Excellent posts on PTSD by illuminated

[gwen]

illuminated posted these articles on another thread and I thought that some people who aren't following that particular thread might miss them. They are EXCELLENT!!! I hope that others find them as helpful and informative as I did!

http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/facts/gener...t_is_ptsd.html
What is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder?
A National Center for PTSD Fact Sheet

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a psychiatric disorder that can occur following the experience or witnessing of life-threatening events such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, or violent personal assaults like rape. People who suffer from PTSD often relive the experience through nightmares and flashbacks, have difficulty sleeping, and feel detached or estranged, and these symptoms can be severe enough and last long enough to significantly impair the person's daily life.
PTSD is marked by clear biological changes as well as psychological symptoms. PTSD is complicated by the fact that it frequently occurs in conjunction with related disorders such as depression, substance abuse, problems of memory and cognition, and other problems of physical and mental health. The disorder is also associated with impairment of the person's ability to function in social or family life, including occupational instability, marital problems and divorces, family discord, and difficulties in parenting.
Understanding PTSD
PTSD is not a new disorder. There are written accounts of similar symptoms that go back to ancient times, and there is clear documentation in the historical medical literature starting with the Civil War, when a PTSD-like disorder was known as "Da Costa's Syndrome." There are particularly good descriptions of posttraumatic stress symptoms in the medical literature on combat veterans of World War II and on Holocaust survivors.
Careful research and documentation of PTSD began in earnest after the Vietnam War. The National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study estimated in 1988 that the prevalence of PTSD in that group was 15.2% at that time and that 30% had experienced the disorder at some point since returning from Vietnam.
PTSD has subsequently been observed in all veteran populations that have been studied, including World War II, Korean conflict, and Persian Gulf populations, and in United Nations peacekeeping forces deployed to other war zones around the world. There are remarkably similar findings of PTSD in military veterans in other countries. For example, Australian Vietnam veterans experience many of the same symptoms that American Vietnam veterans experience.
PTSD is not only a problem for veterans, however. Although there are unique cultural- and gender-based aspects of the disorder, it occurs in men and women, adults and children, Western and non-Western cultural groups, and all socioeconomic strata. A national study of American civilians conducted in 1995 estimated that the lifetime prevalence of PTSD was 5% in men and 10% in women.
How does PTSD develop?
Most people who are exposed to a traumatic, stressful event experience some of the symptoms of PTSD in the days and weeks following exposure. Available data suggest that about 8% of men and 20% of women go on to develop PTSD, and roughly 30% of these individuals develop a chronic form that persists throughout their lifetimes.
The course of chronic PTSD usually involves periods of symptom increase followed by remission or decrease, although some individuals may experience symptoms that are unremitting and severe. Some older veterans, who report a lifetime of only mild symptoms, experience significant increases in symptoms following retirement, severe medical illness in themselves or their spouses, or reminders of their military service (such as reunions or media broadcasts of the anniversaries of war events).
How is PTSD assessed?
In recent years, a great deal of research has been aimed at developing and testing reliable assessment tools. It is generally thought that the best way to diagnose PTSD-or any psychiatric disorder, for that matter-is to combine findings from structured interviews and questionnaires with physiological assessments. A multi-method approach especially helps address concerns that some patients might be either denying or exaggerating their symptoms.
How common is PTSD?
An estimated 7.8 percent of Americans will experience PTSD at some point in their lives, with women (10.4%) twice as likely as men (5%) to develop PTSD. About 3.6 percent of U.S. adults aged 18 to 54 (5.2 million people) have PTSD during the course of a given year. This represents a small portion of those who have experienced at least one traumatic event; 60.7% of men and 51.2% of women reported at least one traumatic event. The traumatic events most often associated with PTSD for men are rape, combat exposure, childhood neglect, and childhood physical abuse. The most traumatic events for women are rape, sexual molestation, physical attack, being threatened with a weapon, and childhood physical abuse.
