/r/TraumaAndPolitics
This community is participating in the reddit blackout. Unfortunately due to unmet demands from the community we will be remaining blacked out.
This is a space for Trauma's relation to Politics and was never meant to be a front-line support community for those in rough spots.
If you are in urgent need of support - please see /r/CPTSD /r/MentalHealth or /r/MentalHealthSupport
Rules.
Don't be a jerk. This means if you have a different opinion speak to the idea itself, not the person. People can discuss and debate. But this is still a support community for trauma survivors.
Racism, bigotry, misogyny/misandry, far right ideology, TERF nonsense, and other hate speech is unacceptable.
Please try to be respectful of others by using [Trigger Warning], NSFW and/or the spoiler tag whenever appropriate.
Posts seeking support are allowed. But all such posts should have the words "only support wanted" somewhere in the title. If they do not a person can reasonably assume interpretation or discussion is valid. It can be lowercase, capitalized, whatever. But if a person only wants support they have to make that clear in the title.
Self promotion posts are allowed. Other subs, blogs, Youtube channels, anything trauma or healing related at all is allowed. But that is starting a discussion as well, self promotion cannot be simply support seeking, it will require resiliency and an openness to discussion in the comments.
The trauma olympics are allowed. Rule 1 still applies. But some survivors wish to look at ACE scoring and the question of whether, as an intellectual or scientific idea, if some trauma is worse than others. Of course others can disagree with that and can say so, but if the discussion is not personalizing it is allowed.
All content must be related to trauma or healing directly, or must speak to the persons lived experience.
Helpful communities.
/r/TraumaAndPolitics
Which is more likely? •An entity, or entities, either from somewhere other than earths surface (ie earths oceans, earths core, a different dimension, or somewhere beyond earths atmosphere) are currently in occupation of this planet in this dimension. •A human contention has been, and is now (escalating), an orchestrated false presence of such entities in order to further some social- political, and or financial agenda.
I am still struggling deeply with trauma from a series of events that happened to be from 2019-2021 living in Philadelphia.
These were serious traumas that came from explicitly political/politicized events. From 2019-2020 I was working in the North Philadelphia as a legal aid worker, and was in several situations where I was quite nearly killed. It had to do with racial and political tension heating up, even before Covid and George Floyd/Walter Wallace Jr./ 01/06.
I was laid off in 2020 following Covid, and nearly died an additional 4 time during episodes of out of control violence that occurred due to police brutality and political protesting. I ended up hiding in a dumpster to avoid gun wielding looters. I had guns pointed in my face. I saw people get beat blood, run over by cars. Looters destroyed much of my neighborhood. I watched a Philly Cop put his service revovler to his head on the street. The army zip tied the hands of protestors and beat them in public. A militia beat people on the street with baseball bats.
Ultimately I moved to another area in mid 2021 after a cop pointed a rifle at me in a Target parking lot and threatened to shoot. I understand things have gotten better now, but the scars have not healed.
The events really scarred me. I had severe PTSD for about a year before it resolved. I have tired to move on in the years since, but so much of what happened is the subject of outlandish conspiracies, angry politics and racism, that it is too taboo a subject to even talk about. I have even had therapists drop me as a client, because they were not willing to discuss what this topic. I cannot mention what happened to people in my new town, it's an off limits topics.
With the current political climate in the US, it has been very hard on me. I live in silence about what happened and how it impacted me. I am too afraid to even talk about it anymore, because of how violently people have responded to any mention of it.
Sometimes I stay up al night and cry about it. Everyday I get about 50 phone calls and texts about Trump and this stuff because of living in Central PA during the election. It has taken a deep and severe toll on me. I just wanted to share this. Mark my words, when they talk about fascism, it is not a joke, and it has done a lot of harm to people, such as myself, already.
Are you or someone you know 14-21 years old, experiencing sad or irritable moods, and considering antidepressant medication? We’re currently recruiting adolescents (14-21yo) who are planning to start antidepressants prescribed by their providers for our 18-month paid study on mood and brain development!
