Recent posts
#1
Recovery Journals / Re: Desert Flower's Recovery J...
Last post by Blueberry - November 24, 2025, 11:57:31 PM
to you Desert Flower #2
Please Introduce Yourself Here / Re: New & (a little) Nervous
Last post by Blueberry - November 24, 2025, 11:52:13 PMWelcome to the forum 
I hope you find this place as supportive as I have over the years.
I hope you find this place as supportive as I have over the years.
#3
Please Introduce Yourself Here / Re: New & (a little) Nervous
Last post by TheBigBlue - November 24, 2025, 10:53:46 PMHi and welcome to OOTS.
I'm really glad you found your way here. What you wrote about having your pain minimized or compared away resonated with me deeply. It takes courage to start naming these things, but doing it in a community that understands can make it feel a little less daunting.
I'm glad you're here.
I'm really glad you found your way here. What you wrote about having your pain minimized or compared away resonated with me deeply. It takes courage to start naming these things, but doing it in a community that understands can make it feel a little less daunting.
I'm glad you're here.
#4
Please Introduce Yourself Here / Re: Definitely still out in th...
Last post by TheBigBlue - November 24, 2025, 10:35:53 PMThank you for your message, TriumphOfEmpathy. It really helps to feel understood. I've been on OOTS only a few days and already found myself a bit obsessed reading through older posts and resources. There's such a wealth of insight and lived experience on this forum. Two posts that have really stayed with me were shared by Kizzie: a song and an essay — both hit something deep and made me feel less alone. I'll try to "quote" the posts below rather than just copy/paste the resource links themselves, for more context (I hope I'm doing it correctly).
I hope this space becomes part of both our support systems.
And
I hope this space becomes part of both our support systems.
Quote from: Kizzie on December 07, 2023, 07:13:22 PM... There's a good article here I found today that explains why this is so, how those of us who cannot describe our abuse as horrific and in some cases as abuse itself end up with Complex PTSD.
https://www.complextrauma.org/complex-trauma/death-by-a-thousand-cuts/
...
And
Quote from: Kizzie on January 19, 2020, 06:08:22 PMIf ever there was an anthem song for OOTS, this would be it - https://www.sunnyskyz.com/happy-videos/8834/People-From-31-Countries-Sing-039-You-Will-Be-Found-039-And-It-039-s-Absolutely-Beautiful.
You found us and we found you, welcome
#5
Please Introduce Yourself Here / New & (a little) Nervous
Last post by TriumpOfEmpathy - November 24, 2025, 09:46:57 PMHello all! 
Where to begin? I guess we'll start with how I found Out of the Storm, which is probably how many of us found our way here... it was a simple Google search. My therapist (LISW) has recommended some form of group interaction, whether that be an online support group or group therapy or the like. I was able to find many a support group for individuals with your run-of-the-mill mental illnesses- depression, anxiety, PTSD, mood disorders, etc., but to find a community of folks dealing with CPTSD is more difficult. I'm so glad to have found OOTS, if only for that sigh I released upon seeing how many of you there are here. I'm not alone.
I have a history of single-event trauma (well, one relationship of trauma) with a PTSD diagnosis since 2016. I entered trauma therapy last year (2024) with a goal of targeting these traumatic memories for reprocessing. This therapist was the first with experience in CPTSD and almost immediately she added that diagnosis. I grew up in an environment with half siblings, and objectively there was "worse" trauma happening in their lives (with their other parent), and I think that is part of the reason I never even considered that my own upbringing provided buckets of its own attachment trauma.
One of my greatest difficulties in struggling with my mental health, which began at a very young age with onset of depressive symptoms around age 11, is that I feel that I must be the only one struggling so badly with x, y, and/or z. My mom didn't (doesn't) believe that mental illness exists, and I was told constantly that I was overreacting, over emotional, attention-seeking, making a big deal out of nothing, etc... and I suppose in the most black and white way, I can see how that would damage a person. But goodness does it feel weird to admit that! I'm here, I'm trying, and I'm hoping to maybe slowly chip away at that self-perception of being hopelessly alone in my struggles.
Thanks, friends. Looking forward to getting to know the forum and you lovely humans.
Where to begin? I guess we'll start with how I found Out of the Storm, which is probably how many of us found our way here... it was a simple Google search. My therapist (LISW) has recommended some form of group interaction, whether that be an online support group or group therapy or the like. I was able to find many a support group for individuals with your run-of-the-mill mental illnesses- depression, anxiety, PTSD, mood disorders, etc., but to find a community of folks dealing with CPTSD is more difficult. I'm so glad to have found OOTS, if only for that sigh I released upon seeing how many of you there are here. I'm not alone.