About 30 percent of the men and women who have spent time in war zones experience PTSD. An additional 20 to 25 percent have had partial PTSD at some point in their lives. More than half of all male Vietnam veterans and almost half of all female Vietnam veterans have experienced "clinically serious stress reaction symptoms." PTSD has also been detected among veterans of the Gulf War, with some estimates running as high as 8 percent.
Who is most likely to develop PTSD?
1. Those who experience greater stressor magnitude and intensity, unpredictability, uncontrollability, sexual (as opposed to nonsexual) victimization, real or perceived responsibility, and betrayal
2. Those with prior vulnerability factors such as genetics, early age of onset and longer-lasting childhood trauma, lack of functional social support, and concurrent stressful life events
3. Those who report greater perceived threat or danger, suffering, upset, terror, and horror or fear
4. Those with a social environment that produces shame, guilt, stigmatization, or self-hatred
What are the consequences associated with PTSD?
PTSD is associated with a number of distinctive neurobiological and physiological changes. PTSD may be associated with stable neurobiological alterations in both the central and autonomic nervous systems, such as altered brainwave activity, decreased volume of the hippocampus, and abnormal activation of the amygdala. Both the hippocampus and the amygdala are involved in the processing and integration of memory. The amygdala has also been found to be involved in coordinating the body's fear response.
Psychophysiological alterations associated with PTSD include hyper-arousal of the sympathetic nervous system, increased sensitivity of the startle reflex, and sleep abnormalities.
People with PTSD tend to have abnormal levels of key hormones involved in the body's response to stress. Thyroid function also seems to be enhanced in people with PTSD. Some studies have shown that cortisol levels in those with PTSD are lower than normal and epinephrine and norepinephrine levels are higher than normal. People with PTSD also continue to produce higher than normal levels of natural opiates after the trauma has passed. An important finding is that the neurohormonal changes seen in PTSD are distinct from, and actually opposite to, those seen in major depression. The distinctive profile associated with PTSD is also seen in individuals who have both PTSD and depression.
PTSD is associated with the increased likelihood of co-occurring psychiatric disorders. In a large-scale study, 88 percent of men and 79 percent of women with PTSD met criteria for another psychiatric disorder. The co-occurring disorders most prevalent for men with PTSD were alcohol abuse or dependence (51.9 percent), major depressive episodes (47.9 percent), conduct disorders (43.3 percent), and drug abuse and dependence (34.5 percent). The disorders most frequently comorbid with PTSD among women were major depressive disorders (48.5 percent), simple phobias (29 percent), social phobias (28.4 percent), and alcohol abuse/dependence (27.9 percent).
PTSD also significantly impacts psychosocial functioning, independent of comorbid conditions. For instance, Vietnam veterans with PTSD were found to have profound and pervasive problems in their daily lives. These included problems in family and other interpersonal relationships, problems with employment, and involvement with the criminal justice system.
Headaches, gastrointestinal complaints, immune system problems, dizziness, chest pain, and discomfort in other parts of the body are common in people with PTSD. Often, medical doctors treat the symptoms without being aware that they stem from PTSD.
How is PTSD treated?
PTSD is treated by a variety of forms of psychotherapy and drug therapy. There is no definitive treatment, and no cure, but some treatments appear to be quite promising, especially cognitive-behavioral therapy, group therapy, and exposure therapy. Exposure therapy involves having the patient repeatedly relive the frightening experience under controlled conditions to help him or her work through the trauma. Studies have also shown that medications help ease associated symptoms of depression and anxiety and help with sleep. The most widely used drug treatments for PTSD are the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as Prozac and Zoloft. At present, cognitive-behavioral therapy appears to be somewhat more effective than drug therapy. However, it would be premature to conclude that drug therapy is less effective overall since drug trials for PTSD are at a very early stage. Drug therapy appears to be highly effective for some individuals and is helpful for many more.