Please share this post with anyone who might be interested! Thank you for helping us advance this important research!
Here’s what participation involves...
Interested? Fill out our interest form here or email us at uclacandylab@g.ucla.edu for more information!
My best friend recently told me this and he was felt really terrible about it. He said when he was about six or seven years old he witnessed a porn pictures on computer. And he decided to try it with his family close friend kid. She was two years younger so about 4 or 5 years old. He does not remember how did he ask her or what did he tell her but something just happened. He inserted his p**is to her mouth but without any penetration. He does not remeber how many times it happened. He remembers at some when he suggested it to her again and she refused he did not force her to do it or anything. He also remember that at some point she wanted to kiss him and play she is wife and he is her husband and be close to him and kiss him. Once she asked him to be her boyfriend and he refused cuz he didn’t want to continue doing these things in any kind. He said they were good friends growing up, just lately they have not been in touch so they are not that close anymore, but she seems fine to him when they meet and greets him etc. Once they were in group of friends and someone mentioned kind of things that could be triggers for this experience. He said that he was sweating and feeling awkward having this conversation around her and she was just talking normaly like she didn’t even remember it. I could tell he felt really bad about it and cried almost. He said he started thinking about it cuz of some movie he watched. He said he doesn’t how to live with himself if this is abuse. He also said he didnt understand what is sex and what is it for and that he should cum or something.
source: Gamal NY's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/p/C3kwtQNLq8J/?img_index=8
Hi everyone,
I'm a trainee clinical psychologist conducting my doctorate thesis via Lancaster University in the UK.
This is investigating the relationship between childhood trauma and self-concept clarity (how well one knows themselves).
It's entirely online, takes about 10 mins to complete. UK residents only. Must be at least 21 years old.
Please read the advert to see if you can take part. Click here to go to the study and see much more information. Please make sure you have read the information before taking part.
Study closes April 2024.
Once completed, a summary of the findings will be available on my research social media pages.
Twitter: u/Melanie_ClinPsy
Instagram: u/Melanie_ClinPsy
Thank you so much for your support!
This is day 4 of living in a world without my wife of 15 years. She had several serious medical conditions, she was on oxygen 24/7 a respirator at night. We knew I would out live her, but it wasn't supposed to be this soon.I was her husband and her caretaker at the end.I would often sleep on the couch,she went to sleep earlier and earlier. I got her ready for bed after work if she wasn't already asleep when i got home. We had a good meal, had a fun night joking and laughing. I found her stone cold in the morning. She was my baby and I am fucking broken. My father died a few years ago, and that was tough, this a completely different category of pain.
I’d love your unfiltered opinion. Everyone has a podcast and is a life coach now. I feel like the content is all very repetitive. What do you guys feel is missing from the life coaching/ mental health/ podcast scene? Feel free to share anecdotes.
I had this question come to my mind today while in deep contemplation and wanted to plant the seed of wonder here.
[this post got long and if you want to skip background info from me just skip to the bottom where i bolded stuff, because I value your responses even if your attention span is shorter now (mine often is).]
this curiosity comes from:
• being a person who lives with daily dysfunction as an adult with cptsd that arises from my horrific childhood trauma and lack of opportunities for healthy relational development, secure attachment, emotional regulation, attunement, and a sense of safety being in the world in general. my family system could not be trusted but I had nowhere else to turn.
• it also comes from both being a former student of and being a worker within the US public school system, and seeing the trends of more conservative parents basically aiming to defund the public system because they no longer trust it and are afraid of secular ideas, gay and trans people telling their kids it's okay to be lgbtq, certain aspects of American/other history... all kinds of things. I have watched school districts give up on helping students for fear of parent complaining and suing the district and winning. Many parents are callig their desire to control everything their child learns and is exposed to "Parents' Rights". The term School Choise refers to (mostly wealthy) parents in conservative areas suing school districts for not being able to provide "adequate" education for their child, according to education laws, and winning, and then being granted a Voucher from the state to pay for (a portion of, or all, depending on tuition) their child's more adequate private school attendance.
