I am 40 yrs old and just found out/realized that I suffered from CPTSD when I was growing up. Not sure when it started, or if, and when it ended.
I was emotionally abused by my father and emotionally abused and abandoned by my mother. I still need to explore this in greater detail, but my father had a terrible temper (got spanked, hit, slapped with a belt etc)...when I was "bad" , and my mother, once my parents got divorced, when I was 7, simply left.
I was left to look after my younger sister..and myself. My older sister had already left home to go to university. During the divorce process, I was in lawyers offices constantly when I was a child always asking to "pick sides" ...ie, who was the worse parent.
My relationship with my father was one of turmoil. I felt like I could never please him. He always seemed angry and that it was my fault. Of the three sisters, I spent the most time with him because I was the "tomboy". So in some weird way I had a bond with him because of that...but not many of the times were happy. He was always angry with me and rarely gave me positive feedback.
My mother simply left us. After the divorce I feel that she felt that she was free and forgot that she had kids to look after. She went on trips all the time and left me and my younger sister alone. I was no more than 12-13yrs old. I remember being afraid and staying up all night thinking that people were going to break into the house. I had to protect my younger sister though, so I "toughed it out".
I've told her these feelings and her response has always been - "I did the best I could"
I never really received treatment or therapy about those issues. It's important to note that I have huge gaps in my memory from my childhood. I see old pictures of myself and I don't know who that person is. I don't really recall the surroundings in the pictures. I have no memory of most of my early life.
Fast forward to the present - I am in a tumultuous relationship (surprise surprise) with a man. We have been living together for 11-12 yrs, not married, but completely intertwined in life. I love him...but I do believe, that at times, he is emotionally abusive to me. I recently discovered infidelity on his part...and that triggered the CPTSD reaction in me. It was so strong that it stopped me in my tracks. I've left the house, been to a medical doctor to help with the anxiety and been to a therapist. After we talked, she suggested that I google CPTSD. I had never heard of it and had no idea that I could be suffering from it.
So now I am at the point where I at least have some relief knowing what has been causing these feelings and physiological symptoms...and left with many questions about the future.
Something that I read on the net says that people with CPTSD need to (but don't and do the opposite) avoid people that cause secondary victimization in the form of repetition compulsion.
Where we, people with CPTSD, actively seek out partners that are exactly like the people that caused our CPTSD in the first place. Sounds perverse, but apparently there is some deep seeded need to get closure on this so we seek out someone that exhibits the same characteristics (I.e emotionally abuses us) so that we can "fix" them.....to totally heal. In fact, some , namely Harville Hendrix (not sure if he is a psychologist or psychotherapist or what?) suggest that our unconscious soul will only accept complete healing within ourselves by being with someone who is similar to the person who originally hurt us. In other words, we will never find happiness in a romantic relationship until we can be with someone like our original abuser, go through the turmoil again, but, with the help of the abuser, heal. At this point, for me, this seems impossible. I don't know if the man I am with would admit that he is emotionally abusive and be willing and prepared to seek the help to help me? Seems insurmountable. I haven't broached the subject with him yet. I am waiting until I discuss this with my therapist.
And the other thought of course, is that, once I get therapy...and help...and have better self -worth , that I will not accept emotional abuse from my partner and it will be over. Right now - I don't want it to be over though.
But does that mean that I continually repeat the cycle? I don't know.
I would like to know if anyone out there has any experience with this and has any thoughts or advice?
Thank you
I was emotionally abused by my father and emotionally abused and abandoned by my mother. I still need to explore this in greater detail, but my father had a terrible temper (got spanked, hit, slapped with a belt etc)...when I was "bad" , and my mother, once my parents got divorced, when I was 7, simply left.
I was left to look after my younger sister..and myself. My older sister had already left home to go to university. During the divorce process, I was in lawyers offices constantly when I was a child always asking to "pick sides" ...ie, who was the worse parent.
My relationship with my father was one of turmoil. I felt like I could never please him. He always seemed angry and that it was my fault. Of the three sisters, I spent the most time with him because I was the "tomboy". So in some weird way I had a bond with him because of that...but not many of the times were happy. He was always angry with me and rarely gave me positive feedback.
My mother simply left us. After the divorce I feel that she felt that she was free and forgot that she had kids to look after. She went on trips all the time and left me and my younger sister alone. I was no more than 12-13yrs old. I remember being afraid and staying up all night thinking that people were going to break into the house. I had to protect my younger sister though, so I "toughed it out".
I've told her these feelings and her response has always been - "I did the best I could"
I never really received treatment or therapy about those issues. It's important to note that I have huge gaps in my memory from my childhood. I see old pictures of myself and I don't know who that person is. I don't really recall the surroundings in the pictures. I have no memory of most of my early life.
Fast forward to the present - I am in a tumultuous relationship (surprise surprise) with a man. We have been living together for 11-12 yrs, not married, but completely intertwined in life. I love him...but I do believe, that at times, he is emotionally abusive to me. I recently discovered infidelity on his part...and that triggered the CPTSD reaction in me. It was so strong that it stopped me in my tracks. I've left the house, been to a medical doctor to help with the anxiety and been to a therapist. After we talked, she suggested that I google CPTSD. I had never heard of it and had no idea that I could be suffering from it.
So now I am at the point where I at least have some relief knowing what has been causing these feelings and physiological symptoms...and left with many questions about the future.
Something that I read on the net says that people with CPTSD need to (but don't and do the opposite) avoid people that cause secondary victimization in the form of repetition compulsion.
Where we, people with CPTSD, actively seek out partners that are exactly like the people that caused our CPTSD in the first place. Sounds perverse, but apparently there is some deep seeded need to get closure on this so we seek out someone that exhibits the same characteristics (I.e emotionally abuses us) so that we can "fix" them.....to totally heal. In fact, some , namely Harville Hendrix (not sure if he is a psychologist or psychotherapist or what?) suggest that our unconscious soul will only accept complete healing within ourselves by being with someone who is similar to the person who originally hurt us. In other words, we will never find happiness in a romantic relationship until we can be with someone like our original abuser, go through the turmoil again, but, with the help of the abuser, heal. At this point, for me, this seems impossible. I don't know if the man I am with would admit that he is emotionally abusive and be willing and prepared to seek the help to help me? Seems insurmountable. I haven't broached the subject with him yet. I am waiting until I discuss this with my therapist.
And the other thought of course, is that, once I get therapy...and help...and have better self -worth , that I will not accept emotional abuse from my partner and it will be over. Right now - I don't want it to be over though.
But does that mean that I continually repeat the cycle? I don't know.
I would like to know if anyone out there has any experience with this and has any thoughts or advice?
Thank you