Jim, I have felt a tremendous amount of disrespect of the diagnosis because it is civilian PTSD. Long ago verbal and emotional abuse from a father with his own cross to bear. I know that relations I have with other people are colored by my ten-year-old self, I just don't know how to make it stop. Fortunately, I have been married for 45 years to a very caring, understanding man, who has been there for the majority of my life (we were married when I was 19), so he has personal knowledge of the ongoing pain and suffering, and he "gets it," but the rest of my extended family just doesn't see the connection. "Pull yourself up by your bootstraps" is the general response I get. I've quit trying to discuss it with my family. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depends on how you see it) both of my parents passed the end of the year, and that in itself is fraught with feelings of guilt on my part, and the fact that there is now no chance to ever resolve anything. Blindeyepug, I have been through years and years of therapy, and truly, although I might not make it seem so, my life is better than it has ever been. My meds help a lot; the only consistent problem I have is insomnia. I have an accomplished son, an amazing grandson, a husband any woman would be blessed to have, a pretty home, two glorious cat friends, one of who is trying to take the scrunchie out of my hair even now. The saying about count your blessings is a little trite for what folks think should be enough for us, but it is not. I don't understand why it is not, it just isn't. Any comments from the group?
Hello, @vickimurray - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Sounds like you have been through a lot of pain from your upbringing with verbal and emotional abuse from your father. It sounds difficult that your extended family does not seem to get it and expects you to "pull yourself up by your bootstraps."
Hoping members in this discussion like @liz67 @parus @alamogal635 @peach414144 @hopeful33250 @crissdawn and others will return to offer their thoughts on 1) your experiences with abuse in your childhood and 2) other people telling you to count your blessings and how that may not be sufficient, given the past trauma.
Have you felt that the years and years of therapy were useful in your journey, vickimurray?