• the public school system is failing, but not for the reasons the conservative parents are focused on. I have recently left a field.of mental health services for american.public school students. school staff are beyond overburdened and underpaid. they are doing far more than their job description and simultaneously resented for not doing enough. schools curriculums are largely focused on making functional, productive objects to serve a humble, non-questioning role in a deadening, alienated, individualistic society. special Ed, for those who are "different", is extremely faulty and failing in its purpose; parents have to be present enough in a child's life to sign off approval for the school to provide the student with special services; additionally, these students rarely get their real needs met and are given the bare minimum according to special Ed legal requirements, all for the purpose of simply improving their grades and their likelihood of graduating high school (the focus is NOT on their overall well being, their sense of being love or appreciated, but simply on figuring out what they need to be a better student). this all happens this way because it is literally American educational law. our education system needs a complete recreation.
what would a society that protected and supported children, regardless of their nuclear family/parent status, look like? I want to dream big. I get that a lot of these ideas might seem impossible but let's empower one another's imaginings instead of shut down right away with problems. the first step towards creating something new in practice is dreaming it.
I can start: maybe there would be a required parent education system that has various ethical standards and is voted on by a variety of bodies so its democratic but also vetter by experts in developmental psychology, anthropology, philosophy, biology, etc.
maybe there are places where a child's primary caregivers (parents or whoever) have to take them on some regular basis, where both the child and the caregiver is seen by a professional who listens to themgives them expert advice and encouragement, and gets a sense of whst is needed to continue this child's healthiest upbringing in their household.
we would need to restructure society so the motivation is more toward creating healthy, creative, loving new generations over creating monetary profit and exploiting finite resources. maybe we could stop being so focused on the standard nuclear family model as the best family model as well.
what else?
How can i stop my trauma from happening!! So my father is such a good father he s supportive he takes care of us until someone of us is choosing or deciding some life choices or even some silly stuff. Now i was always the good daughter who chooses all what he wishes unlike my sister who always has to disagree with him blaming her for her fails not supporting her not greeting her for her wins.. he was hard on her as a whole.. she s claiming that she doesn't care about him no being on her side but she s traumatized tho i can see it i can feel it as she gets more sensitive and emotional by the time.. now as my life choices are getting serious it is my turn for him to opress me not taking his advices which are orders if we be clear.. the thing is now his building this wall on me feels like the worst feeling i ever felt.. always supporting me and suddenly stopping is just like making life harder to me.. not treating me as usual.. being harsh on me.. not talking to me anymore just because i stayed extra dayz at my friend's!!! WTF.. that s really ugly to feel and i can feel this father trauma coming..
Interpersonal Trauma, Counseling, and Power
My name is Laura Dunson Caputo, and I am a doctoral candidate in Counselor Education & Supervision at Kent State University. I'm posting here because we are recruiting participants to voluntary research study about how women who have histories of interpersonal trauma experience power in the counseling relationship. This study is IRB-approved (KSU-#323) dissertation research.
Who: This is unfunded dissertation research through Kent State University
Aims: As a counselor and a client, I firmly believe that mental health providers need to listen more to clients, particularly regarding trauma. Additionally, there are very real power dynamics that can come up in counseling between client, counselor, mental health system, and society. The purpose of this study is to highlight client experiences of power while engaged in mental health counseling.
Study Design: This study includes screening questions, an informed consent, a demographics survey, and a 30-60 min audio-recorded interview. The total time commitment is 60-90 minutes. Participants will receive questions ahead of time-- questions focus specifically on experiences with power in counseling. Participants will not be asked to disclose their experiences of trauma. Everything about this study is confidential and participants can withdraw at any time.
Data: My hope is that this data can inform counseling practices. My degree is in counselor education, meaning this research will ideally inform how future counselors are trained. Once the study is complete (likely by the end of the year), I would be happy to post a reply here with the findings of this study, whether or not someone from this community participates.
Respect to Participants: Participants have full autonomy in this study and can choose how they would like to engage, including the option to leave at any time. This study is also confidential, meaning no one will know if you choose to participate. Unfortunately, this study is unpaid.
