1 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:07,560 Speaker 1: Hi, this is Annie and this is Bridget and you're 2 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 1: listening to stuff I'll never told you. So once again 3 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:21,800 Speaker 1: we gotta start off with the trigger warning for this one, 4 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:26,440 Speaker 1: because today we are talking about another part of me too, 5 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 1: and just in general, we're talking about complex PTSD and 6 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:35,520 Speaker 1: in the age of me too, how to navigate that 7 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: if that is a trigger for you and then you're 8 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:42,040 Speaker 1: just being overwhelmed almost everywhere, but especially in social media 9 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:45,040 Speaker 1: and things like that with triggers. And another thing we 10 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 1: have to say at the top is we are not doctors, 11 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 1: are therapist at all. So hopefully this is informative, but 12 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 1: it is no replacement for seeing a professional. Yes, we 13 00:00:56,920 --> 00:01:00,280 Speaker 1: are not doctors. If you need to see a profess national, 14 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 1: you should try to do that. Um. We want to 15 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:05,600 Speaker 1: give you resources, advice, make sure that you know that 16 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:10,319 Speaker 1: you're not alone, but we cannot replace an actual professional. No. 17 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:15,399 Speaker 1: And a lot of you have written in about this 18 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:19,679 Speaker 1: and about sort of your struggles with it, um and 19 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:23,320 Speaker 1: how it makes you makes you feel not being able 20 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 1: to engage. So yeah, we thought we'd talked about it. 21 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:30,200 Speaker 1: And I think when a lot of us think of PTSD, 22 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 1: we think of veterans war veterans, And there's an episode 23 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 1: that you and Emily did bridget around UM suicide and 24 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 1: female veterans. Yeah, I actually would really encourage even if 25 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 1: you're not a veteran. I learned so much about how 26 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 1: PTSD is different for women on the research for that episode, 27 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,920 Speaker 1: So that's something that you're interested in. Definitely check it out. Yeah, 28 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 1: for sure, UM and a lot of us probably have 29 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 1: a general idea of what post traumatic stress disorder is, 30 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 1: but um, what is complex. PTSD are sometimes as it's 31 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 1: known c PTSD. But before we get into that, let 32 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 1: us start with a quick rundown of PTSD. So eighty 33 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 1: to eighty five per cent of folks who experience a 34 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 1: traumatic event are estimated to work through it naturally by 35 00:02:22,919 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 1: talking to people, are by grieving. But it's when people 36 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 1: don't talk about it, when they avoid it altogether, symptoms 37 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:34,760 Speaker 1: develop and hang around, leading to post traumatic stress disorder. 38 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 1: PTSD is a trauma or stress related disorder resulting from 39 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:43,800 Speaker 1: a traumatic event, and the symptoms are divided into four clusters. 40 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 1: One re experiencing so nightmares, flashbacks, intense distressing feelings when 41 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 1: you remember the event of setting thoughts or feelings about 42 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 1: the event, are having a physical stress response when you 43 00:02:56,800 --> 00:03:00,920 Speaker 1: are reminded of the event, and an out about flashbacks 44 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:04,160 Speaker 1: is visual is not the only type. There's also somatic 45 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 1: that's physically reliving a pain or emotional emotionally reliving something 46 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:14,400 Speaker 1: like very vividly emotionally reliving something. Yeah, I feel like 47 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 1: when we talk about things like this emotionally reliving something like, 48 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 1: people think that that is not an actual like I can. 49 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:23,520 Speaker 1: I can imagine someone saying, oh, that's not a real 50 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:25,919 Speaker 1: side effect, that's not a real symptom, but it can 51 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 1: be very real. I've seen with my own eyes people 52 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: who are in an experience that reminds them of something 53 