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[gwen]

illuminated posted these articles on another thread and I thought that some people who aren't following that particular thread might miss them. They are EXCELLENT!!! I hope that others find them as helpful and informative as I did!

Complex PTSD
A National Center for PTSD Fact Sheet
By Julia M. Whealin, Ph.D.
What are the differences between the effects of short-term trauma and the effects of chronic trauma?
The diagnosis of PTSD accurately describes the symptoms that result when a person experiences a short-lived trauma. For example, car accidents, natural disasters, and rape are considered traumatic events of time-limited duration. However, chronic traumas continue for months or years at a time. Clinicians and researchers have found that the current PTSD diagnosis often does not capture the severe psychological harm that occurs with such prolonged, repeated trauma. For example, ordinary, healthy people who experience chronic trauma can experience changes in their self-concept and the way they adapt to stressful events. Dr. Judith Herman of Harvard University suggests that a new diagnosis, called Complex PTSD, is needed to describe the symptoms of long-term trauma.
What are examples of captivity that are associated with chronic trauma?
Judith Herman notes that during long-term traumas, the victim is generally held in a state of captivity. In these situations the victim is under the control of the perpetrator and unable to flee.
Examples of captivity include:
• Concentration camps
• Prisoner of War camps
• Prostitution brothels
• Long-term domestic violence
• Long-term, severe physical abuse
• Child sexual abuse
• Organized child exploitation rings
What are the symptoms of Complex PTSD?
The first requirement for the diagnosis is that the individual experienced a prolonged period (months to years) of total control by another. The other criteria are symptoms that tend to result from chronic victimization. Those symptoms include:
* Alterations in emotional regulation, which may include symptoms such as persistent sadness, suicidal thoughts, explosive anger, or inhibited anger
* Alterations in consciousness, such as forgetting traumatic events, reliving traumatic events, or having episodes in which one feels detached from one's mental processes or body
* Alterations in self-perception, which may include a sense of helplessness, shame, guilt, stigma, and a sense of being completely different than other human beings
* Alterations in the perception of the perpetrator, such as attributing total power to the perpetrator or becoming preoccupied with the relationship to the perpetrator, including a preoccupation with revenge
* Alterations in relations with others, including isolation, distrust, or a repeated search for a rescuer
* Alterations in one's system of meanings, which may include a loss of sustaining faith or a sense of hopelessness and despair
What other difficulties do those with Complex PTSD tend to experience?
Survivors may avoid thinking and talking about trauma-related topics because the feelings associated with the trauma are often overwhelming.
Survivors may use alcohol and substance abuse as a way to avoid and numb feelings and thoughts related to the trauma.
Survivors may also engage in self-mutilation and other forms of self-harm.
There is a tendency to blame the victim.
A person who has been abused repeatedly is sometimes mistaken as someone who has a "weak character."
Because of their chronic victimization, in the past, survivors have been misdiagnosed by mental-health providers as having Borderline, Dependent, or Masochistic Personality Disorder. When survivors are faulted for the symptoms they experience as a result of victimization, they are being unjustly blamed.
Researchers hope that a new diagnosis will prevent clinicians, the public, and those who suffer from trauma from mistakenly blaming survivors for their symptoms.
Summary
The current PTSD diagnosis often does not capture the severe psychological harm that occurs with prolonged, repeated trauma. For example, long-term trauma may impact a healthy person's self-concept and adaptation. The symptoms of such prolonged trauma have been mistaken for character weakness. Research is currently underway to determine if the Complex PTSD diagnosis is the best way to categorize the symptoms of patients who have suffered prolonged trauma.
Recommended Reading:
Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence from Domestic Abuse to Political Terror, by Judith Herman, M.D. (1997). Basic Books; ISBN 0465087302

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[gwen]

illuminated posted these articles on another thread and I thought that some people who aren't following that particular thread might miss them. They are EXCELLENT!!! I hope that others find them as helpful and informative as I did!

http://www.sidran.org/whatistrauma.html
What Is Psychological Trauma?

By Esther Giller
President and Director, The Sidran Foundation
We all use the word "trauma" in every day language to mean a highly stressful event. But the key to understanding traumatic events is that it refers to extreme stress that overwhelms a person's ability to cope.
There is no clear divisions between stress (which leads to ) trauma (which leads to ) adaptation. Although I am writing about psychological trauma, it is also important to keep in mind that stress reactions are clearly physiological as well.
Different experts in the field define psychological trauma in different ways. What I want to emphasize is that it is an individual's subjective experience that determines whether an event is or is not traumatic.

Psychological trauma is the unique individual experience of an event or enduring conditions, in which:
1. The individual's ability to integrate his/her emotional experience is overwhelmed, or
2. The individual experiences (subjectively) a threat to life, bodily integrity, or sanity. (Pearlman & Saakvitne, 1995, p. 60)
Thus, a traumatic event or situation creates psychological trauma when it overwhelms the individual's perceived ability to cope, and leaves that person fearing death, annihilation, mutilation, or psychosis. The individual feels emotionally, cognitively, and physically overwhelmed. The circumstances of the event commonly include abuse of power, betrayal of trust, entrapment, helplessness, pain, confusion, and/or loss.

