Lived Experience Forum

[Phoenix_Rising]

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@CheerBearwrote:
It also reminds me of the potential difference in experience between trauma that can occur by accident or as a natural event vs that which can happen in relationships, especially with people in positions of authority or trust @Mazarita. Tricky stuff!

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@CheerBear That is a really good point and comes back to the difference between PTSD and C-PTSD. It is well established in the literature that trauma due to accidents/natural events tends to have a less lasting impact than interpersonal trauma. Definitely tricky stuff! 

[Adge]

Thanks so much @suzanne & everyone here.

Adge

[Shaz51]

ammm @suzanne, Did not relizes the real turn around was when my father passed away and then I inherited his house , my childhood home , that was hard , but with the support from my wonderful Hasband who has had MI all his life , we have made the house our home , it did take a few years

[Former-Member]

Thank you @Lauz and @suzanne for running tonight. Was very thought provoking and interesting. Also thought it was so powerful as people shared their insights and personal experiences, really helps me to understand. I have missed bits and pieces putting my chiddlers to bed, so will be going back over later.
Thank you all.

[Former-Member]

Hi @suzanne

What helped me grow? I think it was more what made me grow. Thinking about my experience of adolescence / adulthood trauma it was not having a choice and having to support other people through the traumatic experiences. I was the ‘lucky one’ to be still alive. Perhaps it is my passion to help others that helped me grow? Or did I become passionate because I was exposed to hurt and loss?

Early childhood / childhood, I don’t know.

One thing I know is that from early on I was told to be quiet, to shut up. And I was always told to be grateful for what I have and to compare myself with the suffering of the world. Yes there are always people worse off than myself and to this day I feel like I’m whinging when I talk about my trauma. I feel like I shouldn’t be ungrateful for what I have in life. I still sit there in disbelief when my therapist tells me I have a very long list of traumatic experiences and that I have the right to talk about it (I don’t know the exact words).

I wouldn’t be me? Doesn’t everyone’s life get influenced by their experiences?

[Mazarita]

I too had to have an extended period of withdrawal from my parents, @Former-Member, @Phoenix_Rising. It lasted seven years, after which a death of someone we all were close to drew us together again. It has still taken time to find fairly good reconciliation with parents but I am very grateful it has occurred now. Just an alternative story in my case.

In regards the medical model of psych illness, I do subscribe to it to a fair degree in my own case. I believe the Black Dog Institute's information about bipolar, for example, that it is the most genetically inherited of all the conditions, 80% related to genetics, as stated by them. I witness it so widely in my own family, especially the undiagnosed but obvious mental illness of both of my parents. My father was a classic Dr Jekyll/Mr Hyde.

[CheerBear]

Thank you all for a really interesting discussion and thank you @suzanne for facilitating tonight and acknowledging that the idea of PTG is not an attempt to minimise suffering due to trauma. I was reluctant to join in tonight because of that worry, but I am glad I did.

[Teej]

That’s a big achievement tonight @Former-Member, being here and contributing. I isolated too for a couple of years at first. I think many of us on the forum have isolated at some stage as part of getting through.  I can’t imagine how hard it is to completely isolate from everyone though. Baby steps and growth at your pace 💜🤗

[Mazarita]

Thank you, @suzanne and everyone. It has been so interesting and helpful to read and participate in the discussion tonight. 

[Shaz51]

Thank you @suzanne and  @Lauz for a very interesting night

and thank you everyone xoxo