Me.

This is the most accurate description of how I feel but didn't have the words to say.

https://healingfromcomplextraumaandp...cario/?wref=tp

The part about a rescuer. I've always felt that and thought I was just being drama. This gave me a strength of being heard.

I am glad you were able to find something that helps you. for me my treatment providers do not use the Australian diagnosis of CPTSD.

In short my treatment providers use the DSM 5... in 2013 the diagnosis label CPTSD was placed in the no longer used labeling. (some people still carry the diagnosis because their diagnosis came before 2013)

here in america we have a much more individualized way... rather than lumping everyone under one catch all label of CPTSD when one doesnt fit PTSD label due to long term or what ever other reasons their treatment providers called it CPTSD, there are now many mental disorders that have the CPTSD symptoms and problems.....

for example my diagnosis before 2013 was CPTSD, my individualized symptoms and problems transferred over to being Acute Stress Disorder. A friend of mine who also had the diagnosis label of CPTSD , in 2013 her individual symptoms and problems transferred over to PTSD, and yet another person in my life who before 2013 held the diagnosis label of CPTSD, her individual symptoms and problems transferred over to the new label of OSTSRD.

That said with in this change over America still does use what is called here ....Dysfunctional Family Roles..... to explain what each family members position is with in the family dynamics of abuse and trauma like those that are in the blog that you have posted a link to...

the american words equivelent to those found in the quoted blog from austrailia are.... the rescuer (caretaker, placiator), the enabler, the scapegoat / victim, the co-dependant, the invisible one,

my point though much of what is on this link you posted doesnt apply to the american definitions and way of doing things people of almost any problem like abuse, addiction and other problems that affect the family dynamics can see their self in it. for example my role would have been the victim, my cousins role would have been the enabler, another cousins role was the co dependant one.....

if you are still having problems finding information on this you may try googling the words that america uses for this....."Dysfunctional Family Roles" and "Roles within a dysfunctional family" and family roles in abusive families.

Thank you for your reply.

I respect your comments and opinion.

I shared this, the link, with my counselor and he was thankful, I believe, for it.

He is a teacher and shared with me that he is learning from me about CPTSD and it is enabling him to share with his students what he is learning through me.

I have hoped that I could be something that was good, in the midst of sorting through this mess.

Maybe that is it.

I read this same article posted somewhere else the other day. I relate to it very much as well. For me understanding that all these "symptoms" are the direct result of childhood trauma reduces a lot of the shame for me. All my life I thought I was defective, flawed, broken, a failure as a human being but it turns out I'm actually normal. these are the normal reactions the normal sequelae for children who grow up in abusive environments. That helps me with my healing and my compassion for myself more than anything else.

I completely agree with everything you said!

Thank you for this!

When I read it I also had a feeling of relief. Finally! There are words to explain all that I feel and I'm not loosing my mind.

I was feeling kind of weird because of the relief I felt until I read what you posted here.

Thank you!

My therapist is very good at helping me with this. I get triggered and then become ashamed of my reactions and she helps me understand that my triggered responses are very very normal. Childhood trauma is unprocessed and any reminders of it trigger those same responses as the original traumas. its hard when you don't know what the traumas are or know why your body is reacting that way. She reassures me i am not losing my mind. I am sure you are not losing your mind either! My t told me becoming aware of the triggers and their causes is more like "finding your mind" than losing it. I think I get what she means.

Love this. Thank you.

Thank you for sharing the article. I thought it was very insightful and relatable.

Thank you so much for posting that link. That helps explain so much of what I have going on. My T seems to group it all as PTSD. Better understanding on may part is huge. I don't care what it is called, I am jsut happy not to be alone in this mess.

You are not alone.

It felt like that to me in a way until I found that article.

It is very validating to me.

I'm so glad that it was for you too.

There is another article/resource that I have found that validates me very much. I'm going to post it in the Dissociative Disorders sub-forum because it feels like it should be there.

It's about Learned Helplessness.

(((Hug))) my friend.

Another thought.

Complex PTSD is different than just PTSD. I'm learning that and it is a big difference.

The other article I mentioned brought a lot of insight to me.

I'm on my phone right now. It may be tomorrow before I am able to share it. It spoke much to me.