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PTSD from StepLife

Dogmom23's picture

Has anyone experienced PTSD like symptoms for being bullied by BM and SD for years and years. I have developed such bad anxiety just from thinking about how they treated me. SD saw me as an ATM and that is what I was good for. I just feel so used and betrayed. 

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diver111's picture

Yes I do, but in my case it is from my MIL and SD. My husband brought up their names over the weekend and my whole body starting shaking! I have little contact with them now, but the impacts remain. 

Evil4's picture

I was diagnosed with C-PTSD because of being in an extreme mini-wife situation and my DH failing to have my back. At one point, I had physical symptoms so bad that my doctor wanted to put me in the hospital. 

Wicked stepmo.'s picture

Absolutely! The last time I can remember experiencing so much depression and anxiety was when I was married to my steroid addicted narc exH.

When I was living with SKs it was exactly the same. It's been two years since I went on vacation with them and the thoight of ever doing that again causes a full blown anxiety attack. I don't think I could ever forget some of the things they have done and not have stong feelings attached to those events.

Stepdrama2020's picture

Its my ex SD and to this day the PTSD is real. Not sure if it is healthy or not for me to come on here because its now after the fact BUT YES.

I read on here how these fine ladies are treated and I go back in time where my ex DH and Ex SD treated me so badly. I let them, so in that way it was my own doing. Once I had enough I tossed him out. Damage is done. Never again though. Never will I ever allow myself one moment of being treated like I am garbage. They are the trash, not me.

If I reach one person to leave such a toxic place then my shit has a meaning. Do not get me wrong most members on here have a salvagable situation, but for the few who dont, I hope and pray you learn from my mistakes.

LittleCloud9's picture

Not as severe as ptsd personally. However I never had anxiety like this before BM. Step life brought many new experiences into my life, including panic attacks, weight loss from stress, insomnia and a Swimming pools worth of tears.

I still have 2 years before I'm really free of BM.

Cray 2

caninelover's picture

Well not the weight loss but the rest of it, yes.  What helped me was that I only had one summer of directly living with Bratty.  The rest of the damage were her frequent and drama-filled visits.

So definitely was in a high state of anxiety whenever she was around.  When I finally disengaged it took some time to re-center back to my normal state.

thinkthrice's picture

Never in my wildest dreams did I think that kids should have been parented or actually not parented the way Chef's ferals were.  I kept asking myself is this for real?  Who does this?

Then I found this site which helped me cope for 5 very long years before they PASed out for good.  Which I must admit is bliss.

hereiam's picture

I'm sorry for what you are going through.

I don't have those feelings as far as BM and SD goes, but I have some anxiety when it come to someone else, so I know how that feels and it's awful. You feel powerless.

MissK03's picture

I wouldn't say I have PTSD but I've become angry about what I expected from this relationship to where we are and the hate I've formed for BM. 

Not what I expected to happened. 

lala-land's picture

Madam,  I spent years dealing with craziness which led to all sorts of medical issues.  Early on I developed insomnia and weight gain.  As time progressed I had panic attacks and high blood pressure which culminated in a stroke.  I am healthy now...but I sure wish I had found this site sooner.  The extremely permissive parenting by GUBM has led to major issues for the now step-adults, but I no longer care, as caring just about killed me.  I've been with DH for 21 years and he could not stop the crazy and he certainly tried.  BM was the Duracell bunny of crazy behavior.

bananaseedo's picture

I did as well, my anxiety and insomnia were horrific, I developed HBP and Diabetes, my health was in shambles.  Things got better and I feel calmer now but I look back in horror at those years.  Always so much drama.  I guess that's why I"m struggling at putting a happy face at sd's gender reveal with bm there, everyone all happy fakey friendly....they put us through years of absolute HELL and horror.  

thiscantbenormal's picture

My blood pressure spikes when DH sends me image attachments via text. Is it going to be a funny meme or screenshot of some BS garbage text from his dysfunctional ex and kids????  Like Russian roulette.

Thumper's picture

Yes, I have and still do.

So does my dh, my kids from previous marriage AND kids of dh and my marriage. The trauma was awful.

 

 

 

ImFreeAtLast's picture

Even though AdultSkid is moved out I feel on edge. Waiting for the other shoe to drop. When will this end? Also if I see someone that looks like AdultSkid I become anxious and tense. I have had some bad dreams about AdultSkid.

I am nothing to them's picture

I cry easily thinking about my adult step kids and what they are capable of. I have anxiety being around them. I shake, get physically sick to my stomach, get headaches, severe depression, feelings of impending doom, my self worth is in the toilet but I am working on it. Just the mere mention of their names makes a wave of nausea and anxiety to sweep over me. I question my ability as a parent and what kind of person I must have been for them to hate me so. Not long ago one of my ex-son-in laws reminded me that since him and another son-in-law still loves me and comes around i can't be all bad. It's crazy! My job for decades was as a paramedic and I dealt with traumatic events and death all the time, but this can pull me down. I think since I decided to be done with them I will hopefully get better.  I tried being a good step mom but sometimes when the steps hate you through manipulation from their mothers, it doesn't matter what you do, they are still going to hate. I have to realize that I am not the one who failed it was them.