This definition of trauma is fairly broad. It includes responses to powerful one-time incidents like accidents, natural disasters, crimes, surgeries, deaths, and other violent events. It also includes responses to chronic or repetitive experiences such as child abuse, neglect, combat, urban violence, concentration camps, battering relationships, and enduring deprivation. This definition intentionally does not allow us to determine whether a particular event is traumatic; that is up to each survivor. This definition provides a guideline for our understanding of a survivor's experience of the events and conditions of his/her life.

In other words, trauma is defined by the experience of the survivor. Two people could undergo the same noxious event and one person might be traumatized while the other person remained relatively unscathed. It is not possible to make blanket generalizations such that "X is traumatic for all who go through it" or "event Y was not traumatic because no one was physically injured." In addition, the specific aspects of an event that are traumatic will be different from one individual to the next. You cannot assume that the details or meaning of an event, such as a violent assault or rape, that are most distressing for one person will be same for another person.

Single Blow vs. Repeated Trauma
Lenore Terr, in her studies of traumatized children, has made the distinction between single blow and repeated traumas. Single shocking events can certainly produce trauma reactions in some people:
• Natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, volcanoes, etc.
• Closely related are technological disasters such as auto and plane crashes, chemical spills, nuclear failures, etc. Technological disasters are more socially divisive because there is always energy given towards finding fault and blaming.
• Criminal violence often involves single blow traumas such as robbery, rape and homicide, which not only have a great impact on the victims, but also on witnesses, loved ones of victims, etc. (Interestingly, there is often overlap between single blow and repeated trauma, because a substantial majority of victimized women have experienced more than one crime.) Unfortunately, traumatic effects are often cumulative.

Natural vs. Human Made
Prolonged stressors, deliberately inflicted by people, are far harder to bear than accidents or natural disasters. Most people who seek mental health treatment for trauma have been victims of violently inflicted wounds dealt by a person. If this was done deliberately, in the context of an ongoing relationship, the problems are increased. The worst situation is when the injury is caused deliberately in a relationship with a person on whom the victim is dependent---most specifically a parent-child relationship.

Varieties of Man-Made Violence
• War/political violence - Massive in scale, severe, repeated, prolonged and unpredictable. Also multiple: witnessing, life threatening, but also doing violence to others. Embracing the identity of a killer.
• Human rights abuses - kidnapping, torture, etc.
• Criminal violence - discussed above.
• Rape - The largest group of people with posttraumatic stress disorder in this country. A national survey of 4000 women found that 1 in 8 reported being the victim of a forcible rape. Nearly half had been raped more than once. Nearly 1/3 was younger than 11 and over 60% were under 18. Diana Russell's research showed that women with a history of incest were at significantly higher risk for rape in later life (68% incest history, 38% no incest).
• Domestic Violence - recent studies show that between 21% and 34% of women will be assaulted by an intimate male partner. Deborah Rose's study found that 20-30% of adults in the US, approved of hitting a spouse.
• Child Abuse - the scope of childhood trauma is staggering. Everyday children are beaten, burned, slapped, whipped, thrown, shaken, kicked and raped. According to Dr. Bruce Perry, a conservative estimate of children at risk for PTSD exceeds 15 million.
• Sexual abuse - According to Dr. Frank Putnam of NIMH, at least 40% of all psychiatric inpatients have histories of sexual abuse in childhood. Sexual abuse doesn't occur in a vacuum: is most often accompanied by other forms of stress and trauma-generally within a family.

One of the best-documented research findings in the field of trauma is the DOSE-RESPONSE relationship --the higher the dose of trauma, the more potentially damaging the effects; the greater the stressor, the more likely the development of PTSD.

Who Are Trauma Survivors?
Because violence is everywhere in our culture and because the effects of violence and neglect are often dramatic and pervasive,
• most clients/patients/recipients of services in the mental health system are trauma survivors.
Because coping responses to abuse and neglect are varied and complex,
• trauma survivors may carry any psychiatric diagnosis and frequently trauma survivors carry many diagnoses.
And, because interpersonal trauma does not discriminate,
• survivors are both genders, all ages, all races, all classes, all sizes, all sexual orientations, all religions, and all nationalities. Although the larger number of our clients are female, many men and boys are survivors of childhood abuse and trauma. Under-recognition of male survivors, combined with cultural gender bias has made it especially difficult for these men to get help.

