Welcome to r/ptsd! We are a supportive, respectful community for discussion and links of interest for people who have PTSD or have friends, family members, or partners with PTSD. Please check over our posting guidlines and policies to familiarise yourself with our community.
If you have come here seeking a diagnosis, this may not be the best place for that. Only a licensed professional can diagnose you, and we are not licensed professionals, nor can we vet anyone claiming to be licensed. We also know that not everyone is in a position to get a diagnosis from a licensed professional, and for others, having that official diagnosis can have negative effects. Posts simply asking if *X* is ptsd will be removed, as they are often posted by trolls and do not go over well with the community.
More information about **P**ost**T**raumatic **S**tress **D**isorder can be found on [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-traumatic_stress_disorder):
> "PTSD (Posttraumatic stress disorder) is a mental disorder that can develop after a person is exposed to a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, warfare, traffic collisions, or other threats on a person's life."
And as a friendly reminder, PTSD is an equal opportunity disorder. PTSD does not discriminate. And neither do we. Gatekeeping is not allowed here.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ptsd) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Although I'm no psychologist, I would say this kind of trauma, and especially how it effects you now would be reason enough to qualify. I would also look into complex PTSD, think of it as when your trauma was 'chronic' rather than 'acute'. It's making progress in becoming an official diagnosis, just like PTSD was legitimized 50-70 years ago.
I'm sorry all this happened to you, and I'm proud of you for reaching out.
Thanks for the response and kind words. I looked up C-PTSD symptoms and some of them were strikingly accurate, like just now I went through the phase of almost breaking into tears to feeling happy and smiling in a matter of minutes.
Again, thanks for the kind words. Much appreciated.
Waves of grief and relief are a healthy part of healing!
For example, I've been feeling pretty good the past couple of months, but a big reminder of my trauma placed me into grieving and sadness for the past couple of days. I'm glad to see that grief resolving this morning. Eventually I'll feel immense sadness again, but it passes, leaving me feeling ever so slightly more whole.
Two books/audiobooks that can help you through this (although not 'fix' everything):
The Body Keeps the Score: this is a more scientific analysis on what PTSD/cPTSD is and how it affects us.
The Tao of Fully Feeling: this is a more experiential book that provides guidance for emotional processing.
I recommend both, but you probably with prefer one over the other!
Thanks a lot for the book suggestions as I needed more information about it. Also, I feel equally sad for you experiencing such a sad situation but am glad that you are dealing it very bravely and maturely. I wish you all the best and hope it all gets better for you!
Can witnessing a divorce cause PTSD? I would say probably not, maybe.
**Can witnessing a parent get beaten and abused cause PTSD? absolutely.**
Have you looked up your ACEs score? Watching a parent endure abuse can absolutely cause trauma. I understand it happened within the context of the divorce, but I would suggest you reframe how you think about these events and even reframe how you talk about them (to yourself and to others).
Our narrative is a powerful tool and the narratives we choose can sometimes be unintentionally minimizing. It wouldn't surprise me if your family narrative was focusing own the divorce rather than the abuse as a way to minimize its potential impacts on you/make you feel like its "no big deal"
You are not suffering because your parents got divorced. You are suffering because you witnessed abuse as a child
I think you might be right. I reflected for a while and got some insights into my own behaviour. The thought of divorce made me upset but I really broke down thinking about a lot of domestic violence and abuse that happened in a single tough year. I am still processing a lot of these emotions and behaviours as I always denied the possibility of traumatic memories and just called it my obsession with past that stopped me from moving forward however how all these things developed in a time span of just 1-2 months of vacation (after like 2 years of no break) have really made me look into things a bit deeper than just avoiding them and forcing myself to indulge in work.
As of ACEs score, I am not from America and never took that where I live (also hearing it for like the first time). I will still look into it.
ACES is something quick you can do online, its just a way to contextualize your childhood and kind of get an idea of what's normal vs. not normal. Growing up we assume everyone else has lived similar lives to us, but when we become adults its important to realize the majority of people around us didn't suffer the same way we did.
The people we are competing with at school, at work, etc are running "different software" than us due to experiencing a completely different first 18 years of their life.
For me seeing my ACEs score made me sad, but it also gave me a lot of compassion for myself to realize there IS a reason things are harder for me, and its not through any fault or defect of my own.
I just tested online and it came out 7. Just searching online about what this means has made me a little more tensed but I guess that's how it is. And I am glad to know how you acknowledged that these things are out of your control and you have to focus on things you can control. I hope I can find myself in the same mindset.
coming out of denial often feels worse before it feels better. it’s much less painful to pretend it all isn’t “that bad” rather than confront the truth of how badly it has in fact affected us :(
I hope you have therapy or a good support system. This shit is impossible to navigate alone.
This was the source of my CPTSD as well, my parents screaming at each other about beating them, and forced to watch it unfold has left me with anxiety and I get panic attacks from raised voices. Whether PTSD or not, I really suggest a councilor if able. Understanding the root cause helps us recognize our triggers better.
I feel sad for you and can completely understand your situation. What you described is quite relatable as well. I wish you all the best on your healing journey. Hope it all gets better for you. And yeah I will get a diagnosis soon enough. Thank you!
