Sufferers: If You Had A Ptsd Support Group In Your Community Would You Go?

[Thematrix]

So your considering "expediting a group" then?

It does not exist, so I am not sure if it's expediting. Seems to be a need that is not being addressed

I have asked for assistance with such a group for years, and the powers that be do not seem to care

 

[Sideways]

I'd go to a group that had structure (we aren't always crash hot on the "productive communication" front!). Facilitators need to be able to propel conversation when everyone's mute, and reel people in if they get too...:confused:

Clinical, non-clinical - I'd give either a crack. Anything that busts up the isolation? Booyah! Benefits on top of that would just be a bonus.

 

[Friday]

There are lots around here... And nope. I don't go.

1 - The majority are trauma specific for trauma that isn't mine, or (from having researched prev., are overwhelmingly populated with trauma that isn't mine). I've done that before, and that isn't helpful to me.
2 - I'm not in a place where I could handle even a best case, couldn't be better designed for me, group.

Here... Is entirely at my own discretion. I can do as much or as little as I can handle, when I can handle it, for as long as I can handle it. I still f*ck up from time to time (last week is a perfect example of not being in a place I should be participating in / my head was too sideways... So I took a bit of a break / am still taking a bit of a break). A regularly meeting group? Quite simply doesn't have that level of control built into it. I need my life a bit more solid, first.

 

[scout86]

I might. At least I might show up once and see what it was like. I know someone who attends that type of group I THINK through the VA (at least kind of, it sounds pretty informal). He says he gets a lot out of it. Obviously that group is for vets, but I can see where it might be helpful, if it was the right group of people and "not so much" if it wasn't. (And, not really being a people person, that might somewhat be me.)

 

[EveHarrington]

I'm trying to figure out if it's my paranoia? But part of me says no that's not it. I think it's my fear that others would use it as a therapy group and expect more out of me than I can give. I think it would be hard for me to set boundaries in this kind of setting. Support yet not friendship; not in a structured therapeutic setting.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

Absoultly positivly NO! Goodness, I have trouble at a small park or being at a store; people, together, in a room...my brain would be spinning a millon miles a seconds of every single bad thing that could happen and my "escape plan"...what i do around people. Which means i certianly wouldnt be able to pay attention.

I cant go to any sort of support group, my therapist and I have tried thus why im here. And even here is taking me a long time to settle the "they are gonna hurt me" thoughts.

 

[Thematrix]

P.S. I had an ex cop coworker who suicided and flew under the radar... he blew his head off on the...

@The Albatross, sorry to hear that.

 

[Lady of Longbourn]

I've never been to PTSD support group but I've been to a bipolar group. It was run by non-professionals. I went there very regually but you start noticing things. It wasn't regulated for example. They had some boundaries but when someone crossed mine, I found out there was really no structure to the group. Also, misinformation was a problem. As well as, people feeding off of each others emotions.

 

[anonymous]

No. For me, three things would get in my way

1. paranoia about confidentiality
2. social anxiety
3. shame

Wouldn't matter how many rules and guidelines you make about confidentiality, I think there will always be the potential for carelessness, or for people to either abuse that or to have different interpretations of it.

Social Anxiety is a more personal one, but I know, for me, would interfere with my ability to both get to a group of that nature and also my ability to contribute to the group. Not feeling able to contribute would then feed that because I wouldn't feel that it was fair on others for me to be there.

Shame, is probably the biggest factor for me. About the nature of the trauma and people knowing that that happened to me. I get that that is something I need to work on and I'm not saying anyone should feel ashamed, only sharing that it is something that would prevent me being in a group setting like that.

Oh and a fourth one. I think the lack of control would be a biggie for me too. Here you can choose to put people on ignore, or not to read threads etc in a face to face scenario it's harder to protect yourself if others start taking things in directions you are uncomfortable with.

 

[mary1979]

Probably not.

I did a group thing in my early 20's and was super self conscious.
I just sat back and listened to everyone wallow in their own misery, frustrated that these people seemed to just want to complain and rarely brain storm solutions.

I gained nothing from it at all except an intense desire to not be the kind of person who expects others to make me well.

 

[Deleted member 29920]

It would depend who else was in the group, how many people there were, how stable they are and whether they've experienced similar traumas. It'd have to be once I've had a lot of one to one therapy first.

 

[Broken Dahlia]

It is really hard to find a trained peer facilitator, seems to be a huge problem actually, I don't kn...

Have you found The Essence of Being Real? That is a PTSD peer group guide that my therapist gave me when I had the same idea. Good luck!