What are the Lasting Effects of Trauma?
There is no one diagnosis that contains all abuse survivor clients; rather individuals carrying any diagnosis can be survivors. Often survivors carry many diagnoses.
Abuse survivors may meet criteria for diagnoses of:
• substance dependence and abuse,
• personality disorders (especially borderline personality disorder),
• depression,
• anxiety (including post traumatic stress disorder),
• dissociative disorders, and
• eating disorders, to name a few.

For purposes of identifying trauma and it adaptive symptoms, It is much more useful to ask "What HAPPENED to this person" rather than "what is WRONG with this person."

Symptoms as Adaptations
The traumatic event is over, but the person's reaction to it is not. The intrusion of the past into the present is one of the main problems confronting the trauma survivor. Often referred to as re-experiencing, this is the key to many of the psychological symptoms and psychiatric disorders that result from traumatic experiences. This intrusion may present as distressing intrusive memories, flashbacks, nightmares, or overwhelming emotional states.

The Use of Maladaptive Coping Strategies
Survivors of repetitive early trauma are likely to instinctively continue to use the same self-protective coping strategies that they employed to shield themselves from psychic harm at the time of the traumatic experience. Hypervigilance, dissociation, avoidance and numbing are examples of coping strategies that may have been effective at some time, but later interfere with the person's ability to live the life s/he wants.

It is useful to think of all trauma "symptoms" as adaptations. Symptoms represent the client's attempt to cope the best way they can with overwhelming feelings. When we see "symptoms" in a trauma survivor, it is always significant to ask ourselves: what purpose does this behavior serve? Every symptom helped a survivor cope at some point in the past and is still in the present -- in some way. We humans are incredibly adaptive creatures. Often, if we help the survivor explore how behaviors are an adaptation, we can help them learn to substitute a less problematic behavior.

Physiologic Changes
The normal physiological responses to extreme stress lead to states of physiologic hyperarousal and anxiety. When our fight-or-flight instincts take over, the wash of cortisol and other hormones signal us to watch out! We humans are incredibly adaptive. When this happens repeatedly, our bodies learn to live in a constant state of "readiness for combat," with all the behaviors-scanning, distrust, aggression, sleeplessness, etc. that entails.
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[Theodora]

illuminated posted these articles on another thread and I thought that some people who aren't following that particular thread might miss them. They are EXCELLENT!!! I hope that others find them as helpful and informative as I did!

__________________

I tried the link to the original article and didn't find it. (Not sure whether that was because it was included in the quote or not.) In any case, I just did a "google.com" search on the title of the article and found this at http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/facts/general/fs_what_is_ptsd.html Since there are other links on that site, I thought perhaps people might like to know about the original source as well.

---

Just reading through this quickly tonight---for my own purposes, as well as some family "issues, " what I found of particular interest were these comments:

For purposes of identifying trauma and its adaptive symptoms, It is much more useful to ask "What HAPPENED to this person" rather than "what is WRONG with this person."
+ + +

The Use of Maladaptive Coping Strategies
Survivors of repetitive early trauma are likely to instinctively continue to use the same self-protective coping strategies that they employed to shield themselves from psychic harm at the time of the traumatic experience. Hypervigilance, dissociation, avoidance and numbing are examples of coping strategies that may have been effective at some time, but later interfere with the person's ability to live the life s/he wants. (bold highlighting mine.)

It is useful to think of all trauma "symptoms" as adaptations. Symptoms represent the client's attempt to cope the best way they can with overwhelming feelings. When we see "symptoms" in a trauma survivor, it is always significant to ask ourselves: what purpose does this behavior serve? Every symptom helped a survivor cope at some point in the past and is still in the present -- in some way. We humans are incredibly adaptive creatures. Often, if we help the survivor explore how behaviors are an adaptation, we can help them learn to substitute a less problematic behavior.

Physiologic Changes
The normal physiological responses to extreme stress lead to states of physiologic hyperarousal and anxiety. When our fight-or-flight instincts take over, the wash of cortisol and other hormones signal us to watch out! We humans are incredibly adaptive. When this happens repeatedly, our bodies learn to live in a constant state of "readiness for combat," with all the behaviors-scanning, distrust, aggression, sleeplessness, etc. that entails.
===

I also note the reference to this book on the subject:

Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence from Domestic Abuse to Political Terror, by Judith Herman, M.D. (1997). Basic Books; ISBN 0465087302

==

Will be thinking more about this. What I think is interesting/suggestive is to note where early repetitive abuse may ALSO lead to a form of PTSD.

