Everyone's Success with participation within Internet Trauma Forums

[Toby]

As I explore the board, I noticed this lonely little section! Let's make it a happier place!


Thought perhaps, I would reach out to the gang and offer a few words. Coming as all of you have to a forum that discusses trauma or C-PTSD is simply courageous in AND of itself!

I mean that is acceptance of our reality, right?  So Congratulations on your exploration!!!

If someone responded to your posts...that is a step out of isolation, right? SO again-

So come on Gang, share any success and lets roll with some appreciation of our journey if only for a moment! 




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[Toby]

Not only do I now understand EFs (where my intense feelings of pain and anxiety are coming from), I can feel and identify them and finally after all of these years explain to whoever is triggering them what my emotions are and where they are coming from. 

That is a wonderful successful step!! Understanding components of EF is quintessential for self regulation and healing!  Thank you so much for your share. Keep them coming, anytime!

[Sandals]

This is the only forum I have participated in. I found other forums too generalized, but perhaps I wasn't at the right place.

I am so thankful for all of you. The only thing I miss is not being able to talk about struggles with SI but I understand the reasons for it.

[Whobuddy]

I have learned that it is OK to not have all the answers and to not know what to do in social situations. I always thought that I needed to figure everything out and have a perfect response to everyone. I don't feel so alone now that I hear from others on this forum that are on this same journey. Don't know if this makes sense, having a hard time putting it into words.

[Bluevermonter]

I am most grateful for OOTF and OOTS.  My ex probably has cptsd, as well as npd/ocd/bpd.  I was dumped, with nc from her after 20 years back in March 2014.

1.  OOTS gives me a perspective on how she may have viewed life and herself.

2.  It educates me on her behaviors and their the origins.

3.  It reminds me that while I saw our ups and downs as normal, she ultimately saw them as untenable.  Truly, there was no physical or sexual abuse, no yelling or name-calling,  no stealing or cheating, but those little everyday upsets must have been rife w EF for her.

4.  It reminds me of the importance of seeking help.  As far as I know, she remains fogged because she cannot conceive of her doing wrong.  She sought to blame me for everything.

5.  What I have learned here has sped up my recovery.  I have let go pretty well since I found OOTS about 2 months ago.  I feel I can get through this because of what you have shared.

Thanks to all who have contributed.  Some of your stories are truly horrific.  I wish you all fair winds at your back as you navigate your storm.

[alovelycreature]

I am eternally grateful for the progress I've had only over the past month on this forum! I have never been on any forum site before until I stumbled across this one and I thought, "Why not give it a try?"

OOTS/OOTF have helped me:

-Talk to others who have similar experiences who are at different points in their journey. The wonderful thing about this is that other survivors can point us newbies in the right direction of what to read or think about. It's also nice to be able to share techniques that have helped us on our journey. The thought of helping someone else on their journey is encouraging for our own journeys.

-Find some amazing books for CPTSD that are incredibly helpful.

-Helped teach me about the inner and outer critic. Learning about the critics has been life changing.

-Given me a place where I can say whatever without feeling shameful. It shows our experience is much more universal than individual, and that we are not alone.

-I didn't even know what an EF was until coming on here! It was like the missing puzzle piece word for my experience.

-Mostly, I have learned much more helpful information on here than in therapy. Therapy did help with my some of my symptoms: night terrors, insomnia, panic attacks... but it didn't get to the root of the problem. Here I now understand why I have EFs and where they come from.

I could go on and on. Thank you everyone for being open, helpful, and compassionate. 

[Bluevermonter]

For me, OOTS and OOTF have provided:

invaluable insights into the commonality of my situation that I could not get from T.

Academic info about pd and cptsd.

Acceptance of my situation.

Insights into my strengths and shortcomings.

Advice on what to do and what to expect.

Really funny stories that have made me spit laugh.

I have never done anything like this before, but I am so very lucky to have found all of you.  My thanks and blessings to the administrators, contributors, and techies who keep both sites going.

[Butterfly]

Oh my where to even begin? In short OOTF wnd OOTS have given me life and restored my marriage. Before I was a mere shell of a human being. A hollow broken puppet.

What I have learned:
Live life
Have no fear, I am free
Resistance is not futile (Borg reference)
uPDm has zero power or authority over me
Basic human rights and Boundaries are mine to have and claim - just do so without JADE
Medium Chill means disengaging emotionally - others drama is not my concern
I can't Control others, I didn't Cause others dysfunction, and I sure as heck can't Cure or fix others so pay it no mind

[wingnut]

There is so much material here, and I am learning a lot, enjoy the references to videos, books, articles, different therapeutic approaches, etc.

I did go to a PTSD forum a while back but their moderators pick at grammar, spelling, thread titles, use of acronyms, etc., and it became a stressor to hope that the post was correctly written vs focusing on the actual content - not a good approach for people who are already sensitive to criticism! This is a breath of fresh air in that way.

[Kizzie]

Welcome to OOTS WN! 

I know the forum you are talking about, I found a lot of the members there to be quite cranky and was afraid I would say the "wrong" thing so I left too.  In particular there was a whole "thing" about CPTSD not being in the DSM so I didn't want to make myself vulnerable by talking about something that according to one Mod in particular, doesn't exist. Not exactly the kind of affirmation and validation I was looking for lol.

Glad you're finding OOTS a breath of fresh air though, good to hear