Yes, my ptsd was actually from being sexually abused by my brother who is three years older than me. I think it's quite normal to think that because they're not much older than us and because they're not an adult, that it wasn't abuse. At least that was how I saw it for most of my childhood, it took a long time for me to accept that my childhood wasn't normal. I always assumed that it was normal for siblings to bully each other so I never thought much about my brother hitting me or locking me up in a storeroom. It's not really about age either because my brother used an electrical cord to hit my sister who was older than him and that was traumatic. I think that if you felt helpless and afraid at that point of time, then it definitely was traumatic and it doesn't matter who did it to you.

In terms of the effects, I suffer from symptoms of dissociation so I'm emotionally numb and I detach from my feelings. I cannot feel any positive emotions like happiness but the good thing about that is it helps me function and hold down a job. I have major trust issues and cannot seem to form a relationship with anybody. I suffer from anxiety around people so I can only cope in jobs where I don't have to be around people much. Therapy can help a lot, find a good trauma therapist who can help you work through this. Just wanted to let you know, that you're not alone...