Forum Categorisation / New Forum Group Requests

[anthony]

I get requests often to create new forums, ie. for military, rape, assault, chilhood abuse, MVA's, etc etc, so those who fit those criteria can chat uniquely about their common relationships. I understand these requests, but the standing answer for this one is also, NO. Let me explain why.

PTSD Forum is not about how we got PTSD, it is about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The focus is to remain on the problem, not the cause, which is why I will not establish another arm to the forum containing individual groups categorised by nature in which PTSD was caused.

You can find many forums who already do this, some successful, most not. The reason why they fail is because they attempt to cover every single angle of every facet within a topic, instead of concentrating on the topic and original purpose. Saying this, again, the purpose of PTSD Forum is about PTSD, not military PTSD, MVA PTSD, childhood PTSD, Rape PTSD, etc etc.

All these avenues we travel all lead to the same place, PTSD. It doesn't really matter how we got PTSD, all that matters is we have it. The past is only raised when looking into a trauma. When people need more specific help, ie. in relation to the rape side of their illness, or childhood abuse side of PTSD, then people must find the experts in regard to those areas, as that is where the best support will be find. PTSD Forum is about covering the expert angle on PTSD only, not the causes too PTSD itself.

I hope this covers the standing question that I receive in regard to creating new forums for these topics. If not, please feel free to reply to this thread and discuss each topic uniquely.

[maus]

yes, thank you, exactly my idea. I didn't feel invited with the group forums because I was not part of their group but what they said about their symptoms and resulting problems was exactly what I had but I couldn't respond to that not being part of their trauma group
Also I found it difficult to read their story's about the origin of their trauma. I was (I am sorry) not interested in more horrific story's I had enough of my own. I am merely interested in PTSD not in life story's or other psychiatric diagnosis. I agree that you should talk about that with a professional in a therapeutic setting because I don't think it is helpfull for the PTSD people on this forum. You can however say something in an introduction so people can choose to read that if they are looking for a specific common origin. But I think that if people want to form specific groups that maybe those people are more focused on the trauma and wanting to talk about that than in the resulting outcome of PTSD. There are specific groups for that. However in the beginning shortly after the trauma people only want to talk about the trauma and nothing else and it is important to let them. PTSD evolves in time and than people are more willing to talk about the consequences (hopefully they can) than about the initial traumatic event. It can also be a sign of stagnation in a mourning proces, that people stay put in one stage of that bereavement proces and not go on to another stage therefore never finding closure.
Maybe PTSD is a mourning proces going wrong, maybe it is a new stage, maybe it is a sideway of a stage we didn't know of.
Well anyway all I want to say (this is a subject you can talk on forever) that I am glad that this forum focuses on ptsd and nothing else.

[Kathy]

Exactly maus. This is how my niece Evie (batgirl) has felt as well. She had been to several other PTSD forums/websites before finding this one. She never participated in the others, because they were all divided into categories based on the type of trauma experienced. Evie's trauma is quite uncommon and doesn't really fit a category. I know she has felt very left out and angry. This continues to be a sore point with her, even occasionally upon this forum, when people say they relate to someone else based on traumas experienced. She becomes quite enraged and sometimes will avoid the forum for a couple of days. For the most part however, she feels comfortable here and I am truly grateful to Anthony for not creating specific categories. It was a very wise decision. If categories existed, Evie simply would not be here, and that would be tragic, as she's accomplished so much through the forum, even to the point of re-establishing contact with my husband and I!

[kdm]

What a great accomplishment for Batgirl! I read her story last night and am so pleased to hear such support for her from Kathy. I am impressed so much with Anthony and this forum I recently discovered, that for the first time ever, I am actually expressing myself live in writing rather than thought. My best wishes for all of you.

[Kathy]

Thank you kdm, yes Evie is a good girl, very determined. I pray the forum will be as helpful to you as its been to our family.