Trauma – PTSD

Question:

The message <39F301A4.94FD6…@home.com>   from  Ron Nicholson <ba…@home.com> contains these words: > Is there anyone suffering from PTSD as a > result of adult trauma only.

I am. Pauline

Response:

Me too. Cas. "Arthur & Pauline Kennedy" <ak…@zetnet.co.uk> wrote in message news:2000102520094083905@zetnet.co.uk… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> The message <39F301A4.94FD6…@home.com> >   from  Ron Nicholson <ba…@home.com> contains these words: > > Is there anyone suffering from PTSD as a > > result of adult trauma only. > I am. > Pauline

Response:

I’ve had a number of insights in the past week, and I’d just like to test a theory. Is there anyone suffering from PTSD as a result of adult trauma only. My theory being that without significant early childhood trauma (physical or sexual trauma) even the most horrific episode is dealt with. I’d appreciate some feedback. Ron

Response:

I meet that criteria. Mine is work related, exposure to a incident where a friendcoworker was threatened with serious harm and potential death. We also walked into a domestic with weapons involved. — solentgr…@yahoo.net ================================ As you go through life remember, your hands are only as clean as the person who just left the bathroom.

Response:

solentgrn wrote: > I meet that criteria. > Mine is work related, exposure to a incident where a friendcoworker was > threatened with serious harm and potential death. We also walked into a > domestic with weapons involved.

That’s horrible. It sounds much like my sister’s friend who works with a Children’s Aid organization and is placed harm’s way very often. The reason I’m asking is that I believe that there is a difference in coping strategies when the first or multiple traumas occur in adulthood. And I’m trying to gauge the reactions I’ve had by two docs and a therapist. For some reason they drew a distinction. I heard comments such as "this is different if these assaults happened as an adult." I’m wondering how differently I would have coped with the adult traumas had my childhood not been littered with multiple physical and sexual assaults. I appreciate any information you’re willing to share.

Response:

I think as an adult you have more resources to draw on. Plus you have all of your life’s experiences to help you. Your also able to verbalize and rationalize things more. You have a larger support structure. As a child I think it would be worse and carry far more serious implications. Generally, I, think that the child is victimized by the same people they view as being there to watch out for them. This then builds an inherent fear and distrust for adults, who are the people who step in to aid the victim. I see it as almost a vicious circle. Victimized by adults then adults come in to aid  them. Also they, children, do not have the skills to verbalize their emotions as well as adults do. They are still learning about life. Richard

Response:

solentgrn wrote: > I think as an adult you have more resources to draw on. Plus you have all of > your life’s experiences to help you. Your also able to verbalize and > rationalize things more. You have a larger support structure. > As a child I think it would be worse and carry far more serious > implications. Generally, I, think that the child is victimized by the same > people they view as being there to watch out for them. This then builds an > inherent fear and distrust for adults, who are the people who step in to aid > the victim. I see it as almost a vicious circle. Victimized by adults then > adults come in to aid  them. Also they, children, do not have the skills to > verbalize their emotions as well as adults do. They are still learning about > life. > Richard

Thanks. I was wondering, as well, what you see in the differences in cognitive abilities. Is it easier for the victim of trauma during adulthood to see that events have happened to them, and are not about them. IOW, victims of an assault who have a history of assault often believe themselves to be worthless or disgusting. Is there the same impact for those without the childhood traumas? I appreciate your comments.

Response:

Well as a lay person I think perceptions are as unique as the individual. Cognitive abilities, in my opinion are limited by what our experiences and teaching have given us. If a child or adult knows only violence as an expression of love, that is all they know. Until they are taught or shown otherwise. But children have a limited amount of input to base, or weigh, their perceptions against. After an assault I believe both groups, children and adults, view themselves as worthless. I have heard of Victim syndrome and also the victim profile. I do not know how much weight I would put on the profile. Just from my experience on the street I know there is not as much violence as the media would have you believe, at least here in BC. But I do know there are innocent victims. People in the wrong place at the wrong time. I do not know of a study that has looked at the impact of trauma on post childhood trauma victims and non childhood trauma  victims. It would be a hard group top study as what would you use as a control? Richard

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -solentgrn wrote: > Well as a lay person I think perceptions are as unique as the individual. > Cognitive abilities, in my opinion are limited by what our experiences and > teaching have given us. If a child or adult knows only violence as an > expression of love, that is all they know. Until they are taught or shown > otherwise. > But children have a limited amount of input to base, or weigh, their > perceptions against. After an assault I believe both groups, children and > adults, view themselves as worthless. > I have heard of Victim syndrome and also the victim profile. I do not know > how much weight I would put on the profile. Just from my experience on the > street I know there is not as much violence as the media would have you > believe, at least here in BC. But I do know there are innocent victims. > People in the wrong place at the wrong time. > I do not know of a study that has looked at the impact of trauma on post > childhood trauma victims and non childhood trauma  victims. It would be a > hard group top study as what would you use as a control? > Richard

Thanks again. My theory goes as follows, and you seem to be supporting it, that the depression experienced by trauma suffers is self-induced and the result of thinking and feeling responsible. If learning to cope as child doesn’t prevent the depression and feelings of worthlessness following our traumas then there would seem to be a triggering point that both groups must have. I didn’t know being sexually abused wasn’t about me but about my abuser, but an adult survivor of trauma does know this just prior to their events, so some common factor must be in play for the depression to be common to both groups of sufferers. I know it’s personal, but if you wouldn’t mind saying if when you experience depression connected to your trauma are feelings of responsibility present? Are thoughts of responsibility there? (I could have done this, I knew better, I should have listened to X, etc.) When you think of the trauma is that the point when your mood begins to decline. It’s our thoughts that induce the depressions, and for both groups to feel worthless or disgusting we must all be thinking we’ve done something "wrong." My experience with cognitive therapy has me wondering, and also a theory on the inability to sleep that plagues most of us. Thanks again, Ron

Response:

Related Posts