I have a history of single-event trauma (well, one relationship of trauma) with a PTSD diagnosis since 2016. I entered trauma therapy last year (2024) with a goal of targeting these traumatic memories for reprocessing. This therapist was the first with experience in CPTSD and almost immediately she added that diagnosis. I grew up in an environment with half siblings, and objectively there was "worse" trauma happening in their lives (with their other parent), and I think that is part of the reason I never even considered that my own upbringing provided buckets of its own attachment trauma.
One of my greatest difficulties in struggling with my mental health, which began at a very young age with onset of depressive symptoms around age 11, is that I feel that I must be the only one struggling so badly with x, y, and/or z. My mom didn't (doesn't) believe that mental illness exists, and I was told constantly that I was overreacting, over emotional, attention-seeking, making a big deal out of nothing, etc... and I suppose in the most black and white way, I can see how that would damage a person. But goodness does it feel weird to admit that! I'm here, I'm trying, and I'm hoping to maybe slowly chip away at that self-perception of being hopelessly alone in my struggles.
Thanks, friends. Looking forward to getting to know the forum and you lovely humans.
#6
Please Introduce Yourself Here / Re: Definitely still out in th...
Last post by TriumpOfEmpathy - November 24, 2025, 09:29:37 PMHello TheBigBlue
I'm also new here and decided to select a couple other "introductions" before creating my own. I'm in my mid-30s and feel as though I could've copy-pasted at least portions of your intro above. It wasn't until last year that I found a therapist experienced in CPTSD that I even fully came to realize the extent of my attachment trauma. I too feel grateful to have "taken the red pill," but find myself occasionally wondering if things were easier before I had these realizations. I also toootally get the feelings of shame and regret following a self-disclosure of any kind; even when someone has a neutral reaction, I find myself spiraling for days after sometimes.
Here's hoping we both find the community we seek here on the forum, or at least find a way to incorporate this into our support system.
I'm also new here and decided to select a couple other "introductions" before creating my own. I'm in my mid-30s and feel as though I could've copy-pasted at least portions of your intro above. It wasn't until last year that I found a therapist experienced in CPTSD that I even fully came to realize the extent of my attachment trauma. I too feel grateful to have "taken the red pill," but find myself occasionally wondering if things were easier before I had these realizations. I also toootally get the feelings of shame and regret following a self-disclosure of any kind; even when someone has a neutral reaction, I find myself spiraling for days after sometimes.
Here's hoping we both find the community we seek here on the forum, or at least find a way to incorporate this into our support system.
#7
Ideas/Tools for Recovery / Re: Today I am grateful .... (...
Last post by Dalloway - November 24, 2025, 07:23:59 PMIt´s been a while since anyone posted in here, but I was scrolling through the topics, reading and relating and commenting and sharing and suddenly I realized how grateful I am for this forum that´s been a game changer and life saver for me. I don´t really believe in faith or things like that, but I cannot thank life enough for leading me here.
#8
AD - Emotional Dysregulation / Re: Sudden waves of sadness
Last post by Dalloway - November 24, 2025, 06:59:57 PMSilveris, thank you very much for reminding me of this thread. Right today I had a very painful experience with watching a sweet video about a dad who was thanking his daughter for making his life meaningful, that completely destroyed me emotionally cause I realized how little unconditional love and acceptance I got as a child, so watching something that I needed so much but never had was extremely triggering. It made me think about all the instances I got angry at seeing someone being affectionate or shoving love, but had no idea why. Now I´m starting to realize that it´s because it makes me feel uncomfortable to see something I miss so much.
Anyway, I´m glad that you had breakthroughs with some emotions, realizing something that you´ve tried to decipher for years and suddenly connecting the dots feels very liberating, so good for you.
Anyway, I´m glad that you had breakthroughs with some emotions, realizing something that you´ve tried to decipher for years and suddenly connecting the dots feels very liberating, so good for you.
#9
Recovery Journals / Re: Desert Flower's Recovery J...
Last post by Hope67 - November 24, 2025, 06:22:21 PMHi Desert Flower,
Glad that you are feeling calmer and that you are safe, and also that you enjoyed filling out that questionnaire. It's great that you went to that Retreat and that it went well. Missing that Birthday thing sounds like it was meant to be and you could sleep for a while.
Glad that you are feeling calmer and that you are safe, and also that you enjoyed filling out that questionnaire. It's great that you went to that Retreat and that it went well. Missing that Birthday thing sounds like it was meant to be and you could sleep for a while.
#10
Recovery Journals / Re: starting over
Last post by Hope67 - November 24, 2025, 06:18:00 PMThat is a very physical reaction - when you wrote about being grabbed by the throat. I feel angry that the EF affected you so roughly SanMagic, and I feel like telling that part that you are such a lovely person, and I'm glad that your D was able to help with removing some of the gunk that you experienced.