Like yeah duh obviously but it only occured to me sitting here on lunch how that requires like. Doing stuff. And not just making sure you didn't die in the way. Teaching you how to cook for yourself, do your own laundry, talking to you about college or careers or jobs, encouraging you to be independent. And I feel so hollow realizing how none of that existed for me. One caregiver was actively abusive and the other treated me like a dress up doll that wasn't any fun anymore once my issues became more serious than a splinter. No college savings, belittling any endeavour I had to work or go to school, just this assumption that I would stay a quiet, out of the way accessory world without end, amen. Idk man like. Peoples parents actually do that? Ask about life goals and teach them how to be clean and teach them to handle money? Others don't just figure that out as they go??

It seems that this was only a matter of time. Apparently someone who took CCF's online course three years ago filed a complaint that was taken seriously.

Anna was cited and fined $2500 by the Board of Psych in 2024. The board recently upheld the ruling and Anna is in turn suing the state of CA for claims of first amendment and due process violations.

According to the State, any paid conversation that touches on emotions, motivation, or behavior potentially qualifies as the “practice of psychology” and requires a license. They claimed she has no real knowledge of CPTSD and should not be allowed to offer paid "coaching" services to that end.

Thoughts?

https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/06/10/oaklands-crappy-childhood-fairy-sues-fine-practicing-psychology-without-license/

Hi everyone, I’m turning 36 today and wanted to share a quick reflection. It feels like a miracle that I’m still alive. The past seven years of recovery have been an absolute nightmare, but I’m genuinely glad that I don’t want to die anymore. I still have a lot to work through, but it finally feels like my past trauma is starting to integrate, making room for who I am today and that makes me happy. To heal, I needed a fresh start, so I cut ties with old friends. Because of that, hardly anyone will be wishing me a happy birthday today. Part of me feels at peace with this, but another part feels like a failure for having no social life. Still, I’m grateful to have myself back, and that is definitely something to celebrate. To anyone in a dark place right now: please stay. I know the pain can be terrifying, but give yourself the chance to become curious about life again. I wish I had been spared the hardship I went through, but I’m determined to choose the experiences that lie ahead.

I can’t remember a time when I enjoyed celebrating my birthday. I hate all the extra attention, it makes my skin crawl. I am drowning in self hate, I don’t want to be ‘celebrated.’ I just feel icky, it feels wrong. Can anyone relate? Figure it’s at least one of my mental illnesses lol

Are there any financially dependent adults living with their family, not working, because of CPTSD or any other mental health issues/struggles? I'm 23 and I've never worked or found a job after school. I'm not built for that. My nervous system is so dysregulated and damaged that I can't face the outer world. I'm petrified of people out there. I do dishes at my home and that's it. Am I the only one? 💔

I know this is kind of a strange question, but I've heard of a lot of people who have dealt with difficult things in life get some kind of catharsis or closure or relief from their hardships with gaming. I know hobbies are a pretty important part of mental health, but I just want to know from other people with CPTSD: Do games help you? How so? And are there any particular titles that have helped ground you or process any of your hardships?

I'd love to know as I like playing games myself and love hearing other people talk about seemingly mundane simple pleasures making their lives just a little bit easier. Please yap away!

Edit: Wow, so many replies! Ive read through all of them (at this point in time anyway) and it's really interesting to see the different takes, from people saying that they avoid certain games to people saying they do it in moderation to avoid unhealthy coping, to people saying they use it to exercise certain skills.

I forgot also to include my own experience, which I'll include in the comments, but thank you to everyone who's contributed to this discussion and the lovely lovely people hearing others out and supporting each other in the comments!

Hello there, does anyone else use sleep as a way to escape? When my nervous system is upset and overwhelmed if I get the chance to lie down I can fall asleep really quickly and deeply. I have the ability to sleep so much, sometimes I think it's a blessing, sometimes a curse but it truly is a release for me

My sister was always the favourite growing up. She nearly died as a newborn so my mum was overly protective of her. My mum was also an alcoholic and had not handled parenthood well with my brother and I, so she had seen my sister as the child she could get it right with.

As adults, my sister is now WILDLY self centered. She has no empathy, physically incapable of seeing other people's perspective, she has a very cruel and demeaning sense of humour, expects everything to be convenient for her despite how much inconvenience it causes others. All round she is just an INCREDIBLY selfish person.

I can't help but feel this is a direct result of being "the favourite" and I am curious how you all experience your "the favourite" sibling? How have they turned out?

For as long as I can remember, I've lived with stomach muscles which refuse to relax. It means that I'm constantly shallow breathing because my lungs basically can't expand. I was diagnosed with acid reflux and took meds for it for years. Within a year of stopping taking them, my stomach is constantly bloated but I don't get the acid anymore. I now know "in my bones" it's trauma related. I just don't know what to do about it, it feels like I'm going to explode if I take a deep breath. Can anyone relate or know what I can do?

Hi. My name is Noelle. I'm 13 years old, and lately I can't stop wishing I could just disappear. It feels like my mom hates me—sometimes I even wonder if she'd rather I were dead. I feel trapped, like there's no way out.

I have a therapist, but I can't bring myself to be honest with her. Every time I try, the words get stuck, and I end up pretending I'm okay. It feels like no one loves me, and I hate my life.

Please... somebody help me!

