New Here

[bring em all in]

Hello! I'm new to this forum.

My complex-PTSD stems from a chaotic/unpredictable childhood with both parents adult children of alcoholics and one of them was /narcissistic/mentally ill and the other a workaholic. I also suffered from severe bullying and medical trauma. It doesn't seem so bad compared to what many people with PTSD have endured, but I've been reading Pete Walker's book on complex PTSD (and highlighting something on nearly every page) and my psychiatrist has diagnosed me with PTSD as well as Bipolar Type II.

It seems I've recreated my traumatic childhood with many of the decisions I've made going into adulthood. At 53 I am on disability retirement and struggling with day to day self-maintenance.

I joined another website/forum first but there did not seem to be much activity there. This site was recommended in Walker's book. I'm hoping this one is more active (it looks like it from what I've seen so far). I also hope my experiences won't seem too piddling compared with others.'

 

[Cannottakethis]

Welcome. I hope you'll find what you need here.
Nobody's experience is piddling.
Your worst is your worst. Mine is mine and so forth. No judgement. We are all here for suffering, support and survival.
.

 

[bring em all in]

Thanks for the encouragement. Walker says in his book that minimizing is symptomatic for many with Complex PTSD. I'll try not to compare or minimize- my experiences have led to me being on disability retirement at age 53 and struggling with day to day personal maintenance, so I guess what I experienced was bad enough for me.

 

[Cannottakethis]

I think we all tend to minimize. I still have to remind myself that if social security says I'm disabled, there really is something wrong.