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Added it Blanca - tks!

[For more information]

Anna L. Bragga has been a regular member at OOTS for over a year.  We have agreed not reveal to her forum name so that she may continue to post anonymously here at OOTS.  Her first published book is a fiction titled "Fractured" which revolves around a character named Deborah who struggles to make a better future for herself in the face of pain and lies surrounding her past, homelessness, and alcoholism. It is when Deborah realizes that "only the truth can give her peace and justice" that she begins to find her way.  Anna is hoping that her book will provide insight and a springboard to discussions about the disorder.  If you have any questions or comments please feel free to post them in this thread.

For more information about Anna and her book, click here. 

To order the book, please click here. 

Congratulations Anna!

I am having surgery on Monday (4th) and will be off the board for the most part for the next 1-2 weeks.  Please direct any questions, etc., to Three Roses, Dee and/or Blueberry.  You are in great hands with them!    

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PS - If you are struggling with the upcoming holidays, please reach out.  It's a tough time of year for so many of us and connecting here, even if it is in cyberspace can help ease that loneliness and grief.  We can help one another   

It is I know Blancalap   

It takes practice to learn something new (e.g., "I am not responsible for this person's behaviour, they are."), and unlearn something old (e.g., "I deserve to be treated badly because I am broken, bad, worthless ..... "). 

Maybe try and give yourself the gift of time in this   

[not]

But here is the question, does it give you an excuse to treat that person like s/he is not one? I mean, s/he doesn't even act like a person, but s/he is. So, how do you treat her/him?

As I recover and practice self-care more and more, I find I am able to disengage from people who do not treat me well.  I've come to see that it is not something I have done or not done that causes their behaviour, it is something inside of them, that they have a problem. So I disengage, walk away from them and leave them to sort themselves out (or not). 

[Poll #1 – To Change or Not to Change the Wording of CPTSD]

Poll #1 – To Change or Not to Change the Wording of CPTSD (20 votes in total) - Leave as is: 5 (25%); Change some/all words: 12 (60%); ; Uncertain: 3 (15%)

Poll #2 – The word Complex (13 votes in total) - Leave: 3 (23.1%); Change to Cumulative: 6 (46.2%); Change to Multiple: 1 (7.7%); Uncertain: 3 (23.1%)

Poll #3 - The word Post (12 votes in total) - Leave: 4 (33.3%); Remove: 8 (66.7%); Suggestion: 0; Uncertain: 0 

Poll #4 - Re: The word Traumatic (13 votes in total) - Keep: 8 (61.5%) ;  Use Psychological Trauma: 2 (15.4%); Use Psychotraumatic: 1 (7.7%); Suggestion: 2 (15.4%); Uncertain: 0

Poll #5 - The Word Stress (12 votes in total) - Keep: 6 (50%); Remove: 2 (16.7%); Suggestion: 0; Uncertain: 1; It depends: 3 (25%)

Poll #6 - The word Disorder (15 votes in total) - Keep: 4 (26.7%); Remove: 0; Use injury: 6 (40%); Use syndrome: 4 (26.7%); Uncertain: 1 (6.7%)

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Based on the results of the polls changes to the wording of the current diagnosis does seem to be desirable, and the most popular wording is:

Cumulative Traumatic Stress Injury

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Thank you to everyone who participated, I know I got a lot out of it     Now I suppose we should consider what are the next steps if any.  I thought perhaps we could use this thread now to discuss what if anything we might do with this info.  Do we contact trauma oriented organizations/researchers/clinicians with our thoughts on the wording?  Do we develop a commentary about it for any professionals who may visit here? Do we just keep it in-house as a discussion that has deepened/broadened our understanding of our symptoms? Other? 

(Note: I will be away from the forum for about 2-3 weeks starting Dec 4th so will not be commenting during that period.  Just so you know I have not abandoned the thread  .)   

I don't have a FB account as find it way too triggering and intrusive.  My FOO have NDP and are very enmeshed with each other so privacy became a real issue for me over time.   

I don't know if a Twitter account is what you're looking for but I created one for OOTS and you don't have to use your real name and no-one see's your email address.  I intend to create a personal one once I get the hang of tweeting so I can follow other people and orgs that aren't relevant to OOTS.   FB though - never   

Your post brought back memories for me of when I did not have anyone or anywhere I could say these things and be heard, understood, validated and supported.   So many of us can relate to having suicidal thoughts, of becoming physically ill being around certain family members, and of feeling like an outsider.  Like Blueberry I hope it does help to be able to write about what you experience and feel   

   Sceal, we'll be here when you come back.

"You do not have a mental illness. Don't let anyone tell you that. You have a trauma. The very thing  this ignorants would have developed if they had gone through the same! How dare they judge if it is a completely natural reaction that any sane person would have under this circumstances?"

So so so glad to hear this, made my day!! 

 

Unfortunately, a lot of things come down to dollars and cents and it's something  I find really disturbing too 

What will hopefully go a long way toward time and effort and money spent on us is the inclusion of CPTSD as a distinct diagnosis in the World Health Org's ICD-11. There are a group of researchers/clinicians (one of whom is Judith Herman who came up with the term in the 1990's), working hard to legitimize CPTSD as a diagnosis distinct from PTSD through studies which produce empirical evidence. It was largely due to their efforts that it is going to be in the ICD.  Hopefully now they will turn their attention to the APA's DSM, the other diagnostic bible mental health professionals, physicians, insurers, etc.,  use. 

There has been push back,  but I personally think the tide is turning in our favour or will within a few years. There are just too many of us connecting on forums like this, blogging, showing up in GPs/therapists offices needing help, etc. I am old enough to remember when those with PTSD were first showing up - lots of skepticism and similar disregard by insurers and so on. Now there are all kinds of services, better treatment, organizations, support groups in so many countries. 

One example of a shift I've been seeing when I look around online is a growing recognition that firefighters, police, emergency service workers and soldiers are suffering from an accumulation of trauma (i.e., Complex PTSD versus PTSD).  These professionals  have powerful unions in most cases and are respected by the public so if they begin to demand better treatment and services, it is likely to pave the way for those of us who developed it for other reasons.  We'll see    but I am hopeful 

FWIW I actually think I was in a mild to moderate dissociated state for a good part of my life.  It's like I was present but twice removed for much of my life and is the reason I have "Swiss Cheese" memory.  I think it was Sweet Sixty who wrote in her personal story that although she had a good marriage and children she loved, it is only since she started to recover that she could really connect with all the feelings she has/had, past years were somewhat fuuzy or distant if that makes sense.  Anyway I could really relate. 

I never had the experience of dizziness or lightheadedness, but must admit if I stayed 'out" too long at first I would become exhausted, so fatigued I would pass out for an couple of hours.  I still have to be careful I don't overstimulate on being present.  It may be that the more often you do come out of your dissociation you will feel less dizzy (i.e., takes practice perhaps  )?

Welcome and thank you Blueberry!   

Hi Smellycat

(I will be singing that song all day now lol)

Unfortunately we have a glitch in our password reset that we need an IT person to fix for us and that won't happen for a bit unfortunately.

What I can do is create a new password for your Habitude account then you can reset it once you're in. Or you can change your user name in this account to Habitude2, whichever works best for you. If it's the former, let me know by PM, and if it's the latter just go ahead and change your user name for this account.  The latter probably would work best as then you won't have three new posts under the name Smellycat. 

Kizzie