-----
Eligible participants are:
If you’re interested, you can complete our screening questionnaire here to begin the process.
If you would like additional information about this study, please contact me at ldunson1@kent.edu. You can also reach the Kent State University IRB at: 330-672-2704
Thank you for your consideration.
Best,
Laura Dunson Caputo, Kent State University
Let's look back at some memorable moments and interesting insights from last year.
Your top 10 posts:
Title. How do I get started studying this topic? Especially stuff like anti-psychiatry, sexuality, and spirituality. I've lately been feeling so driven to research these topics but don't even know where to start. I live in a neoliberal society and have only recently begun to feel like I have some breathing room as what I can only call a 'divergent' person (i.e, doesn't fit the mold of what's accepted by society/institutions/etc)
Does know any books or resources featuring respected academics and such? I feel like this is such a deep topic and I have no idea how to navigate it safely (that is, without falling prey to bs) since I don't even know what I need to look out for.
Note: please don't say, "Just Google it". I'm looking for advice from people who've done this so I can advocate for myself without making elementary mistakes.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-maid-canada-mental-health-law/
The article is very thorough and includes discussions of the socioeconomic power dynamics inherent in poverty and privilege: medical ableism and misdiagnosis, gender, ageism, the housing crisis, inflation, personal medical autonomy, the flaws evident in Canadian social programs (healthcare, pharma care, social services), ability to seek healthcare out of country/province, etc...
My anxiety attacks bring me into counseling at this time. About 5 years ago I became I moved to a new school district from another school district. The two towns I moved from are very distinct from each other in terms of academic rigor, demographic and socioeconomic status. I moved from a very diverse, normal-income town to a white privileged town. I was middle-class kid in this town many others weren't. My family moved to this town because we had family friends here and for the better school district. We had finally gathered some money to upgrade our lives, but little did I know what would happen. On the first day of school, I started a conversation with this girl whom I found really pretty and I complimented her looks. I asked her about this town and she told me how everyone is "super rich". She told me that's there's average Jewish people and super-rich Jewish people. Then she started talking to me about her boyfriends and I believe I introduced an app that i used to go on for fun. She would always say things like "bicthes be dumb" r "i get guys its a problem". She would refer to those men as "assets" my lack of financial knowledge and lack of awareness at the age of 15 got me in very deep trouble.I felt intimidated by the environment because everyone was super smart rich and white. And I felt like i didn't belong. As a result I had constant anxiety and was always on my phone. I just felt incompetent, stupid and insecure. I didn't feel like I was even worthy of such a move. I've felt incompetamt all my life. And I felt like there was no way I was going to be okay here if I wasn't an above average student there. i kept ruminating about trauma from my old town such as bullying, not being good enough feeling like there's an academic ceiling for me. I was kind of trying to push myself but not that much, because I did have lots of distractions like my phone especially. I would constantly be talking to random people to run away from insecurity and trauma. I felt stupid. I had numerous instances where my family friend would call be stupid and always put me down. I tried to be studious but for some reason it didn't really happen because I felt irritated. My mom, dad and even my sister would be yelling at me to study because they felt like I wasn't trying enough. There used to be constant fights in the house. I became so insecure and suicidal, that I just started to talk to creepy guys as escapism and I don't know it was a very great time period. I started talking to the girl and we became friends, I thought she seemed like a nice person, but later realized I became friends with someone that didn't really have my best interests for me.