Thanks again for the reference!

Theodora

[hornblower]

So ok this must be what I have: the numbing, the running away from it, not wanting to talk about it any more, or doing nothing but talk about it. Like with the church abuse.....over and over again. The being ashamed. The anxiety, the isolation, the constant looking for a rescuer, thats a biggy I think, and the bad dreams, lack of sleep. Well in fact Im sure the whole thing of fibromyalgia. So what do I do, how do I get better? Also why doesnt God just heal me? Does He have pity on me? Does He really? Why cant it be easier than this? Im 60 years old Im tired of all of this I want to go do some fun things now. Only Im so afraid of everything and everyone. Not only that but even if I werent I think my husband has a lot of this happening in his life too even though he wont even talk about it.
Still you know things would get better if only I would just take care of myself PHYSICALLY! My husband does that and I dont. If we would just go to the gym together. Thats my fault.
Truth is I just want to stay here and die an easy death. Its not going to be that easy,:o I just know it.

[Illuminated]

So ok this must be what I have: the numbing, the running away from it, not wanting to talk about it any more, or doing nothing but talk about it. Like with the church abuse.....over and over again. The being ashamed. The anxiety, the isolation, the constant looking for a rescuer, thats a biggy I think, and the bad dreams, lack of sleep. Well in fact Im sure the whole thing of fibromyalgia. So what do I do, how do I get better? Also why doesnt God just heal me? Does He have pity on me? Does He really? Why cant it be easier than this? Truth is I just want to stay here and die an easy death. Its not going to be that easy,:o I just know it. Wow! You are describing many of the feelings I am having still. Please read up some more on PTSD and maybe talk to some experts on it. You deserve the care and you are worth it. I don't know what your spiritually abuse situation was but here are some more comments on mine and my recovery process:
I am not an expert, but because I was recently diagnosed with PTSD and my spiritual abuse experience has ruined my life - temporarily I know because Jesus is the untimate healer - I have been researching PTSD like crazy. I had several triggered flashbacks in front of experts on the subject so I know that is what they are.
At first my 'attacks' were diagnosed as panic attacks before I knew I had been in a cultic/spiritually abusive situation, so it is possible that what your husband is experiencing are not panic attacks but also PTSD related flashbacks. PTSD can develop as many as 10 or 15 YEARS after the abuse stops.
I couldn't believe that my attacks were triggered by events that were similiar to tramatic events that happened to me, until the counselor, upon witnessing one, kept asking me to explain what I was upset about, then she kept digging and digging and suddenly I saw the connection between the current event (watching that movie Red Eye in which the bad guy stalks the good girl) and I realised that was similiar to a stalking (by a fellow Christian weirdo man) situation I experienced. I had thought the reason I couldn't breathe and had to leave the movie theatre was just the suspense of the movie and the loud music. Not so.
Your dreams are part of the PTSD effects, and so are the constant thoughts about the people in the organisation you left. I know - I have just started having the dreams (six months after leaving the group) and I would give anything to stop thinking about the abusers themselves and my friends still left in the group.
I wish you would contact Wellspring at www.wellspringretreat.org. You can talk to them for free. Then, they will have a phone counselor call you and interview you for about an hour for free even if you don't think you can come. They are very expensive but they do have a sliding scale program and sometimes I think they even might have complete scholarship programs if you can wait until they have money available in that fund. The two weeks I spent there 'saved my life' basically. I think your son is right ...out of the mouths of babes... Your whole family can benefit from treatment at Wellspring. Please at least call them. They are experts at treating cult survivors and survival of spiritual groups and cultic groups. They have been doing it for 20 years.
I am so sorry your family has experienced this horrible trauma inflicted by people who are supposedly Christian. The people who inflicted this psychological and spiritual and emotional trauma on you are WRONG WRONG WRONG! They are responsible for what they did to you, not you!
I take Effexor XR for depression (yes, I have that really bad too) and anxiety and that is working great. I still have a long way to go, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and it's that good guy Jesus.
I was a whistle blower, not a horn blower!!!;)

[Roberta]

This describes so much of what I'm going through.
I get panic attacks for what seems like no reason at all.
My counselor has been telling me for the last couple of months that PTSD that he would be shocked if I didn't have PTSD or panic attacks.

