. Grouping within a group is not as good as you may think with PTSD. It stems more issues than solves.

Please feel free to start a group of group blog for cptsd. One person with cptsd can create their own blog, then invite only those with cptsd to it, which then becomes a group blog, in that you can have direct discussions from each and every member just like within a forum. Each member can create a new topic, respond, etc.

 

[On the Outside Looking In]

Hello, All!

It's been amusing to view the posts here because, of course there are always different points of view, and I'm tickled pink to even see CPTSD being discussed. When I was diagnosed with CPTSD and I googled it back then, I only found dusty quotes from Herman's original paper on it. It was not generally accepted as a "true" diagnosis then, as much as it is now. Therefore, PTSD information is what I had access to, read, and used.

To me CPTSD is PTSD with a twist. Complex PTSD has to do with length of incidents and possibly repeated incidents (sometimes known as re-victimization). That to me is the main difference. There can also be pre-verbal and early childhood trauma that you won't see in PTSD, but will in CPTSD. And it does have some separate issues, but then again, as Anthony has stated repeatedly, so does combat PTSD.

One thing that CPTSD sufferers do seem to have in common with each other is lack of secure attachments. You can see this in chronic, life disabling PTSD as well. The difference is that CPTSD sufferers often did not have secure attachments as children with their main caregivers, and PTSD suffers develop insecure attachments later in life. This is very simplified explanation, I know. But the point is that if you are having problems with attachments and isolation, why would you want to be in a room full of the same? How would you know how to develop a secure attachment, or overcome the lack of one, without someone in the room who does know how. Again, this is simplified, but you can see my point.

I believe studies are being conducted and (maybe there are published ones out there, too) that point out that the best group therapy for CPTSD is done in a mixed atmosphere. The most successful therapy works in a safe environment with various levels of trauma, stress, and anxiety. This is because those who are at the most critical levels of stress & anxiety have examples to help them, and those with less critical levels of stress benefit from helping others overcome. I have been a part of such a group. (You wouldn't believe the screening and matching that goes into selection for such a group.) Not everyone has CPTSD, and not everyone has PTSD. Every member of the group has some form of anxiety disorder that is substantially disrupting and compromising their life, usually either CPTSD or PTSD, but not always. Every member is usually at a different stage in their recovery. This formation of a group has proven to be the most successful in helping reduce anxiety symptoms and enhance well-being. (Please don't make me post references for the studies. Research for yourself. I already have a sociology paper on "Deviant Behavior in Society" to do!!!)

Additionally, CPTSD sufferers, in my experience, gravitate towards isolation and what seems familiar (which is why re-victimization can happen). A diary or format that is exclusively for CPTSD would create more of what a CPTSD suffer should not have: isolation and the familiar same stuff of the CPTSD trauma. In my experience this would not be a good thing for the same reason that a special forum for combat PTSD would not be a good idea.

I agree with Anthony, and I suggest that if you are having trouble connecting with other CPTSD sufferers, you don't even need to do a group or start a blog. Just start a CPTSD topical thread in the PTSD chat room. That will bring them out-of-the-woodwork to you. Stick to your decision, Anthony, it's the healthy and right thing to do for everyone concerned.

On the Outside Looking In,
but This Time I'm On the Inside With All of You.