I'm glad to see a thread started like this. I've been here awhile. Back when I knew everyone. It's so big now. And yep, I keep coming back. Lately, I come back just to see how everyone is doing. I like seeing progress and seeing people get better. Once in a rare while, I'll have a panic attack and want to read about others so I don't feel like such a freak.

I think with time, you will find yourself less compelled to come back to the forum. You look at the last time you visited and be surprised it's been that long. It's a nice, familiar place to go to when you're hurting, but when you're feeling good, you'll be living life instead.

((HUGS))

You nailed it, Nam.

Unlike those who keep coming back, I've simply never left, nor ever seriously thought of it. I visit the forum when I'm feeling good, bad or indifferent. I come here, because you'all and this forum makes all the sense in the world to me.

You' All are people I respect and will not, nor could truly ever forget.


Hope

I have to agree with you Nam. At present most of my time here is moderating as I don't have much to say. It is nice to sit back and watch people get better or even just stuff up and be strong enough to admit it, apologise, learn their lesson and move on.

As for being a freak, it is really sad that you people sometimes feel like that. I guess society is not always accepting of what it does not understand. From my point of view you are mostly all loving and caring people who have had bad things happen to you which have rocked your world to the point where it sounds like sometimes you go through hell. For that I am sorry and I wish all those rotten abusers out there get what they deserve.

because i don't understand and i want to keep re-presenting until it makes some kind of sense to me and hope to hold that connection if i make it

I come back because it's important for me to keep myself on task. I have no insurance, therefore no T. As a retired person who is not yet 65 I have to count my pennies and make them count. The local PTSD group was disbanded so I was sorta floating around on the internet for a few years just reading and accumulating good ideas from informative websites. But, it lacked feedback and that is what a forum does.

When I found this great place, it came at a time when I was at a low point. It's important to find a sounding board for the difficult times. Realizing that I won't be here everyday is good to acknowledge. It means I have grown enough that I don't rely on it heavly like a crutch. I also have to acknowledge that with acute chronic PTSD that I have to pay attention to it and it's something that will always need tending to.

So, I come in for "tune ups" so to speak. Anyway, there are some wonderful people here! Nice forum friends who can relate and be honest. I try not to dwell too much into the diary stuff as I think that just stirs up too much for me in the form of triggers. Chat is good, welcome new members, give a little feedback, try to offer advice. I do what I can when I can. I had noticed I was becoming addicted to the internet so I had to pull back so I would not change one habit into some other. Attempting to find a healthy balance.

I have hope now and I have better days. Especially since my husband finally got his T to help him with his PTSD from Viet Nam and his anger problem. Once he understood how his anger outbursts were compounding my PTSD problems he really changed. Funny (or not ... I say this ruefully) how, after some 35 years, it dawned on him but it did. THANK YOU powers that be!!!

I will come back "as needed", which sounds like a good plan for me.

Kind regards to all and to Anthony a most sincere and grateful, deeply heartfelt appreciation for the forum. Love, map9

I came here in the first place looking for answers. My so called therapist doesn't know anything about PTSD. So I came to learn for myself the whats and whys with what is going on with me. I keep coming back for the same reason. Sure don't know what I would/could do with out it now