How Many Traumatic Incidents Have You Experienced? [Archive]

anthony

10-04-2007, 02:04 PM

I had to actually select "many incidents throughout my lifetime" because my trauma even though operational related, is not from just one operation, instead many operations based over a period of a seven year period, in which each year I basically deployed somewhere in the world, and came back nuttier than when I went. I actually think each deployment kept me sane to a degree, in that with PTSD what better place is their than the battlefield basically....

When it all stopped, is when I stopped....

Marilyn_S

11-04-2007, 02:43 PM

I think PTSD is complex whether a person has had one trauma or a thousand traumas. Intensity of the trauma can make a single trauma as complex as one having had several traumas over a lifetime. Myself, I am almost 40 and for about 30 years of my life I lived with trauma in the form of abuse of one sort or another. Perhaps the difference lies in the type of damage done to the brain and the area of the brain in which the damage occurs. Those such as myself learn adaptive skills in childhood to survive that as adults become maladaptive because they are taken to extreme and they are not in line developmentally with a person's chronological age. For example, hypervigelence and mind reading. This kept me alive as a child but as an adult it has caused me many struggles with being overly self conscious, and egocentric in my thought processes. I am very slowly and arduously learning different skills to combat these learned responces, which in effect are brain damage due to trauma.

anthony

11-04-2007, 03:48 PM

Marilyn, complex PTSD is a label given to those only who have endured generally a type of trauma as childhood abuse which spanned nearly the entire childhood, or say someone who was in an abusive relationship for 5 years, and suffered beatings, etc for that entire time.

PTSD itself is not really complex though, and I must disagree in that aspect. Physicians often complicate something that is actually quite easy to fix for the most part, they just don't understand it to fix it, or heal it for a better word. Why? Because they don't suffer it, they only take guesses at what actually occurs from what people tell them, which isn't a great deal if you read this place and the amount of people who DO NOT tell their therapists or physicians the full story of what they endure.

Two fold effect IMHO though...

batgirl

28-04-2007, 01:59 PM

I'm still the only one with a single incident?? Ugh I feel like such a freak...

Jim

01-05-2007, 01:04 AM

I'm still the only one with a single incident?? Ugh I feel like such a freak...

Enough bullshit! You know better. You're using this "I'm different" nonsense as an excuse to feel sorry for yourself.

Uncle Jim.

Claire

01-05-2007, 08:38 AM

I only had one too Evie. You're not alone. I was quite happy before my car crash. Normal upbringing, normal, settled family background then abnormal car crash experience.

anthony

01-05-2007, 02:28 PM

There you go Evie, your not the only one at all. Negative thinking style once again.... cut it out.

batgirl

02-05-2007, 01:14 AM

Thanks Claire... I noticed now there 3 people who voted for single incident. Uncle and Anthony, point taken. I was wrong.

cactus_jack

02-05-2007, 01:00 PM

Batgirl, I agree with Jim and Anthony- you ain't no freak. Cheer up! :thumbs-up

9Lives

02-05-2007, 05:01 PM

Hi all. I was going to actually count traumas but, there have been so many spanning over 30 years it's impossible for me. Besides, after reading Anthony's post about complex ptsd, I fit into that category anyway. I really don't think it matters though about how many it takes to render PTSD - just the severity of one traumatic event could be enough. So, you're not a freak lol! Take care <smile>

Sapper

03-05-2007, 02:09 AM

Having a different experience doesn't make you a freak Evie. What the hell is wrong with being different? Do you really want to be exactly the same as everyone else? How boring.

I'd like to vote for my brother if it's permitted, but f-kd if I know which category he falls under.

Jim

07-05-2007, 03:21 PM

f-kd if I know which category he falls under.

Not sure either Travis. Perhaps wait, we should think awhile about it. So much confusion at the moment.

Dad.

nurse1

29-05-2007, 09:16 AM

Just being on this forum makes me feel like a freak sometimes. And I read your diary. Who wouldnt have PTSD from that.

But sometimes when people die we forget the bad things and only remember the good. Its hard for me to believe life was like the Jones with him.

But your very strong and from your writings I believe your very smart to.

Take care

nurse1

29-05-2007, 09:21 AM

Who ever said you were feeling sorry for yourself. well..............F U:moon:

Anything of yours that I have read is not pitty at all. Your doing well with what you went threw:claps:

batgirl

29-05-2007, 11:01 AM

OMG LMAO nurse, you just told my Uncle Jim to **** off!! He's the one who said I was feeling sorry for myself. It's true actually, I do feel sorry for myself on occasion, and if anyone knows it my uncle does because I live with him. He knows me in person, not just from what I write on the forum. It really is okay, he just cares about me a lot and wants to see me do my best.

