What To Never Say To A Ptsd Sufferer

[Melody coates]

"Quit blaming XYZ for all your problems!"

im not blaming XYZ for all my problems. but hell, i dont have PTSD for nothing! i have it for a reason!

 

[Ladyghosthunter]

I thought PTSD was just for the military.

FFS, people need to research and realize it's not just for the military. UGH

 

[jaccat]

You're taking the past personally...
(Really, I'm doing this out of choice)

You need to learn to laugh at it...
(Cause that's working so well for you?)

Get yourself a life, get yourself a boyfriend...
(Right, because trust isn't a major issue for me, not to mention the social phobia)

Mum loved you, she hated me, but she loved you...
(Yes, because neglect is so easily mistaken for love)

These have all come from family in the last few weeks. I knew there was reason I didn't talk with them...

 

[BlackbirdSinging]

It's usually not a good thing to say "we all have a startle response" to a sufferer. Especially when they've just been startled accidentally. And it caused the sufferer to be so startled that they screamed and the sufferer was trying to make the person who startled them aware of their startle response.

 

[Beachlife09]

"Just stop thinking about it all."

"You should be better already."

And the most hurtful..... "It's all in your head" and "I don't believe you."

There are so many I've been told, I could write a book.

 

[Friday]

Clearly... You've never dealt with (Insert trauma here).

:banghead:

When I'm talking in 1st person. About my own experiences.

:banghead: :banghead:

This one is almost guaranteed to get under my skin, and it's almost always in direct relationship to my having a different view than the person speaking. It logs under the same teeth itching as 'My mother's friend's sister's cousin feels better doing XYZ, so you should do XYZ and you'll feel better". Different. People. We're all different people.

 

[Sighs]

"You can't just rely on that excuse forever!"

This from his sister. As if there is some kind of expiration date on PTSD. I wonder if she would say the same thing to a diabetic. "Blood sugar? Diabetic coma? Oh come on! You can't just rely on that excuse forever!"

 

[shimmerz]

"You know what your Mother needs? A job! If she didn't have so much time to think she wouldn't have so many problems."

Spoken like a true ex.

 

[Ronin]

And the most hurtful..... "It's all in your head" and "I don't believe you."

A very wise woman once told me, 'What people believe is their heads, not yours. You hold yours high and carry on'.
Ultimately, their dehumanizing you can slow you down, but it can't stop you. You survived already, you got through it, you will get through them, they're just a stop in the road.

 

[Beachlife09]

@Kaia That was very encouraging! I needed that, thank you so much :hug:

 

[jaccat]

One from the past:

"You have my sympathy."

Do I look like I want your f***ing sympathy?

 

[Deleted member 1860]

"You are crazy!"

"Good luck finding a guy who thinks a girl with ptsd is a catch!"

Both said by a guy who was mad that I was rejecting him.