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:35,559 Speaker 1: that was traumatic for them kind of physically and emotionally 54 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 1: relive it as if they're you know, in it in 55 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 1: that moment. And it's no joke. Like I think it's 56 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 1: something that is easy to discount, but it's really no joke, No, 57 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 1: not at all. Um. The second cluster of symptoms is 58 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 1: called avoidance, and these manifests in ways like avoiding anything 59 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:54,000 Speaker 1: that might remind you of the event, and that could 60 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:58,080 Speaker 1: be people, places, thoughts, conversations, topics, anything, all of the above. 61 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 1: You might go out of your way to stay busy 62 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:04,840 Speaker 1: to keep yourself from remembering our dwelling. Third is hyper arousal, 63 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 1: which is basically your keyed up all the time. You're 64 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:11,120 Speaker 1: always on edge, You're experiencing difficulties sleeping, having outbursts or 65 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:16,080 Speaker 1: general irritability, not able to concentrate, being easily startled, or jumping. 66 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 1: And the last is negative thoughts are beliefs, which is 67 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 1: pretty self explanatory but includes things like not being able 68 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 1: to remember the traumatic event clearly, lots of interest in things, 69 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:31,599 Speaker 1: feelings of isolation, difficulty feeling anything positive, and feeling like 70 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 1: your life may suddenly end. So to be clear, most 71 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: people don't actually exhibit all of these symptoms all at once, 72 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 1: but they do have a few from each of these clusters, 73 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:44,599 Speaker 1: and untreated PTSD can lead to a whole host of 74 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:48,920 Speaker 1: negative things, eating disorders, substance abuse or disorders, anxiety disorders, 75 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:52,480 Speaker 1: or major depression. Yeah, and it's pretty common, to affecting 76 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:54,799 Speaker 1: eight million people of all ages in the United States. 77 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:57,919 Speaker 1: Women are two to three times more likely to develop 78 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:01,160 Speaker 1: it than men, tend to to women compared to five 79 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:03,840 Speaker 1: to six percent of men, and studies are ongoing as 80 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:06,840 Speaker 1: to why that is, and theories range from biological to 81 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:11,919 Speaker 1: psychological UM. Other researchers point out the increased likelihood that 82 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 1: women will be exposed to a traumatic event like sexual 83 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:18,120 Speaker 1: assault at a younger age. The earlier in life of 84 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:21,640 Speaker 1: trauma takes place, the greater the impact and UM. The 85 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:25,720 Speaker 1: types of trauma associated with PTSD UM and that last 86 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:29,159 Speaker 1: maybe a longer period of time, are perpetrated by people 87 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: close to them. That might be one of the reasons 88 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:35,200 Speaker 1: women are more likely to develop PTSD than men. Others 89 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 1: say that because women are twice as likely to develop 90 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:41,360 Speaker 1: depression or anxiety disorders, it puts them more at risk 91 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:45,400 Speaker 1: to developing PTSD after a traumatic event. It's also possible 92 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:48,600 Speaker 1: men don't report as much are that they display symptoms differently. 93 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 1: Women who experienced abuse develop PTSD at a ratio of 94 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:57,360 Speaker 1: seventy four to three compared to women who have not. Okay, 95 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 1: so that is PTSD. Well, let's get into complex PTSD. 96 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 1: The main difference between PTSD and c PTSD is that 97 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:10,800 Speaker 1: the causes of PTSD, like say a hurricane or a 98 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 1: car accident, usually have a time limited duration. C PTSD doesn't. 99 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 1: A person dealing with c PTSD experiences chronic trauma lasting 100 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:23,840 Speaker 1: months or maybe years at a time, and usually presents 101 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 1: additional symptoms alongside the ones you see with traditional PTSD. 102 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 1: So I had actually never heard of CPSD, but it 103 