I’ve had a SHIT Childhood. I was an unplanned Pregnancy and my Parents weren’t in a Good Financial position when they had me. I’ve grown up without a lot of Luxuries due to my Dad’s terrible spending habits but IDM. However, he blames me because he has to buy me Food and Clothes. I’m 18 and I’ve bought the majority of the stuff I own through my Job. This includes ALL of my Clothes. He wastes his Money on his OBSESSION with the Military. He’s an Officer in the British Military and is constantly buying memorabilia. He’s HUNDREDS of £s in debt. We can’t even afford Food and he’s getting it with his Credit Card (Putting himself more in debt). He makes over £55,000. So, I think we should be much better off. We’re living in an Crappy House with Mould growing everywhere. There’s no Paint or Wallpaper. It’s just Plaster. WE’VE EVEN HAD 2X WALLS COLLAPSE! My Parents are 48 and this is their 1ST House because they started at the bottom. Dad was a Soldier and Mum assisted at a Hairdressers. They both did poorly in Secondary School and didn’t go to College. I don’t blame Mum because she has ADHD and struggles with Education but Dad didn’t even try and bullied People. Anyway, Dad prefers Younger Children and started Abusing me when I was around 10. He’d do stuff like slam my Head into Walls and punch me. It stopped shortly after a Friend reported him but he downplayed it to Social Services. My Family hated me because he could’ve lost his Career. That’s when the Emotional Abuse began. He belittles my Achievements (GCSEs and College). Also, he Gaslights me and tries to convince me that I’m abusing him by being a “Deadbeat Daughter”. Recently, I forgot to do the Dishes and instead of reminding me he threatened to KILL my Rabbit. He said that it’s a “Fair Consequence for [my] actions”. I told him that he’s escalating things and that it’s Emotional Abuse but he tried to Gaslight me again. He tried to make out that I’m Crazy. I admit that I was a bit Hysterical when he threatened my Pet with DEATH! Although, I’m fed up of him making out that I’m Crazy. He’s told my whole Family that I’m Bipolar. I’ve got ADHD and a Generalised Anxiety Disorder but I’ve NEVER been diagnosed as Bipolar. However, his Mum is convincing him that I am. She’s a BITCH. My Grandmother Despises my Mum and she spread rumours that she Abused me. Also, my Grandmother told me that Mum threatened to Kill herself if Dad didn’t Marry her in attempt to drive us apart. She’s obsessed with my Dad and favours him over her Daughter. He’s an EXTREME Mummy’s Boy and it’s like she wants to be his Wife. Continuing, I definitely don’t have Bipolar because Therapists would’ve picked up on it. I don’t display the symptoms. I’m just Emotional and Pissed off from being Abused. I can’t stand my Dad and how he Manipulates People into thinking he’s not Abusive. He’s admitted to Hating me and that he wishes he didn’t have me. Although, he’ll still somewhat take care of me because it’s his “Responsibility”. He acts like I’m Young and haven’t experienced anything difficult in my Life. I’ve been Sexually Assaulted 3X and my Cousin/Best Friend died on the Bottom Bunk when I was Eight. Also, I was Bullied in Primary and Secondary for being an Awkward Nerd. I’m really into Dungeons and Dragons, Lord of the Rings, and Skyrim. Also, I’m a Metal-Head so People thought I was a Satanist and were Scared of me. It meant that Shitty Boys targeted me because I was Lonely and Depressed. I sent Nudes at 14 to a Boy. It wasn’t often that they showed Interest in me. However, he showed everyone in our Class. Then he started to be Mean to me DAILY. He’d comment on my Appearance and get his Friends to partake. When I got to Yr 10 I started talking to a Popular Guy and he asked me to be his Girlfriend. My Popularity went up a bit and the Bullying somewhat stopped. Although, I got a lot of Abuse from my Friendship Group because they thought I couldn’t do any better than them. One Girl constantly commented on my Appearance and that I was a “Rectangle and Flat”. I’m not Flat (38F). We went to College together and I was hoping it’d go well but I ended up restarting. I was doing a Science Course originally. I took it for my Family. However, I switched to A-Level Psychology, Philosophy, and History. I dropped Philosophy after a Month. It was difficult to keep up with and I don’t think the Teacher liked me. I missed some Homework because I was in A&E after being attacked. Someone was trying to get into my Home and was threatening to KILL my Brother (16)! Anyway, I dropped out of A-Levels after I failed the Mock Exams. TBF, Dad was fatally ill, my Boyfriend left, and I was having an