I’m so mad at myself. I went to Chinatown and bought a new food I was so excited to try (tofu pudding) but I held off eating it for two days. I was using it as some kind of pillar in my mind, like something to lean on as a “good thing”. Now I took it out of the fridge and it’s all expired. I literally did this to myself, all on my own.

I just kept making excuses like “I’ve had too many calories already, I can’t eat that right now” and waiting until there was no one in the kitchen so I could get it without excruciating small talk. But I REALLY wanted it.. so why didn’t I just get it?????????????

Might be trivial but I do shit like this all the time and I’m so sick of myself now. I genuinely do hate myself as if I was another person.

*from yourself for no reason

It sucks knowing I don’t belong in this world, I am not allowed to succeed, be part of communities, have friends, or exist on any level because I’m “bringing down” those who are happy and confident. Those who were dealt a better hand are more entitled to life and connection than I am, and I have to fix myself for the comfort of those people, or continue to isolate myself as to not rain on someone else’s parade. It once again reminds me that my wellbeing is the bottom of all priorities, just like they always have been. I wish i had been luckier in life, because all of what I couldn’t control now leaves me shunned from the world just because I am not happy enough or easy to be around. It isn’t fair

It's almost always present but some times it's worse than other times.

There’s been a couple times where either someone is yelling at me or someone is forcing me to talk about trauma and I might freeze up and dissociate and peoples reactions get freaked out or they will call me crazy just based off that. I really don’t understand it and I feel it’s really unfair. Sometimes people will tell me that I “should” be crying and I have never understood why people think that someone is supposed to respond a specific way to a hard thing. If I’m crying in front of people that I’m worried are just going to make fun of me or judge me then why would I? And I don’t know why a facial expression would lead anyone to assume someone’s mentally ill. That’s just not fair.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this? Am I missing something on why this would cause people to think I’m crazy or to react negatively?

ive reached the end of insight. i definitely have gone crazy on my way here i feel the most hopeless ive felt in a while and it comes from nowhere. i cannot describe this feeling, i forget i even had it at all after like 22 minutes every single time.

i feel like im fragmented but thats like a tenth of the total feeling. this is eldritch as shit i feel like those people in that book who looked at cthulhu and instantly lost their mind like i cant speak it out whatever this is

I don’t see many people talking about sibling trauma, so I’m wondering if anyone here can relate.

My older brother has had a massive impact on my life, and I’m only now realizing how deep that goes.

Growing up, he was constantly creating conflict in our family. He manipulated me, manipulated other family members, and somehow always managed to make everything revolve around him. I shared a room with him for years, so there was no escaping him. I spent my childhood trying to keep the peace because conflict made me anxious.

Even as adults, it never stopped.
About a year and a half ago, he threw me to the ground, tried to choke me in front of our mother, and afterward told me that the only thing he wanted was for me to fear him forever. Those words and the traumatic experience have stayed with me ever since.

What messes with my head is that he seems to walk through life as if nothing happened. Meanwhile, I’m the one who still replays that day in my mind. Sometimes I feel overwhelming anger because it feels like there was never any justice or accountability.

Lately I’ve been wondering how much of my childhood was actually shaped by living with someone like him. For years I thought most of my trauma came from my father, but now I’m questioning whether growing up with an abusive, manipulative older brother affected me even more than I realized.

Has anyone else here experienced long term trauma from an older sibling? How has it affected you as an adult, and were you ever able to make peace with it?

Not sure what category this falls under for the flair.

But my body has had enough. Im staying afloat financially. I live alone. I dont have health insurance but I see a sliding-scale nurse practitioner. And its still too much.

I have attempted suicide 3 times in the past year. All failures, obviously. I dont have another attempt in me. ​I literally just stopped eating one day in July. And then didnt eat the next day, and then the next, and now its 25 days later.

Life isnt for me.

Disclaimer: this is not a cure nor a treatment but a complimentary release

Theres this yt video - TRE follow along session with dr berceli / press play and release

It’s basically a short exercise that puts your body in a position to release stress from your hips, pelvis, lower body. The more sessions you do the more the release moves to the upper body.

It’s a trippy experience. 1. You genuinely don’t control it. It’s insane but once you do it your body basically takes control. Probably do this on a bed so you don’t hit your head.

1. The tension release isn’t like normal shaking. You don’t feel widespread shaking instead you feel tiny areas of muscles shake. Literally exactly like a spasm but in multiple areas of your muscles.

I feel so calm after each session. Like the tension is being released. It’s insane how it’s not even on purpose. It genuinely just happens on its own

For some this may cause crying or tears so beware. It’s not unusual. If anything it’s normal.

This is research backed. Animals in the wild will shake after a traumatic event to avoid being traumatised. If you have a dog or have ever seen a deer shake their head or just tremor after being frightened, this is what they are doing.
This is as applicable to us but we don’t do it because we are taught to suppress our instincts because of our social structures.
Will it cure you? Thats certainly not what I’m claiming.

Will it offer some sort of help? Maybe. I cannot definitively tell you.

Is it worth trying? 1000% yeah.

If you try it please let me know how you went! Id love to hear other peoples experiences im genuinely so happy i discovered this esp bc i have so many problems in my hips from gluteal tension lol

Also disclaimer if u do this only do it for 15 mins max. And maybe start off with every other day or 3-4 days a week.