I will throw my 2 cents in here - I believe there is a well-deserved place for sympathy, yes, sympathy, as well as empathy in each of our lives filled with PTSD hell. As with every emotion, vice, habit, etc., things done in excess are usually detrimental but I will not believe that offering sympathy to someone in pain is hurtful to them and encouraging them to remain a victim. They are a victim and as such, deserve understanding and compassion (sympathy) from those who are strong enough to offer such at the time.

As Nic spoke of, I am very, very hesitant to express pain and problems on here as I never know when the result will be an attack at my motives for posting of such a problem because I am "looking for sympathy".

Yeah, Anthony - you have every right to run this forum as you see fit because it is your forum as you keep reminding us, but that does not mean you are right. The continual "kick-in-the-ass" mentality is detrimental to many in my opinion. Although the symptoms of PTSD are pretty uniform, the solutions are not because we as people are very unique and some traumas can be very unique. What may be the end-all solution for one, may not work for another and that does not mean that one doesn't want or isn't trying to get better. Sympathy and empathy have a very healing place in my life - may not be healing to another but it brings healing to me and who is anyone to say it doesn't if they aren't involved in my life, therapy, and treatment?