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 1: makes so much sense, Like if you're someone who has 104 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 1: dealt with something that was a longer term trauma and 105 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:41,599 Speaker 1: not just sort of a like at one time time 106 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:45,160 Speaker 1: limited experience, it makes sense that your symptoms and your reaction, 107 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:49,920 Speaker 1: both emotional, mentally, physiologically, all of that would be different. Um. 108 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:53,040 Speaker 1: Some of the particular circumstances that can lead to CPSD 109 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:55,840 Speaker 1: are used with things that involve captivity or a situation 110 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 1: where one person has control over the other. These are 111 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:01,599 Speaker 1: things like being a prisoner of war, concentration camps, forced 112 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 1: non consensual sex work, or child exploitation, long term child 113 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 1: abuse and that's physical emotional or sexual, or long term 114 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 1: domestic abuse, which also can be physical, emotional or sexual. Yes, 115 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:16,560 Speaker 1: and UM. C PTSD is also sometimes called disorders of 116 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:19,920 Speaker 1: extreme stress not otherwise specified or does NOS, or in 117 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 1: the case of children and adolescents, developmental traumatic disorder and 118 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:27,360 Speaker 1: kind of sort of maybe one of the reasons you 119 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 1: haven't heard of it, Bridget, is that it's relatively new. 120 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:33,160 Speaker 1: The idea that we needed a new diagnosis other than 121 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:36,840 Speaker 1: PTSD to describe the experience of people dealing with chronic 122 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 1: trauma was first proposed by Harvard's doctor Judith Herman. It 123 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 1: wasn't added as a separate diagnosis to the d s 124 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 1: MB after d d s MB four field tests found 125 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 1: it shared the same diagnostic criteria with PTSD. Is mentioned 126 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:55,400 Speaker 1: in the d s m V, but doesn't have its 127 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 1: own entry. Also, um it does not address the cultural 128 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:01,400 Speaker 1: variance when it comes to PTSD, which was a problem 129 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 1: pointed out in earlier editions. Nevertheless, a lot of professionals 130 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 1: believe it might need to be treated a little differently 131 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:12,360 Speaker 1: c PTSD and believe that a misdiagnosis of PTSD or 132 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:16,160 Speaker 1: maybe even a personality disorder will result in an incomplete 133 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 1: or incorrect treatment plan. Well, that makes so much sense because, 134 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 1: like you started the show talking about, people have issues 135 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 1: with PTSD when they're when they're traumas on their pain 136 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:30,600 Speaker 1: go on dealt with and you're not talking to someone 137 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:32,920 Speaker 1: when you're not seeing a therapist. And so if you 138 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 1: finally actually get to a point where you're talking to 139 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:38,960 Speaker 1: someone to go and then have them say, oh, it's 140 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 1: PTSD not CPSD, Like that would be very problematic to 141 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 1: finally you get to a place where you think I 142 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:51,560 Speaker 1: can talk to somebody and then have your issue be 143 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:54,280 Speaker 1: misdiagnosed in that way or have them say, oh, you 144 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 1: actually have this personality disorder or whatever. Um. It almost 145 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:00,800 Speaker 1: it would almost make the process that talking to someone 146 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:05,760 Speaker 1: seem worthless in a kind of way. I would imagine, Yeah, 147 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 1: it's difficult in the first place to take that step. 148 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:14,360 Speaker 1: And also not too many people specialize in it. So 149 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:16,600 Speaker 1: since it is sort of new, there aren't a lot 150 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:19,560 Speaker 1: of places you can go if you're looking online and 151 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 1: you suspect that this is what you're dealing with. There 152 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:26,960 Speaker 1: aren't too many doctors or therapists you'll find that specialized 153 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:30,600 Speaker 1: in it to be transparent. I was diagnosed to see 154 00:09:30,640 --> 00:09:36,440 Speaker 1: PTSD last year. Um, and it's funny the week that 155 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:39,839 Speaker 1: I was diagnosed it was that was when it was 156 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:43,120 Speaker 1: announced that like PTSD was going to be taken off insurance. 