There’s a phrase that gets thrown around a lot: hurt people hurt people. Sometimes it’s said with compassion, sometimes as a defense, and sometimes as a throwaway line. But for me, it’s a truth I’ve had to look directly in the eye. Because I was hurting. And I hurt people. I was one of them. […]
Emotional Whiplash in a Trench Coat
Let’s talk about attachment styles, shall we? You know, those deeply ingrained survival strategies we picked up in childhood that now wreak absolute havoc on our adult relationships? Yeah. Fun times. Mine is what therapists call disorganized and what I call emotional whiplash in a trench coat. If you’re unfamiliar, disorganized attachment is what happens […]
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Loving in Silence: The Quiet Storm of CPTSD
Living with CPTSD means emotions don’t always look the way people expect them to. On the surface, I might come off as calm, maybe a little distant. Like, I’m trying to remember if I left the stove on. But inside? It’s a full-blown Greek tragedy. The chorus is wailing, the lead actor is mid-monologue, someone […]
Dating with CPTSD: Sarcasm & Raccoons
Someone recently asked me if it’s possible to date when you have CPTSD. The short answer? Yes. The real answer? Yes, but it’s not just about whether you can date. It’s about how you date, who you date, and what kind of support, communication, and self-awareness you bring to the table. Now, I’m not currently […]
Finding Calm in the Chaos: My Journey with CPTSD
Somewhere along the way in my healing journey, I’ve stopped seeing myself as CPTSD personified. I don’t know the exact moment it happened; there wasn’t some grand epiphany or movie-montage-style healing moment. But slowly, quietly, I started seeing myself as… just me. As Jack. A messy, kind, resilient, funny, often-exhausted guy who happens to have […]
How To Love Someone With CPTSD And Trauma
I don’t claim to be an expert on all things love and relationships. My love life has been a bit of a bomb site, but I am knowledgeable in living with CPTSD and attempting relationships after trauma. Loving with CPTSD is kind of like trying to build a treehouse during a windstorm. You’ve got the […]