But thank you, I appreciate the support and compliments. :)

nov_silence

29-05-2007, 06:30 PM

I fall in the many incidents throughout my lifetime. I don't like to think about it, but it's the truth. It was what it was... spanning from 3 to mid twenties. I am now 29.

responsiblek9

03-06-2007, 11:21 AM

I grew up with thousands of events of various kinds of abuse from age two onward until I was 19 and physically escaped from the parental units who saw me as property they could sell and use as they pleased . Took a whole town to do it. But they got me out and on my feet and healthier. I am physically disabled by the abuse but I am stable even though a bit haunted and somewhat limited by that past. . I dont think it is how many times one has been traumatized but the impact it had on the person. And that is very individual.
Nora in Colorado

batgirl

04-06-2007, 10:28 PM

Thousands?!? Wow. I don't mean to be rude, honestly I don't, but is that even possible? Were there a few really horrible incidents that stand out to you that you think caused your PTSD?

cactus_jack

05-06-2007, 04:04 AM

I agree that "thousands" is extreme even in the extreme catagory, but often it's a typo because people have difficulty listing everything. Easier to over-exagerate by mistake really.

And what may be thought to be a number of separate events can actually be one, depends on how you look at it.

batgirl

05-06-2007, 04:26 AM

Those are good points Jack. Don't know why I didn't think of them! I do tend to get caught up with numbers sometimes, and really was just trying to wrap my head round thousands of incidents. I meant no rudeness or disrespect Nora, honestly. Was just curious really. God sometimes I should just keep my mouth shut I think.

responsiblek9

05-06-2007, 04:29 AM

it is no exageration it was a daily issue of what the crazy morons who raised me would decide to do . It is easier to break it down by category than incidences. I had a therapist have me sit down and write out all the incidences I could remember pretty clear ,then got written info from those relatives and my brother who had also seen it or lived through it too. he remembers much more than I do as to what happened .
When I escaped from my parental units those neighbors who had seen and decided to try and help me get out had to verify and prove to proffessionals what they had seen because it was so unbelievable that this could happen in the US. There was no proof I was even alive in Colorado.
I had to get witnesses like my grandmother who could inform my treating proffessionals that what I was telling them had happened. The brain damage Old skull fractures and physical damage that can be seen in xrays, the growth rings from starvation on the teeth also helped with my being believed. What I lived through evidently was not common child abuse. I should not have lived, and I almost did die more than once. . But God wanted me here.
But the impact is the same as any other child abuse in those age frames. Abuse is abuse.
Nora

batgirl

05-06-2007, 04:53 AM

Oh okay well thanks for clarifying that for me Nora. It makes more sense to me now. Sorry for asking in the first place.

responsiblek9

05-06-2007, 09:23 AM

Nah asking is Fine and apropriate in my book when it is in a fairly safe venue. .
Better than wondering later. Honesty is why I have made progress over the years. Even though it is like pulling teeth because of the trust issues !
Nora in colorado

ClancyBoy

08-06-2007, 04:41 PM

About every day between the ages of 5 and 17. Not that this is a contest :P

Shinigami_Shimai

14-07-2007, 06:57 AM

Everytime I try to count the number of things that have happened to me the more insane I begin to feel. I tend to try not to think about it, because until recently I thought it was just the death of my first girlfriends that was my problem... then I started remembering more details that lead me in a relationship at such a young age and it started making me feel even worse then ever. I did not realize I was in the Complex catagory until not that long ago. It is nice to know I'm not the only one, because for the longest time I thought that I was demented and I just imagined half the crap that is in my head...

jaa ne

Kat

2quilt

25-07-2007, 08:08 PM

for some reason I can post in the text box, but not in the poll.

well, I vote multiple, many.

nie

13-08-2007, 08:15 AM

I have have a little of both. I have one single event that is a large factor, but I also experienced what my psychiatrist calls "extended exposure to extreme trauma," which would fall into the "many incidents throughout my lifetime" category.

Nicolette

13-08-2007, 10:02 PM

Enough bullshit! You know better. You're using this "I'm different" nonsense as an excuse to feel sorry for yourself.

Uncle Jim.

Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind and what better than telling someone the cold hard facts that they may not really want to hear.

Good on you Jim for some tough love!

No offence Evie but what more could you ask for than the truth?!

batgirl

14-08-2007, 02:23 AM

Yes he is brutally honest. Tough love is his middle name I think.

Nicolette

14-08-2007, 09:34 PM

Oh, I think between Kathy and Jim they have you totally covered with love Evie (and you deserve it).

pandora

16-08-2007, 05:08 AM

I have quite a few!!!!!!!!I am still trying to "work" through them all. i know I will get there I didn't think it would be quite this hard or take so long. Take Care Evie!!!!!!

