Question:
Hi Group! I too am a PTSD survivor. I am a 50 year old male who grew up in a severely dysfunctional and Catholic family. I had abusive, alcoholic parents and was exposed to severe mental and physical abuse, constant beatings and life threatening incidents at the hands of my father. To make matters worse I was involved in a serious industrial accident at the age of 19 that hospitalized me for almost 6 months. My right arm was nearly severed but thanks to a masterful surgeon it was saved. This combination of traumas left me nervous and anxious and never sure of myself. I have been the Prozac and therapy route with little success! I still sweat bullets at the hint of stress and am addidicted to crisis and adrenalin. But I have learned to cope!!! I was in a marriage to a manic depressive woman that was mentally toxic for 20 years and have struggled to feel good about myself every day of my life! Although I was never an alcoholic or a drug abusers I have dealt with other "demons" my whole life. Total lack of self esteem, negative thinking, self doubt etc. I have struggled through my life to be normal but now I just settle for functional. I am now married to a wonderful woman who loves me unconditionally and have a super 20 year old son with whom I have a fantastic relationship. I broke the chain of abuse and he is the light of my life. He will be a great husband and father and I look forward to seeing my grandkids and playing the grandpa role. Life is never easy for me but I cope and even enjoy some days. I have been a teacher for 25 years and have started a computer training consulting company to supplement my income and help after retirement. I look forward to life now and finally know I am a person worthy of being loved and that I have self worth. Its been a long and crazy trip to say the least but all in all life is good and getting better. I would like to correspond with other PTSD sufferers and survivors. I can be reached at: robsaunders1…@hotmail.com
Response:
Dear Rob, It seems like you’ve done very well considering your background. Not dissimilar from mine, and I’m a hyper-overachiever! I too am from a severely dysfunctional Catholic family – great mom, alcoholic emotionally abusive dad. I had a very serious bicycle accident 4 years ago which gave me PTSD. Have a great pyschiatrist but have stayed away from support groups, online or otherwise. But I’ve recently suffered a severe setback and he’s encouraging (forcing!) me to reach out to other survivors too. Welcome to the group! Barbara
Response:
Hello, I too grew up in a severely dysfunctional, albeit lapsed, Catholic family too. Sexually, emotionally, verbally abusive mother, mostly absent father. Like many sexuallly abused children, I tried to be perfect. The end result of that was that no one knew there were problems in the family, we looked so darn middle class and normal. I had lots of repressed memories, that suddenly clicked into place one day and made everything make sense. I have the usual low-self esteem etc. My therapist doesn’t think I need meds, (so far) and I am overall pretty pleased with therapy. So there you have my life in a nutshell. Grace "Robert & Sharon Saunders" <saund…@dmv.com> wrote in message news:usbafv1lr3nq61@corp.supernews.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi Group! > I too am a PTSD survivor. I am a 50 year old male who grew up in a severely > dysfunctional and Catholic family. I had abusive, alcoholic parents and was > exposed to severe mental and physical abuse, constant beatings and life > threatening incidents at the hands of my father. To make matters worse I was > involved in a serious industrial accident at the age of 19 that hospitalized > me for almost 6 months. My right arm was nearly severed but thanks to a > masterful surgeon it was saved. This combination of traumas left me nervous > and anxious and never sure of myself. I have been the Prozac and therapy > route with little success! I still sweat bullets at the hint of stress and > am addidicted to crisis and adrenalin. But I have learned to cope!!! > I was in a marriage to a manic depressive woman that was mentally toxic for > 20 years and have struggled to feel good about myself every day of my life! > Although I was never an alcoholic or a drug abusers I have dealt with other > "demons" my whole life. Total lack of self esteem, negative thinking, self > doubt etc. > I have struggled through my life to be normal but now I just settle for > functional. I am now married to a wonderful woman who loves me > unconditionally and have a super 20 year old son with whom I have a > fantastic relationship. I broke the chain of abuse and he is the light of my > life. He will be a great husband and father and I look forward to seeing my > grandkids and playing the grandpa role. > Life is never easy for me but I cope and even enjoy some days. I have been a > teacher for 25 years and have started a computer training consulting company > to supplement my income and help after retirement. I look forward to life > now and finally know I am a person worthy of being loved and that I have > self worth. Its been a long and crazy trip to say the least but all in all > life is good and getting better. > I would like to correspond with other PTSD sufferers and survivors. I can > be reached at: > robsaunders1…@hotmail.com
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