Trapped just like in childhood💔 #cptsd #trauma #hypervigilance

[MJNY]

No one expresses, conveys the emotionality of C-PTSD as you do, Dr. Sage.

[sarahcharlesworth]

I’m so grateful for the precision and clarity of your posts. They are helping me to stay focused on healing.

[allibeardsley]

I'm a teacher and developed extreme anxiety because I was constantly being triggered by my students, who also experienced a lot of trauma and were emotionally unpredictable. I ended up leaving the career because I just couldn't function and had no way of lowering my own anxiety enough to also help them with their anxiety/anger/depression. It totally felt like I was trapped everyday.

[richardwalker]

This is one hundred percent true! I am mostly trigger when I am trapped.❤ Thank you

[randomcrap]

This is so interesting and something I had never thought about before. Ever since I can remember, I always go through great effort to make sure I am not "trapped" anywhere. I never make open ended plans...I always make plans with an excuse as to why I have to leave at a certain time so I can kind of control the emotional draining that socializing has on me. In public areas, I always make sure I locate the exits first and put myself in an "easy to bolt" aisle seat so I can escape without climbing over people. Having someone between me and an exit freaks me out. I HATE having serious conversations face to face...it gives me intense anxiety and I can't get my words out because I'm always waiting for the other person to explode. This is why I much prefer texting or emailing. (Plus it creates concrete proof of what was said. Bonus built in anti gaslighting defense! Lol)

Damn....this is heavy. I will be pondering this about myself for days now. 😂

[spameranne]

wow this is so validating. I noticed recently how I can get really agitated by conversations/interactions that have no clear endpoint, and thought it might have something to do with feeling trapped as a kid and having no power to change my circumstances or ask for anything different. any time I'd try I'd be called "disrespectful, " or accused of having "a bad attitude." any time I had a bad reaction to my sibling's bullying or my parent's piss-poor parenting, I'd be shamed for being "so dramatic" or "overreacting." no one saw that I was a child dealing with too much, and no one was modeling how to cope without denying reality or taking it out on someone weaker.
anyway, thank you for these, they're so helpful. sorry for going on so long, I'm not sure if that made sense.

[nineangels]

I can relate. I'm comfortable in calm environments, usually alone. I feel good this way. I hate having company or visitors. I meet people for coffee or lunch instead.

[DrKimSage]

Yes - any concept of feeling trapped…🙏🏻🙏🏻❤️❤️❤️

[bloominbean]

In a literal sense I don't like having MRI scans. A small place where you cannot move or you'll ruin the scan and they have to start again. I have epilepsy and have had many MRI scans in my life. I'm so relieved when they are done and this rush of relief fills my body. I've heard lots of people say waiting for results is the worst part but not for me. I have to mentally coach myself through. I'm usually really sore after because I'm so tense during.

[KeyBoard-ionl]

Wow. Thank you for explaining this, Im amazed by your clear explanation of something I've suffered from almost my entire life. Thank you so much.

[Enviro-Erin]

100%. I've been saying I feel trapped in my life situation for years and it has totally triggered the CPTSD.

[SheenaSpeaks]

You forgot to describe the fight part.
People don't remember that we aren't just scared all the time.
Rage is a major issue for a lot of us and we feel crazy because we forget that FIGHT is part of the FEAR response.

[a.k.]

So it would help, alongside reuniting my parts, to learn some skills to end a conversation elegantly, to ... Not start with the really hard stuff like ending a relationship. I once did end a conversation. I had to say/do it three or four times until the person stoped to talk about new story's and it felt so freeing. So this is a shared win. 🥳
Thank you for offering me words, even if i translate them it's so empowering to name what it felt like to be part or my family system. Of not healed childhood trauma survivors themselves, so i am thankful for the steps they made. I don't want to shame them at all it's just all the long time denied to survive pain. I wish i could feel sad.

[rachaelsealey]

I never ever go anywhere, without already orchestrating, an exit strategy plan.
That’s how I cope and I can’t really do engagements out, that isn’t work, for long periods of time.
I am my own safety and this is how I experience the world for decades

[kaybeejelly]

I grew up walking on eggshells. I moved out aged 20 and had my first child with my husband and after 1yr (incl. PND) we moved back to his childhood home with his parents. We bought the house, they stayed living with us to help out with childcare and it was financially cheaper for them. It turned out to be 6yrs. It started off okay because I'm a people pleaser. I didn't realise how unhealthy and triggering it was for me with my MIL and passive aggressiveness. If it's possible I genuinely think I have trauma from the experience with me being back in the situation of suppressing and not placing boundaries. I was trapped. My husband was happy to have them living with us and I was at first, but I slowly became the black sheep.

[suns]

You GET IT! Thank you for this a million times over. 🫂❤️🫂