FMXrider

16-08-2007, 06:03 AM

I chose "many incidents throughout my lifetime”. I can’t count them. Don’t want to try too either.

goingonhope

16-08-2007, 08:30 AM

Ditto! - And, Many incidents throughout my lifetime.

map9

17-08-2007, 08:19 PM

Long term child abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, several tornadoes during and after the child and sexual abuse, two hurricanes, one truck explosion, one child (three months old) being kidnapped, multiple death threats, phone harassment, automobile accident, losing home in long legal battle to pay for attorneys in regards to several of the aforementioned, physical/emotional/verbal/sexual abuse during marriages, having car stolen and used in an armed robbery, subsequent trial and retraumatization of having to recall for jury a blow by blow detail of the experience and being villified upon cross examination by the defense lawyer, more phone harassment, stalking and property damage, another tornado with flooding, being uprooted and moving - loss of income, daughter age 7 sexually abused, long involved recovery for her, finding out it was the son of the man who had abused me some twenty years prior, fighting and losing custody battle for eldest child while simultaneously involved with state officials on report of incest regarding daughter, finding out husband is having multiple affairs, finding out husband addicted to pornography, caring for his invalid mother an alcoholic (cleaning, buying groceries, cooking, running errands 3X's per week for 12 years) and raising my children as well as my husband's children from his previous marriage and working and going to church three times per week holding a teaching position there, and multiple offices in county and local horse clubs to keep children busy and occupied and teach children to overcome fear/trauma and gain confidence, starting a business and having the funds embezzeled by partner, disolving partnership and business, moving again with horses and children, children being attacked by radical extremist group who were meeting illegally on property, subsequent investigation regarding the radical group whose activity involved racial profiling, pushing for measures for protection of home and family as well as animals, property and outbuildings, multiple thefts and home invasions, moving again. There is more but I'm tired right now and this is not good for me to be remembering so much.

Zamboni

30-08-2007, 06:27 AM

From the time I was adopted 1 year to 18 years. Emotional stuff from my Mom still. another 20 years. I have just realized it.

ptsd_cracker

31-08-2007, 09:19 PM

Too numerous to list all. In the last year alone: attempted murder, medical abuse, 2 secondary traumas (witnessed a dog shooting and a female being physical assaulted(I called 911)) and 2 deaths of family members. Man I can't believe I'm alive.

nobody

05-09-2007, 08:45 PM

I really don't know. My parents were both mentally abusive, my mom still is, and my dad is physically abusive. Over that period I went through ... pretty much every day. I was also in a traumatic relationship that I haven't talked about yet. I suppose my experiences in school also posed a minor amount of trauma.

Seeking_Nirvana

26-09-2007, 03:06 PM

I've had 7 over a period of 30 years.

Tammy

erryyn

04-10-2007, 10:38 AM

Multiple though after the age of sixteen (moved out, went to college), 'only two'. I've done my best to keep everything as boring (i.e. peaceful, for me) as I can.

CaliSparrow

20-04-2008, 10:44 AM

Hello All,

Well, I'd have to say that experiencing the first and subsequent traumas as a child pretty much set me up for a let down regarding keeping myself safe. For the most part, I am a confident, solid individual. But perpertrators seem drawn to me when I am at my most vulnerable moments. It's quite sad really beause it is these moments I spend so much time and energy on instead of the majority of time spent enjoying my life. CS

moog

20-04-2008, 04:40 PM

I actually think each deployment kept me sane to a degree, in that with PTSD what better place is their than the battlefield basically....

When it all stopped, is when I stopped....

I think I've lost track over the years of how many exactly and some I have even forgotten about completely, one it took a friend to remind me of it.

With what anthony stated in his quote, I have to completely agree with. I have never felt more at ease during the day or slept better at night than when I was in Afghanistan. Even through out the chaos and knowing the potential imminent danger, there was always a feeling that I was doing what was meant of me. We were fine tuned to operate in that situation and my body was finally doing it for real.

indigo~in~0z

24-04-2008, 02:05 PM

i voted "many incidents throughout my lifetime”.

tho ignorantly choose to stay away from identifying/remembering most for survival... dont want to have a melt-down..

i used a term to my husband recently to explain what its feeling like of late...

i can picture like the side of a cliff, with all the different layers of rock/slate & compacted dirt... and i have this vision of that cliff face... with the knowing that there are fossils within each of those layers i havent been allowed to investigate/grieve/deal/accept etc....