157 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:47,839 Speaker 1: And I remember, like I just had to go home 158 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:53,560 Speaker 1: and just like sit and try to stay calm, and 159 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:58,599 Speaker 1: then I had to come back and record podcast. Um. 160 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 1: But it's it is a long, long battle and for 161 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:08,679 Speaker 1: me at least you can think you've dealt with it, 162 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:12,720 Speaker 1: and then something will happen and it just all comes back. 163 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:18,680 Speaker 1: So my heart goes out to the listeners who have 164 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: written in UM and I understand how hard, how hard 165 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:29,280 Speaker 1: it can be, and uh yeah, just just know that 166 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:32,120 Speaker 1: there are options out there for you, and we will 167 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 1: be talking about some of those. But first, UM, so 168 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 1: the symptoms that separate c PTSD from PTSD. These could 169 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 1: include difficulty regulating your emotions UM and this could present 170 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:50,200 Speaker 1: to suicidal thoughts. Explosive anger are a sadness that just 171 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:54,840 Speaker 1: stays with you UM. Difficulty with certain aspects of consciousness 172 00:10:54,840 --> 00:10:58,400 Speaker 1: which could result in forgetting are a living traumatic events 173 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:04,200 Speaker 1: or feelings of its association from one's body, poor self perception, 174 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:07,920 Speaker 1: strong feelings of guilt, shame, helplessness, stigma, feeling like you're 175 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:11,440 Speaker 1: different from everyone else, distorted perception when it comes to 176 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:15,360 Speaker 1: the perpetrator, attributing them with total power, are becoming completely 177 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:21,800 Speaker 1: preoccupied with them or revenge. Essentially, they just dominate your thoughts. Uh. 178 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:24,440 Speaker 1: It impacts your current relationships as well. You might isolate 179 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:27,360 Speaker 1: yourself because you feel distressful, or you might constantly be 180 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:31,720 Speaker 1: looking out for a rescuer. And lastly, you might experience 181 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:34,040 Speaker 1: a loss of meaning, our faith or whatever it is 182 00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:37,920 Speaker 1: that a system in your life um or perhaps you'll 183 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:42,079 Speaker 1: just feel hopeless or overwhelmed with despair or all the above. 184 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 1: So something that's really interesting to note is that from 185 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 1: a biological standpoint, the cause is unknown, but studies and 186 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:50,839 Speaker 1: animals show that trauma impacts the parts of the brain 187 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:54,559 Speaker 1: related to memory and stress response. Researchers theorize that it's 188 00:11:54,559 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 1: the body's way of trying to make sure the same 189 00:11:56,559 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 1: thing doesn't happen again by reminding the survivor of the 190 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:02,280 Speaker 1: event and keeping I'm hyper vigilant. Some researchers even think 191 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:04,600 Speaker 1: that it might be genetic and that increased risk factors 192 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 1: include a family history of anxiety or depression, or lifestyle 193 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:10,960 Speaker 1: factors like having a dangerous job. So some of these 194 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:14,120 Speaker 1: researchers even sort of sort of think, you know, this 195 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:18,360 Speaker 1: is your body's way or your brain's way of saying, hey, 196 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:21,319 Speaker 1: be on alert because X y Z traumatic dangerous thing 197 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:25,440 Speaker 1: happened in the past, So never relax, never let your 198 00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:29,160 Speaker 1: guard down, never feel okay, always be vigilance it doesn't 199 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:33,200 Speaker 1: happen again. Yeah, it's kind of similar to the thing, um, 200 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:37,040 Speaker 1: what is it called paper tigers? Where back when our ancestors, 201 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:39,959 Speaker 1: if you saw a tiger, like your brain would recognize 202 00:12:39,960 --> 00:12:42,200 Speaker 1: patterns where they