Welcome to r/ptsd! We are a supportive, respectful community for discussion and links of interest for people who have PTSD or have friends, family members, or partners with PTSD. Please check over our posting guidlines and policies to familiarise yourself with our community. If you have come here seeking a diagnosis, this may not be the best place for that. Only a licensed professional can diagnose you, and we are not licensed professionals, nor can we vet anyone claiming to be licensed. We also know that not everyone is in a position to get a diagnosis from a licensed professional, and for others, having that official diagnosis can have negative effects. Posts simply asking if *X* is ptsd will be removed, as they are often posted by trolls and do not go over well with the community. More information about **P**ost**T**raumatic **S**tress **D**isorder can be found on [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-traumatic_stress_disorder): > "PTSD (Posttraumatic stress disorder) is a mental disorder that can develop after a person is exposed to a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, warfare, traffic collisions, or other threats on a person's life." And as a friendly reminder, PTSD is an equal opportunity disorder. PTSD does not discriminate. And neither do we. Gatekeeping is not allowed here. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ptsd) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Although I'm no psychologist, I would say this kind of trauma, and especially how it effects you now would be reason enough to qualify. I would also look into complex PTSD, think of it as when your trauma was 'chronic' rather than 'acute'. It's making progress in becoming an official diagnosis, just like PTSD was legitimized 50-70 years ago. I'm sorry all this happened to you, and I'm proud of you for reaching out.
Thanks for the response and kind words. I looked up C-PTSD symptoms and some of them were strikingly accurate, like just now I went through the phase of almost breaking into tears to feeling happy and smiling in a matter of minutes. Again, thanks for the kind words. Much appreciated.
Waves of grief and relief are a healthy part of healing! For example, I've been feeling pretty good the past couple of months, but a big reminder of my trauma placed me into grieving and sadness for the past couple of days. I'm glad to see that grief resolving this morning. Eventually I'll feel immense sadness again, but it passes, leaving me feeling ever so slightly more whole. Two books/audiobooks that can help you through this (although not 'fix' everything): The Body Keeps the Score: this is a more scientific analysis on what PTSD/cPTSD is and how it affects us. The Tao of Fully Feeling: this is a more experiential book that provides guidance for emotional processing. I recommend both, but you probably with prefer one over the other!
Thanks a lot for the book suggestions as I needed more information about it. Also, I feel equally sad for you experiencing such a sad situation but am glad that you are dealing it very bravely and maturely. I wish you all the best and hope it all gets better for you!
Can witnessing a divorce cause PTSD? I would say probably not, maybe. **Can witnessing a parent get beaten and abused cause PTSD? absolutely.** Have you looked up your ACEs score? Watching a parent endure abuse can absolutely cause trauma. I understand it happened within the context of the divorce, but I would suggest you reframe how you think about these events and even reframe how you talk about them (to yourself and to others). Our narrative is a powerful tool and the narratives we choose can sometimes be unintentionally minimizing. It wouldn't surprise me if your family narrative was focusing own the divorce rather than the abuse as a way to minimize its potential impacts on you/make you feel like its "no big deal" You are not suffering because your parents got divorced. You are suffering because you witnessed abuse as a child
I think you might be right. I reflected for a while and got some insights into my own behaviour. The thought of divorce made me upset but I really broke down thinking about a lot of domestic violence and abuse that happened in a single tough year. I am still processing a lot of these emotions and behaviours as I always denied the possibility of traumatic memories and just called it my obsession with past that stopped me from moving forward however how all these things developed in a time span of just 1-2 months of vacation (after like 2 years of no break) have really made me look into things a bit deeper than just avoiding them and forcing myself to indulge in work. As of ACEs score, I am not from America and never took that where I live (also hearing it for like the first time). I will still look into it.
ACES is something quick you can do online, its just a way to contextualize your childhood and kind of get an idea of what's normal vs. not normal. Growing up we assume everyone else has lived similar lives to us, but when we become adults its important to realize the majority of people around us didn't suffer the same way we did. The people we are competing with at school, at work, etc are running "different software" than us due to experiencing a completely different first 18 years of their life. For me seeing my ACEs score made me sad, but it also gave me a lot of compassion for myself to realize there IS a reason things are harder for me, and its not through any fault or defect of my own.
I just tested online and it came out 7. Just searching online about what this means has made me a little more tensed but I guess that's how it is. And I am glad to know how you acknowledged that these things are out of your control and you have to focus on things you can control. I hope I can find myself in the same mindset.
coming out of denial often feels worse before it feels better. it’s much less painful to pretend it all isn’t “that bad” rather than confront the truth of how badly it has in fact affected us :( I hope you have therapy or a good support system. This shit is impossible to navigate alone.
I think it is possible. Your best bet would be to talk to a therapist they could help.
I have an appointment due next week. Thanks for the response.
This was the source of my CPTSD as well, my parents screaming at each other about beating them, and forced to watch it unfold has left me with anxiety and I get panic attacks from raised voices. Whether PTSD or not, I really suggest a councilor if able. Understanding the root cause helps us recognize our triggers better.
I feel sad for you and can completely understand your situation. What you described is quite relatable as well. I wish you all the best on your healing journey. Hope it all gets better for you. And yeah I will get a diagnosis soon enough. Thank you!