ChrisB

29-04-2008, 11:56 AM

There's been much discussion about complex PTSD on the forum lately, and quite frankly I don't relate as I have PTSD from a single incident only. My life was happy beforehand. I had a loving family and an ordinary life. So, I'm curious about how many traumas everyone has experienced.
Batgirl- Hmmm good question. Over 17 years on the job, so too many to count. Yet, it took just one major one to set the ball in motion. To make matters worse, in therapy and meditation while going deep within I had a flashback unrelated to the incident. I learned I was raped as a child and my brain is being kind and letting the memories come out slowly. I have not dealt with this at all.

jailed

09-05-2008, 04:19 AM

Those involving single violent deaths, 13, multiple deaths 3, near death experiences 2, violent injuries lost track, quit counting,the faces are all still there, the sounds, the smells but the numbers have blurred.

ricoforkids

15-05-2008, 11:22 PM

nothing really after that. all other is just normal stuff everyone else experiences from time to time.

not only was the trauma of rape, intended suffocation but also being repeatedly threatened from telling anyone or harm will come to me and my family. one priest came to my classroom the first day of school which a week after the gang rape, now bishop, actually hit me with his knuckle on top of my head firmly. asked me if i told anyone. i said no.

that same week, age 9, i was taken to the dr's and diagnosed with an inflamed and irritated rectum, and vd. imagine at age 9. my father who is in medicine ignored it, was in denial or maybe was just like them.

i have two dr's of psychotherapy. i conned my mother and father to come to one visit. i separated them so that my father and i would meet alone with one therapist. my father slipped and admitted that i had vd and rectum problem at age nine. the dr asked my father why this didn't raise a red flag. my fathers response was he thought i was having an afair with the 22 yr old on our street. imagine 8 years old. i later found out and it is well known that the med dr who treated me was banned from going into the hospitals. have no idea why.

ruggedfiber

20-05-2008, 12:21 PM

I replied to the survey "how many"...too many, I guess.

Sexually molested, physically abused, raped, ignored suicide attempt, emotionally abused (by husband), coerced abortions. They span far too many years.

It's manifested itself in some pretty nasty ways, including physically / biologically in symptoms of MS (the full boat). It's like I fried some circuits. Depression, fogs, cognitive issues, the works.

I only now realize that it's probably PTSD, but I"ve never been diagnosed. I think I'm getting better with some of the things that I"m doing for myself, but it seems like I relapse. Today sucked for instance.

Can I just keep going? Will I get better?

sigh...

stillsad46

26-05-2008, 04:32 PM

I know the numbers are in the hundreds.

FightingLily

27-05-2008, 06:34 AM

complex PTSD is a label given to those only who have endured generally a type of trauma; say someone who was in an abusive relationship for 5 years, and suffered beatings, etc for that entire time.

I always wondered what "complex PTSD" meant, thank you for the info.

I voted many incidents. While married to my ex, the abuse was gradual over the four years. He got increasing violent as time passed until he inflicted the most severe beating on my official "trauma date".

Seychelle

28-05-2008, 11:17 PM

I voted many incidents. I don't know what to count as an incident. If I just count separate body memories, then probably around 40 or 50 of physical and sexual assaults from when I was a baby to maybe around age 10? Plus a sexual assault at knifepoint when I was 19. But then there's also prolonged starvation at around age 12, and emotional abuse the whole time I was living at home till I was 20.

It's weird seeing that written down in black and white. Part of me still wants to believe that I had a normal childhood and that nothing is wrong with me now. Denial can be amazingly strong.

void

24-06-2008, 05:16 AM

respectfully having only one traumatic incident does not make you a freak nor does having dozens. these event were not our idea. may your suffering decrease!

redtriskell

25-06-2008, 04:50 PM

My experiences were too numerous to count- the mere thought is laughable. I regularly had sleep deprivation, little food, physical activities to the point of physical collapse, rape, torture practices, being poisoned, other sexual acts, forced to participate in the slaughter of small animals- especially pets, required to memorize vast expanses of literature-dictionaries-poetry (and woe betide if I got anything wrong), cleaning tasks too revolting to describe, verbal assault, mental manipulations of all kinds, plus the ever-present threat of my immanent death. I once had a bruise the shape of a gun barrel in my forehead for a week... but I digress. I can't vote because all of this took place constantly, without respite, for 7 years. And then he died. And since then, the only thing that is trauma to me is my history. I am one of very few incest survivors who has never been re-victimized. For which I am profoundly grateful. red

Hollow

26-06-2008, 09:24 PM

I voted "many incidents".. And I feel like a freak too, if that's of any comfort to anyone. I keep on thinking that the things I have survived, well- anyone could. And I feel like such a sissy for letting it bring me down! I sometimes wish that it was just one single incident, 'cause in my mind, that would be easier to cope with. Just one event to haunt me, instead of several, just floating in my mind, making a mess...