It appears I've already voted in this poll! However, I would expect that I said no, as my friends and family do not even understand me, let alone support me. I only have one supportive friend... though I am grateful for that at least, as some have no one.

My family members try to support me, but they really don't understand PTSD and how it affects me. Some of them have asked, "When you have a flashback, why don't you just tell yourself to stop thinking about it?" As if that would make any difference; as if I haven't tried! When I told my mom that the suicidal thoughts have never really gone away in ten years, she said, "I hope you realize that I can't take anything else right now. I would just never get over something like that." I know she was saying that she cared, but to me it was all about her! I have ideation without intent, but if I DID plan to commit suicide, I wouldn't be in a position to think about others, and she just doesn't get that. Just once, I wish someone would say, "I'm sorry you feel hopeless right now." No advice, no trying to fix it, just feeling for what I'm going through.

My husband has gotten really good at noticing when I'm dissociating and bringing me back to reality. He has also learned that when I'm upset, I need him to stay with me instead of giving me space. He doesn't understand it either, but he tries very hard to.

I wish I could talk more to my friends about what's going on. They get freaked out and uncomfortable when I even mention PTSD, like they don't really believe that's what's going on. I think people don't realize that you can have PTSD without surviving war or a natural disaster. It's all about how traumatic a situation is FOR YOU, and not everyone would be traumatized by the same things. Also, I believe that once you've experienced something traumatic, you're more likely to be traumatized by future events that may not have been traumatic otherwise. I wish there was a handout or article specifically for skeptics.

Husband supports if I tell him what I want, when I want it, how I want it from him. My trauma is so alien to him that I really have to explain it to him in simple terms; he did not grow up the way I did and his military experience was wonderful. Mine was full of sexual harassment, sexual trauma, war, more PTSD and bad memories. Life now with him is safe and healing. He is supportive, bless his heart, but he's not the mind reader I wish he were.

I voted "somewhat," because my husband really tries. My mom was an abuser, so she's out. My brother suffered, too and hasn't gotten to where I am, so he's out. My dad's come around to have a relationship with me, but I don't think he really gets it. I have my husband, my oldest girlfriend in the world, another couple of good friends here, my psychologist, my retired therapist, and this forum. And I'm very grateful for all. Though I do wish I could have more support from my family. I guess if that could happen, I wouldn't be here to begin with, blah.

For a while I thought I had no one other that my therapist, literally. Now i have 6 friends that know and that I can count on because I finally got honest about what was going on and why I pushed everyone away. Things are looking up, i hope. No.They are, and they are going to keep getting better and better.

My hubby does try to support me. However, he is not an emotional person, and often doesn't understand what it is like to be emotional. He states that he does want to be supportive, but sometimes I feel like he gets frustrated with me. I do have a couple of guy friends that are also supportive, but I have no female friends. I really wish I had a girlfriend that could support me.

I voted for sabatoge, unfortunately. I have always been a disappointment to my family - or at least felt like one. From their point of view I was asking for the PTSD - females are not supposed to be in the military - and certainly not doing the job I was doing. For the few 20 percent or so of people who had good support - you are darn lucky and I am jealous. For the rest of us - I'm sure we'll muddle through it somehow... but today it just seems a little hard.

I live in a dysfunctional and rather backward state in America. It has a long history of problems and those problems seem to be part and partial of all of my traumas. My family at present is scattered to the four winds or are deceased and to be honest I am glad. A highly dysfunctional group. Each seemed/seems to be in deep denial of reality and the long struggle to help not just myself but them never ended. Now, I'm taking care of just me. I will not take on their respondsibilities, it would have been an even more dysfunctional and futile act if I had done so. The insanity had to stop somewhere. I slammed a log into the cogworks, brought it all to a screeching halt after fully gaining rational perspective, no longer doubting myself and seeing the cumulative results of long standing unresolved family issues. The culpability of those who covered up the crimes as well as those who were perpetrating them. I call them out and confronted them and that was a tactic they had never expected me to take. I got the courage to keep on from somewhere. Don't ask me from where. Do know that just as there are postive ways of healing there are some who want the status quo to remain as it serves them, regardless of who or what is damaged in the process. These bullys are in for the long haul, the wresting of power and control as well as ill gotten gains fuels their agenda. What they want is paramount and what their victims want are the courts to change, clean up their act and the crimals brought to justice.

No they have only made things worse even though I have tried to educate them many times. As long as it's considered a mental illness I'm considered crazy by my family members.

my parents and family are the main cause of most of my trauma