altogether SHIT Week. I still went on the History Trip (Government Funded) and got COVID-19 whilst in America. Also, I WAS BIT BY A FUCKING TICK AND WENT TO HOSPITAL. I’m now doing T-Levels and it’s my last chance at College. However, it’s difficult to do Good when I don’t feel Safe or Comfortable at Home. I’ll have an Assignment to do then Dad will say something like “I wish I hit you more as a Child because you’re a Spoiled Little Girl”. HOW CAN I BE SPOILT IF MY DAD HATES ME AND I WORKED HARD TO PURCHASE EVERYTHING I HAVE? I bought my Printer, Xbox One, PC Parts, IPad, and Nintendo Switch. Evidently, I love Gaming. I tried to tell Dad about it but he shouted “I DON’T CARE ABOUT YOUR POXY GAME” and “YOU SHOULD BE REVISING TO GET As”. This is coming from someone who failed EVERY one of his GCSEs. My Dad has Toxic Ideas and thinks that Unions are Bad and People shouldn't Complain. He wants me to Work constantly even though I'm a Full-Time Student. He told me to not see Friends or have Hobbies. Apparently, it'll get in the way. I think that's a HORRIBLE way to think and I'd rather DIE. What's the point if you're not Enjoying Life. He’s the only Person who’s allowed to Complain at Home. He’s apathetic and will ALWAYS tell you that he’s got it Harder. I don’t think there’s a Caring Bone in his Body! Also, you're probably wondering whether Mum does anything. She doesn't. She's TERRIFIED of Dad and says that he's done Unspeakable things to her. She tells me to "Bite [my] lip and don't say anything". I shouldn't have to Walk on Eggshells at Home. We're always Terrified that Dad will Snap any Minute. His Emotions TERRIFY me. I could Breathe Funny and he'd accuse me of "Sighing" and would Destroy stuff. However, he'll make me Upset and act unfazed when I react. Sometimes he'll even Laugh! What confuses me is that he'll occasionally act Affectionate. Also, he'll attempt to win me over with small Gifts. He's literally admitted to Hating me and that he only wants to rebuild his Relationship with my Brother. So, I don't understand. I should stop Writing because this is getting LONG. Anyway, I am with my Boyfriend again which gives me some hope. Thank you if you've Read this far. Bye. 👋
We are no longer fighting Corona but learning to live with it.
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We invite you to participate in a global research program that is studying the effects of the pandemic. It only takes a few minutes!
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So i (m20 from Denmark) was in a long distance relationship with a girl from England (f19). It lasted a year. the first 6 months were pure bliss and ive never been happier. We would talk for days without end and do all kinds of fun stuff like play Minecraft, show eachother our intrests (her in jewellery and me with movie) and it was great. But after we saw eachother at christmas it started going down hill. She became more and more jugdemental and would never show any love. id read her harry potter almost every night, put on whatever show she wanted, help out when she was drunk in the middle of the night. But when i needed anything she would always make it a fight. one time she was sick for 2 weeks and id come how from work every day and tend to her. the week after she got better i got sick, but she just ended up saying she needed to study and preseted to ignore me while i was sick. id have panic attacks over past trauma and she'd just pretend it wasnt happening even do she would have the same and id drop everything help her. it ended a month ago and i cant stop thinking about her even do i know she was cruel to me. we called the other day and she told me about having sex with another man and it made me feel horrible. Also i see her slipping and it makes me feel so fucking sad, beacuse she tells me she doing Ketamine like its normal. I also helped her with her massive fear of anything sexual but 2 weeks after we broke up she goes and hooks up with a stranger after not wanting to have sex unless it was for her for 2-3 months
Whenever i talk to her she just tells me im the bad one beacuse i had a problem with being open at the start of our relationship and she tells me it would never work beacuse everyone hates me.
I just got a P.T.S.D. Diagnosis from all this and i dont know what to do Basicly, how do i stop thinking about her 24/7 and just move on. and if the should i go back if theres a chance?
I started reading Psychopolitics by Byung-Chul Han and immediately thought of this place. This quote in particular hit me like a ton ne of bricks and I thought I should share. I’m still in the beginning, but it’s really good so far.