[Illuminated]

This describes so much of what I'm going through.
I get panic attacks for what seems like no reason at all.
My counselor has been telling me for the last couple of months that PTSD that he would be shocked if I didn't have PTSD or panic attacks.
Welcome to the world of PTSD! You are not alone. Must be an epidemic going on...

Get your counselor to treat you for it. My counselor says that research shows that talk therapy and medicine combined is the best treatment for PTSD. I take Effexor XR, and it is really helping.

Your family and friends need to know about it also, so they can help you when you have an attack or think you are going to have one. One good book I read is Trauma and Recovery by Judith Herman.

Can you describe an attack that you had? Think about what you were doing when the attack started....

[Carmen]

"For purposes of identifying trauma and its adaptive symptoms, It is much more useful to ask "What HAPPENED to this person" rather than "what is WRONG with this person."

I can identify with this phrase too, even when I don't have PTSD. Hubby still says it was my fault and that is really getting between us. He doesn't understand that I still have things to work out and that his assessment of me and his behavior are counterproductive for the both of us. I would like to go to marriage counselling, but don't know where we'll get the money. Going may also cause custodial problems if they find us to be unfit parents (A friend told me it has happened even for small reasons here, especially with foreigners. She said to go anonymously and always pay in cash.) A marriage counsellor might be able to explain the situation to him. My daughter's counsellor for dyslexia didn't want to butt in too much, tried to get him to realize what is happening without saying it explicitly, even though his behavior makes our daughter's already low self-esteem worse.

[Sheep]

On a lighter note...my definition of PTSD = Pretty Tough Stuff Dang-It!!!!

Sheep :rolleyes:

[Illuminated]

" A marriage counsellor might be able to explain the situation to him. My daughter's counsellor for dyslexia didn't want to butt in too much, tried to get him to realize what is happening without saying it explicitly, even though his behavior makes our daughter's already low self-esteem worse. I'm not sure what your situation is, but I am assuming it has something to do with spiritual abuse. You might want to show your husband information that you find on the web, and let him read it so he can start to understand what you are going through. Here's one link I found:
http://www.concernedpoem.com/sections/Spiritualabuse
and another one is:
http://dory.typepad.com/wittenberg_gate/spiritual_abuse/index.html
Are you anywhere near an American Military base? If so, maybe there is a chaplain there who could counsel you guys for free. You HAVE to communicate with him how upset you are and how you are feeling. It is important for him to get educated about your condition so he can understand it.
Love you! :D

[mary]

This is wonderful stuff for me to read... I've been through so much that's caused PTSD in me and I'm glad to read this; maybe I'm not really nuts. PTSD is one of my "official" diagnoses, along with major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and the "perennial" aplastic anemia, myelodysplasia, transfusion-related hep. C, avascular necrosis, cancer history, etc., etc. On top of that, I've never lived in a place where I was, shall we say, "safe..."

Someday, all of this trauma and illness will be gone; the Lord will wipe away every tear and gather me to Himself... It'll be wonderful beyond words.

Thank you so much, Illuminated, for posting these articles!!! May the Lord bless you richly!

mary

[Carmen]

I think his lack of understanding about what happened to me added to problems we were already having. We have talked through some of it this weekend and have found an explanation for part of his abusive behavior. I used to be in some wacky movements, and he has admitted that he was afraid that my current interests would send me down another one of those roads, that I would become legalistic and narrow in my Christian outlook. I have assured him that it is quite the opposite, that I am more free than I ever have been, despite the stability I have found.

I told him about my concept of a house church, about the reciprocal respect, care and love I saw at my parent's church, that they have the real thing and that it is possible to live that way at home and as a community. I told him that even if he doesn't believe as I do, that he can do the practical part too (the Cath. church is teaching on this heavily right now), and that we should be doing it at home first and foremost. He seems to be at least genuinely curious about it, is willing to make a new start of it, and wants to come too, even though I told him we can have the meetings when he isn't here. He is not sure about counselling, but seems willing to work something out. No bases nearby. I'll take a look at the material, Illuminated. Am also going to ask about a parent's group on dyslexia so that he can go and hear what other parents have to say about their kids, that they are in some ways more sensitive because of it. He just doesn't get that yet.