I was trying to explain the differences to a friend between their paranoia of sitting on a chair and my PTSD and SHAME came into the conversation. He tried to say his fear of a chair was shameful. I am not trying to belittle his fear of falling and granted it probably is embarassing. Still, it by no means I think is on the level of shame and PTSD,

How many of us readily admit to those people around us we suffer? How many of us have acknowledged our PTSD to family and loved ones? This must be hard enough for anyone but I think especially hard for those of us who are survivors of sexual assault and violence. I'm pretty sure many of us with PTSD suffer in silence.

I had a horrible trigger the other night and I'm still out of sorts today. When talking to my dad he knew something was wrong (all he knows is I have bipolar) but I had to lie to him as to what was wrong. For, how do I tell my father I have been the repeated victim of sexual assualt? How do I tell him it goes back to my very young childhood?

I have anxiety too and sure some of it is embarassing but the shame I feel about my PTSD is on a whole different level.