Hello frootles :)

[flookadelic]

At last...there have been a  couple of "at lasts" in my life of late. My diagnosis of PTSD came about a year ago...I have had a modest amount of therapy but it, and the online resources I sought were geared towards "single issue" PTSD. When I came across what cPTSD was about - prolonged exposure to terrible stress and threat with no means of escape - the lights came on and when I discovered there is this support forum they started flashing pretty colours.

Like many here my abuse is rooted in childhood / teen years. I won't say more than that for now as trigger warnings aren't the best way to say hello!

I was in my 50's when I was finally diagnosed...I also have fibromyalgia whi h may be related to the decades oc inner turmoil my traumatised brain served up to me on a near  constant basis. My rage was always against myself although when I got the diagnosis - a portion of all the anger ever directed within actually went out onto the perpertrators...who have been dead now a number of years. That took some processing and art therapy helped me greatly to get the poison out in a safe, constructive way.

I know now that ultimately my immediate experience of the trauma isn't necessarily the trauma itself, although that's the trigger for me deciding to have a healing relationship to it as a wound rather than a fearful relationship  to it as an enemy. Doesn't stop the EF's but helps me greatly to resolve them quickly when they do arise. Will they ever stop? Don't know. But at least now they remind me to be compassionate towards them rather than try and bomb them with hatred and revulsion.

Anyways, I would like to thank the modfroots, adminfroots and all you lovely froots for being here. May all our flashbacks be handleable

[Rain]

Welcome flookadelic ! ! !   It certainly does appear you've found the right place even with the bit I've read.   Yes, many pretty colours.   

In case you've not found Pete Walker's web site with your Google searches, please visit www.pete-walker.com to find more details that may add to your "pretty colour" aha moments.   Many free articles that you can print out and take on your travels, and learning.

His book, CPTSD: Surviving to Thriving, is excellent and one that many of us here use as a roadmap to healing on this Journey.

I'm glad you have joined us.   I look forward to your sharing posts on the topics you are drawn to.

Grace and Healing in your Journey!

Rain     

[flookadelic]

Thank you both very much for your warm and kind welcome. I must admit I did a fair bit of sniffing around the forum (hyper vigilant, me?) before taking the plunge but I must also say, I am really impressed by you guys. Let's admit it, surviving and recovering from ptsd / cptsd delivers a certain degree of personal insight that I found in abundance here.

So I will be scouting around and using the forum to ask some questions, see about common themes and see how I can advance my own recovery whilst hopefully - and with due consideration - helping others with theirs, even if it's "only" listening. Don't worry - I know that advice is a dangerous gift and that I will never be prescriptive. Just present possible options in a friendly way is my way.

Thank you also for the links to Pete Walker's work. Will be checking it out today. Hope we all have a good weekend! Regards...flooky...

[Whobuddy]

May all our flashbacks be handleable

I like this. It could be a toast for cptsds.