weren't there. So you're always going to 203 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:47,320 Speaker 1: be afraid of maybe perhaps a rare event. But now 204 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:49,760 Speaker 1: we don't have tigers, but we're still making these patterns 205 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:51,679 Speaker 1: and seeing paper tigers. It's kind of like that, except 206 00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:55,440 Speaker 1: the thing really did happen to you, and your brain 207 00:12:55,559 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 1: is always just like never again amped up trying to 208 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:02,040 Speaker 1: keep it from happening. Um. And it can be tricky 209 00:13:02,080 --> 00:13:05,959 Speaker 1: to properly diagnosed c PTSD because survivors might avoid talking 210 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:09,560 Speaker 1: to professionals about the trauma, either because it's too painful 211 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 1: or difficult. On top of that, they might use on 212 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:17,080 Speaker 1: healthy coping mechanisms like alcohol and or self harming. And 213 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:20,840 Speaker 1: sometimes survivors are assumed to be of quote weak character 214 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 1: and then blamed for the abuse they endured, which is horrible, 215 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:28,800 Speaker 1: that's awful. We really have to I mean, that's I 216 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:31,360 Speaker 1: think a cultural change that we really have to get 217 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 1: rid of this attitude that if something happens to you, 218 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:39,480 Speaker 1: you're weak, you're stupid, you're not strong, and that that 219 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:41,560 Speaker 1: that is the cycle that people get stuck in or 220 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:45,480 Speaker 1: they don't talk about these things. Yeah. On one side 221 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 1: of my family, Um, there's definitely an attitude of if 222 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:54,360 Speaker 1: you have to go to therapy, you're weak. On the 223 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 1: other side, it's the complete opposite, like going to therapy 224 00:13:56,960 --> 00:14:00,960 Speaker 1: if you need it. But um, that that attitude I 225 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:05,840 Speaker 1: think is not healthy, not correct. Another thing worth mentioning 226 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:11,199 Speaker 1: is that people with CPTSD might seek treatment years after 227 00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:14,600 Speaker 1: the traumatic experiences have ended, because it does stick around, 228 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 1: and I think the average is like ten years later 229 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:24,560 Speaker 1: people people. Yeah, yeah, so it sticks around and sometimes 230 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 1: it just happens later, like it's a delayed response. So 231 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:34,560 Speaker 1: that's kind of an overview of what it is. But 232 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:38,960 Speaker 1: now we're going to talk about having c PTSD in 233 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 1: the age of Me Too. But first we're going to 234 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:43,680 Speaker 1: stop for a quick break for word from our sponsor, 235 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:56,600 Speaker 1: and we're back, Thank you sponsor. So while the conversation 236 00:14:56,680 --> 00:15:00,120 Speaker 1: started by me Too has been a good thing, it 237 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:04,560 Speaker 1: can be really triggering for c PTSD survivors and others 238 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:07,360 Speaker 1: too when the trauma behind it is something related like 239 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:12,800 Speaker 1: sexual assault. Of sexual assault victims experience PTSD symptoms in 240 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:15,960 Speaker 1: the first weeks after the assault, and most people do 241 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:19,800 Speaker 1: find ways to live with it um talk to people 242 00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 1: about it, but a minority do develop long term PTSD, 243 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:28,840 Speaker 1: and if the sexual assault was ongoing c PTSD the 244 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 1: new cycles draining on all of us. But it can 245 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:34,720 Speaker 1: cause panic attacks and flashbacks for people who are dealing 246 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:38,120 Speaker 1: with PTSD or c PTSD, and to be confronted with 247 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:41,240 Speaker 1: it day after day, reminders of the trauma, to see 248 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:44,120 Speaker 1: primarily women but men as well not be believed when 249 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: they share their experience. That can be extremely damaging. Having 250 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:53,200 Speaker 1: your experience validated and believed is so important to treatment. 