Poll What Is The Cause Of Your PTSD?

[Abstract]

I relate in a sense Albatross. Not because it was that early but rather that I have little memory of most of childhood and no self awareness. That means everything is topsy turvy and vague. There will probably never be clear answers and that hurts a lot. So acceptance is the way.

 

[Medic72]

I was a medic for 12 years before my 'bad call' that took me out of the field, I've been undergoing treatment for PTSD for the past 4 years. I can't see any way out of the nightmare now except to leave my employer, it's gone from being a real nightmare to being a bureaucratic nightmare - no escape left but to leave and trying to make this decision is tearing me apart just when I think I'm improving. Vicious circle.

 

[Venusian]

I chose abduction but I was also raped by 2 people during the abduction when I was a child. I was also nearly murdered during that time. I had to keep it a secret because he threatened to kill my family if I ever told and I believed him. I can't imagine that there were no marks or bruises, it hurt to talk but no one questioned where I was or even noticed I was gone. In fact my teacher was angry that I had even shown up for school when I walked into my class just before it was time to go home.

To answer the question, I am not sure which one of those stressors is what caused the PTSD.

 

[safenow]

I think all the crap that happened before my kids were kidnapped set my ptsd in motion. But I didn't know it was ptsd back then.

 

[therapybankrupt]

I choose childhood abuse. Because it was the first. Honestly there were other options I could have checked that added to the problem.

 

[Changing4Best]

I had an adult rape as well as the childhood molestations and abuse, but I answered with the childhood one because it was the basis of the rape in many ways, due to my inablity to get out of the relationship before the adult rape occurred (I saw it coming). I tried to get out of the relationship 16 times before the 17th finally worked. It took an act of God to release me!

 

[Abstract]

before my kids were kidnapped s

Safenow (aka Safeway) you needn't answer but I wondered if you got your babies back. I truly hope so. Even for me I believe I might have had PTSD before I was aware of it earlier in life - no awareness so no knowledge. I definitely had symptoms although I wasn't really "aware" of those either. I would think it very unlikely that someone could have had your early experiences without PTSD.

 

[Abstract]

due to my inability to get out of the relationship

Sheila, I guess this is partly what I was thinking. That when it is childhood stuff it probably always sets one up for other things to happen later. Especially I think if we start default freezing. Maybe I am speaking cr*p though.

 

[safenow]

I wondered if you got your babies back.

That's a many faceted answer. It's sort of a no and yes and kinda and not really. I'll write a page in my journal so you can understand what I mean.

 

[Privateer]

Can I have an option for 'all of the above'?

Well, not quite, but pretty damned close, actually. I was never sexually assaulted as an adult and the one abduction attempt made on me was unsuccessful, but apart from that...all of the above.

 

[Abstract]

all of the above.

Privateer,
Sorry to hear that. I guess that is part of what I am curious about. How many people who get PTSD from other stuff have actually had trauma in childhood that could be the first injuring of the mind that other things compound and make more severe. I thought about allowing more than one option but then thought it would probably just blur everything as many will probably have multiple stressors or trauma options and then the graphs would all just look more or less the same. Maybe I should do another poll with that option and we can compare. That might be interesting.

 

[Privateer]

I think probably the childhood...unpleasantness...resulted in PTSD and a slightly perverse tendency to put myself in really nasty situations. The thing that actually led to my getting diagnosed was a largely unsuccessful rescue operation after a 'plane crash.