Good article about us

Deep Blue · October 15, 2019, 11:50:23 PM

https://themighty.com/2018/06/anxiety-from-complex-trauma/?utm_source=engagement_bar&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=story_page.engagement_bar/

sj · October 17, 2019, 02:20:34 PM

Quote from: Deep Blue on October 15, 2019, 11:50:23 PM
https://themighty.com/2018/06/anxiety-from-complex-trauma/?utm_source=engagement_bar&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=story_page.engagement_bar/

Kizzie · October 17, 2019, 03:55:19 PM

Yup.

For those who have experienced trauma, anxiety comes from an automatic physiological response to what has actually, already happened. The brain and body have already lived through "worst case scenario" situations, know what it feels like and are *-bent on never going back there again. The fight/flight/ freeze response goes into overdrive. It's like living with a fire alarm that goes off at random intervals 24 hours a day. It is extremely difficult for the rational brain to be convinced "that won't happen," because it already knows that it has happened, and it was horrific.

woodsgnome · October 17, 2019, 04:48:58 PM

Thanks for this posting/link. It speaks volumes to the out-there status of most of us still wandering around deeply bruised from what hit us straight-on, often with no warning and the horrible aftertaste that's so hard to build any kind of life on.

To explain this to those who haven't been on a similar trek through * tends to be discouraging, demoralizing, and gut-wrenching lonely. So it's good to see these kind of reads getting out. Individually and collectively, the affirmation, if not comfort, in finding these sorts of things can at least help right the ship.

Thanks again, Deep Blue.

Deep Blue · October 28, 2019, 11:45:56 PM

I am a member of the American foundation for Suicide prevention and the article showed up in my feed.

In my opinion, it was very relatable to my own experiences and hope that others find it helpful as well.

Kizzie · October 29, 2019, 04:24:08 PM

It is extremely difficult for the rational brain to be convinced "that won't happen," because it already knows that it has happened, and it was horrific.

Someone on Twitter commented it's important to understand that survivors are not all post trauma. Many of us we are living with trauma that started in adulthood (domestic violence, sexual harassment at work) vs childhood.

Anyway, it's a good point that helps to understand the conditions that lead to Complex PTSD I think; that is, past or present ongoing relational trauma causes the brain to be hypervigilant.

bluepalm · October 29, 2019, 10:15:49 PM

An excellent article. Thank you for posting it Deep Blue.

This, in particular, resonated with me: "Unfortunately for many, creating a 100 percent abuser-free environment is not possible, even for those who set up good boundaries and are wary of the signs. That means that being present in the moment for a complex trauma survivor is not fail-proof, especially in a stressful event. They can be triggered into an emotional flashback by anything in their present environment.

In my case I felt I was 'under assault' every day of my life during my childhood and my marriage and then from continuing assaults from my former husband and, as he reached adolescence, one of my sons - who I think acted out of loyalty to his father and his idea of how a man should behave and who through no fault of his own has inherited his DNA from an abusive family line. The influence of DNA as well as lived experience should not be forgotten.

So now, I know I am always only a second away from falling into overwhelming feelings of frantic despair, even though I now live alone in a beautiful and peaceful environment and a long way from those of my tormentors who are still living. There is no 'post trauma' for me - I struggle against the impact of trauma every day.

And so for me this, too, is a helpful insight from that article: "Those living with generalized anxiety often live in fear of the future. Those with complex trauma fear the future because of the past."

This insight helps me feel it's understandable for me to feel so fragile, so vulnerable, so needing to be careful all the time.

Kizzie · October 30, 2019, 05:24:00 PM

"Those living with generalized anxiety often live in fear of the future. Those with complex trauma fear the future because of the past."

I would add "... because of the past and for many of us, the present" You make a good point about the anxiety caused by past trauma that stays with us as if it is present day Bluepalm. I would also add in those of us dealing with actual present day, ongoing relational trauma such as domestic violence, sexual harassment ....