Understanding Ptsd - By Anthony Parsons

[Tanishq]

I thin so, every sufferer eventually have to face fears. You will overcome them. It's normal to have those doubtful thoughts what if your understanding mum leaves you. Have trust in her and it will take some time.

You welcome Kas can fly. :)

 

[anthony]

But I don't want to have anyone tell me that even only maybe something I know is real isn't.

Unfortunately, the science is very clearly there proving this without a doubt, time and time again. There is absolutely zero doubt the brain does this with trauma.

The difference is the person sifting through memories, trying to find evidence and confirmation on exactly how events occurred. Ask three soldiers about a contact, and you may get three different responses on how it happened, with similarities tying it together, though vastly different recollections. When such trials have been done showing such participants video footage of what actually happened versus what they claimed, they even believe the footage... even when that footage has been doctored to further test such theories on whether a person is sure about their statements or not.

Zero doubt, unfortunately, on this point.

One should not focus on such a point though to the degree they doubt themselves at every turn. It is about finding evidence of the truth... that is what's its about. Find the truth, because the truth doesn't lay well in memories alone.

 

[Kas_Can_Fly]

I'm not talking about specific details, I'm talking the broad events, I'm sure certain things are exacerbated in my mind because I'm scared of them and because they were traumatic. I'm sure that parts of the emotional abuse were unintentional and I took them that way because I was already damaged. I'm talking about years of sexual abuse from my father and his drug dealer. I'm talking about things that left physical evidence. I'm talking about being drugged against my will and suffering withdrawal afterwards. I'm talking about things what are not just in memory, but the memory explains the evidence and the other way round.

I have lost almost all of my family except my mother and sisters because they believe me, but if they found out I could have just made it up, there's a more than slight chance they might believe it and I would lose them too. They're the only people I have. I don't have any friends or external relationships and I'm not capable of looking after myself. If I lose them too I don't know what will happen. Plus I love them and I don't want to lose them. I'm scared. Sorry. I'll pull myself together. I think. Sorry.

 

[anthony]

I'm not talking about specific details, I'm talking the broad events... I'm talking about years of sexual abuse from my father and his drug dealer. I'm talking about things that left physical evidence. I'm talking about being drugged against my will and suffering withdrawal afterwards. I'm talking about things what are not just in memory, but the memory explains the evidence and the other way round.

Yes and No.

Firstly, please DO NOT take this as about you. This is not about you or your specific situation. This is about traumatic memory.

Using your statements, memory doesn't typically makeup the larger picture of the abuse, no. What it does create though is actual traumatic events within that broad context. It doesn't just extend to specific details, as you outlined. The brain can, and does, create entire traumatic events. A person could have been raped for years, so they then create events where they're being raped in that period, that actually didn't happen. Instead, their brain is creating memories based on other events. It's like people exaggerating negatives, "he raped me every day for a year." When in fact the truth can be, "he raped me 26 times in a year." A person can actually convince themselves and literally create a false assumption, memories as well, that they were raped every day for the year.

They don't mean to do it, but more it occurs because of such negative emotion upon the brain. Think... brain goes into shock basically, and can no longer recognise reality from fantasy.

Again... PURELY examples.

A study was done where they photo-shopped a person at earlier times in their lives into photos. These photos didn't go into negatives, just events in their lives you would expect them to remember. Well... even when they couldn't remember, seeing the evidence they convinced themselves that it happened, then they went further and recollected complete feelings, surrounding and more, all just from a picture of an event that actually never happened.

That is the power of the brain. My point is specifics are irrelevant, because the brain can create and accept entire events, whole, and their specifics.

Don't doubt yourself and confuse yourself with such information though. Purely information. It is more about being aware, not taking it to confuse yourself.

As you said, you know things happened. Physical evidence exists to substantiate emotional / memory. That is exactly what you do. You piece together things piece by piece. You don't create if you don't remember... you just continue to fact find and piece it together the best you can. The rest you accept as simply not having memory of.

 

[Kas_Can_Fly]

Ok. I'm pretty sure I understand now. I'm sorry for getting so upset. Thank you.