Personal Stories

[Kizzie]

Just wanted to announce that with Sanmagic's permission (tks SM), I have added her story to the "Personal Stories" section of the OOTS site (see http://www.outofthestorm.website/personal-stories-of-complex-ptsd/).  It's here if you'd like to have a look -  http://www.outofthestorm.website/sanmagics-story

If at any time anyone is interested in sharing their story on the web site, please let me know.  The intent is for our stories to provide visitors and potential members with insight into how/when/why Complex PTSD develops, and what the lived experience is like.   

[Kizzie]

I am just giving this a bump in the event that someone may want to share their personal stories on the web site portion of OOTS - see http://www.outofthestorm.website/personal-stories-of-complex-ptsd/. 

These stories help to put a human face on Complex PTSD, as well as provide insight and raise awareness into the disorder.

If you're interested plse let me know. 

Kizzie

[sweetsixty]

Kizzie,

Happy for you to use mine but  it needs updating! We are away at the moment but will happily update when I'm home if you like to use it?

XX

[Kizzie]

Hi Sweet Sixty - That would be great, tks!   

Kizzie

[Kizzie]

Elphanigh's story has been added here - http://www.outofthestorm.website/elphanighs-story. Love the picture she chose 

[Elphanigh]

Thank you for liking my picture so much.  It felt perfect for the big step of sharing my story like this.

[Three Roses]

You are brave 

[Elphanigh]

Thank you, it felt brave. 

[Lingurine]

Good job Elphanigh



Lingurine

[Elphanigh]

Thank you very much 

[Kizzie]

I have just added another personal story, this one from Sweet Sixty - http://www.outofthestorm.website/sweet-sixtys-story. 

Thank you so much for allowing us to share your story Sweet Sixty, I do think these give others permission to tell their own stories and hope that we can recover 

[sweetsixty]

Thank you Kizzie, 

I think writing my story and putting it out there will help my healing too. It's a big step but it feels like a positive one, fighting my vulnerability schema!

If it also helps others then I'm proud to have done so. 

Not brave - just a little crazy 😜

[Kizzie]

Definitely it's a part of our healing    I found my story really hard to do, but once it was done it was like, "Well there I am finally, no more gaps, secrets, masks ..... just me."  I felt pride in posting it because I too hope it will help others, especially those who aren't sure about what they're dealing with.  With covert NPD it's harder to see/understand the abuse, even though everything inside you keeps trying to tell you so. But then when you do figure it out it's positively glaring       So I hope our stories do help people to see earlier on in life.  I'm glad you and I got here in our sixties rather than not at all, but a little earlier would have been good 

Note: I  do recognize that there are many members, who cannot tell their stories for safety reasons, are just not ready to, or simply don't want to - and that's perfectly OK.   I can afford to tell my story because I don't have anyone who will show up here and recognize me - my FOO have NPD so they aren't internally reflective and I am NC/LC with them-- and even if they did, there isn't all that much they could do any more.   I just wanted to point that out so no-one feels they should post their story.

[Elphanigh]

Kizzie, I feel kind of like that too. There are not more secrets in a way. My story gives the best overview I could ever give anyone. It is both scary and freeing to have it out there.

I wouldn't be able to do it if I thought any of my FOO would recognize it at all, but I know they won't.

I am also so glad you two found this place when you did. I am ever grateful to have found it as young as I have, and that I have people like you that are wiser than I when I an floundering at all of this

[sweetsixty]

I know exactly what you both mean! I'm NC with my most of my FOO and any I'm in touch with wouldn't be on this site anyway. Beyond that I've actually decided that in anyone else should ever recognise my story then it doesn't matter. No more secrets has to mean no more secrets.

I was nervous initially but now my usual insecurities have started instead around is my writing good enough, have I missed something important etc. But at least I recognise now that's my perfectionism lol.

Elphanigh you are brave for someone so young, I'm not sure I'm wiser but definitely older!  As for the covert NPD it was only in the middle of a therapy session 4 years that I said to my T "What did I do for my M to treat me like that" and she replied "you were born!". Immediately she apologised and kept on apologising as she realised how that simple statement had hit me, but it was the start of the realisation of my M's PD and that none of it had been my fault! She's also asked me if I regret finding all this out at my age but like Kizzie it's better to know now than never and carry on suffering mentally without knowing why.  This has been a huge healing step!

I'm so glad you started this site Kizzie it's been a true blessing for so many of us. I don't participate often but it's a treasure trove of information. I'm proud to be part of the first few to share their story on the website as I was one of the first to join the forum.  It's just a shame we are growing I just wish there wasn't so many of us.