251 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:58,040 Speaker 1: So seeing that not happen for others can it can 252 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 1: really suck. It can really put you back. Treatment takes time, 253 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,479 Speaker 1: and it is like ten years on average for c PTSD, 254 00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:09,840 Speaker 1: and it is a daily struggle. And the constant exposure 255 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 1: to news about other sexual assaults are things that are 256 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:17,800 Speaker 1: even tangentially related because a whole it's another thing you 257 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:19,920 Speaker 1: have to deal with, and people in your life me 258 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:23,960 Speaker 1: maybe talking about it, perhaps unfavorably, not knowing what you're 259 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:27,520 Speaker 1: dealing with. So it's it's great that it's happening, but 260 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:30,400 Speaker 1: mental health should be a part of the conversation. As well, 261 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:35,120 Speaker 1: And UM, it can be exhausting to know your triggers 262 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:37,880 Speaker 1: and to avoid them when they're all over the place, 263 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:43,320 Speaker 1: and sometimes it's almost impossible to avoid them. Yeah, this 264 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:46,200 Speaker 1: is a weird time that we're in. I agree that 265 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:49,600 Speaker 1: me Too is obviously a really important conversation and one 266 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:52,960 Speaker 1: that I think is vastly overdue. But I've I've had 267 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 1: that moment where you know, maybe maybe you want to 268 00:16:56,640 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 1: get through a work day and not be assaulted by 269 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:08,160 Speaker 1: endless conversation about something traumatic that reminds you of something 270 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 1: that you've experienced. You know. Um, it can feel OK, 271 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:14,560 Speaker 1: it's something you can't turn off. And I've had those 272 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:17,080 Speaker 1: times where I had to just log off because it's 273 00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:19,840 Speaker 1: just too much. Um. I will never forget. When I 274 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:23,520 Speaker 1: was working at MSNBC. This was when that football player 275 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:26,639 Speaker 1: I think it was Ray Rice, was on on a 276 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:30,639 Speaker 1: security video like punching his I think it was his 277 00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:33,720 Speaker 1: girlfriend or his wife had punching her to the point 278 00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:37,760 Speaker 1: where she was unconscious and kind of carrying her lifeless 279 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:41,840 Speaker 1: body around. And this was the news story of the week, 280 00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:45,640 Speaker 1: And I worked under this giant, massive TV screen that 281 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:48,520 Speaker 1: was literally playing this footage on a loop over and 282 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 1: over and over and over again. I like, I mean, 283 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 1: I I think about it now, my my, you know, 284 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:55,919 Speaker 1: my fur gets up because I just remember how that felt. 285 00:17:56,440 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 1: It felt like a kind of torture, and there was 286 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:00,800 Speaker 1: no way to turn it off. There was no unless 287 00:18:00,840 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 1: I quit my job. There was, you know, no way 288 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:06,840 Speaker 1: to to stop it. And that was a short term thing, 289 00:18:06,920 --> 00:18:09,119 Speaker 1: you know. A couple of days later, the news story 290 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:11,919 Speaker 1: changed and there was some new awful thing happening, and 291 00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:15,280 Speaker 1: that was less traumatic for me. But imagine how hard 292 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:18,840 Speaker 1: it is to I feel like that always. You know, 293 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:23,440 Speaker 1: then there's feel like there's no escape, but it's just constantly, constantly, constantly, 294 00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:26,640 Speaker 1: And in this era of me too, I think that's 295 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:31,600 Speaker 1: how it can feel sometimes. Yeah, And I it is 296 00:18:31,640 --> 00:18:35,520 Speaker 1: an interesting thing when you work in a field like 297 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:39,120 Speaker 1: like media where you sort of have to deal with it. 298 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:41,520 Speaker 1: And that was a really hard thing for me to learn, 299 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 1: um when I first started here, because you don't want 300 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:45,520 Speaker 1: to at least I didn't want to talk to my 301 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:49,720 Speaker 1: bosses about it. But I was like, how how else 302 00:18:50,359 --> 00:18:52,879 Speaker 1: am I going to be able to if I need 303 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:57,120 Speaker 1: to have a reason to step away, So it can 304 00:18:57,160 --> 00:19:00,639 Speaker 1: be it can be really difficult to navigate in the 305 00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 1: workplace too. Yeah, but again that just goes back to 306 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:08,479 Speaker 1: this need to get away from stigma. Because listen, if 307 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:12,960 Speaker 1: your boss is interested in having Annie show up to 308 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:14,959 Speaker 1: be her best self and do the best job she 309 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:17,679 Speaker 1: can at work for the good of the company and 310 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:19,920 Speaker 1: for the good of Annie as a person, your boss 311 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:22,480 Speaker 1: should be in And I'm I'm using bus like now, 312 00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:25,200 Speaker 1: I'm not talking about like a specific boss here. I 313 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:28,680 Speaker 1: mean this you know the BOS a while ago. Yeah, 314 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 1: I'm sure I didn't know this person, but yeah, I 315 00:19:30,800 --> 00:19:33,040 Speaker 1: guess what I'm saying is that it should be in 316 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:35,760 Speaker 1: their best interests to make sure that you can do that, 317 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:38,280 Speaker 1: that you can show up as your best self every day. 318 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:40,600 Speaker 1: And we need to abandon this idea that when you 319 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:43,640 Speaker 1: walk through your workplace doors, all the other stuff that's 320 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:46,199 Speaker 1: on your mind, your family, what's in the news, the 321 00:19:46,280 --> 00:19:49,080 Speaker 1: social climate. You know, Donald Trump is gonna kill us all. 322 00:19:49,359 --> 00:19:51,120 Speaker 1: You know, someone that you would admired us a child 323 00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:53,560 Speaker 1: or not to be a rapist. You know, you were raped, 324 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:55,960 Speaker 1: your sister was raped, like all of this stuff that 325 00:19:56,080 --> 00:19:59,480 Speaker 1: is that we carry around in our on our backs 326 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:03,240 Speaker 1: every day. It's ridiculous to expect that when you walk 327 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:06,320 Speaker 1: into your office, all of that gets put put away 328 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:08,240 Speaker 1: like at the door, because it doesn't. And we need 329 00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:12,760 Speaker 1: to acknowledge our full selves in the workplace. And sometimes 330 00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:16,040 Speaker 1: that looks like saying, yeah, I just spent the entire 331 00:20:16,119 --> 00:20:20,800 Speaker 1: day being triggered us because men are awful and this 332 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:23,400 Speaker 1: is the reality of being a woman at working woman 333 00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:26,719 Speaker 1: in the world. And sorry, my mental health is important. 334 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:27,920 Speaker 1: And if you want me to show up as my 335 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:30,520 Speaker 1: best self, you know I need to step away, or 336 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:31,600 Speaker 1: I need to go for a walk, I need to 337 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:34,119 Speaker 1: do whatever. I need to not be moderating comments with 338 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:37,480 Speaker 1: people being horrible like whatever it is, whatever that looks 339 00:20:37,480 --> 00:20:40,359 Speaker 1: like for you. I would just love to see a 340 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 1: workplace culture that understood what we all understand. Right Like 341 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:48,040 Speaker 1: what I'm saying right now isn't mind blowing to anyone. 342 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:50,400 Speaker 1: If you've ever been broken up with and then had 343 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:52,600 Speaker 1: to go to work and smile because that was your job. 344 00:20:52,840 --> 00:20:55,280 Speaker 1: We all we all have experience this one way or another. 345 00:20:55,359 --> 00:20:57,399 Speaker 1: So why are we pretending like it's not reality? Like 346 00:20:57,400 --> 00:21:00,280 Speaker 1: why can't we just have workplaces that acknowledge what we 347 00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:04,800 Speaker 1: all plainly see and experience as how reality is playing out? 348 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:07,760 Speaker 1: You do know what do you know what I mean. Oh, absolutely, Yeah, 349 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:11,200 Speaker 1: there's definitely a stigma there. But on the flip side, 350 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:13,720 Speaker 1: at least in my case, I think my boss would 351 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:16,960 Speaker 1: have completely understood. But I could not have that conversation. 352 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:19,719 Speaker 1: I did not have the strength to have that conversation 353 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:24,240 Speaker 1: at the time. UM. So I didn't like my My 354 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:30,359 Speaker 1: avoidance game is for the worst is on points. I 355 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:34,239 Speaker 1: have gotten very good at that. UM But I do 356 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:41,879 Speaker 1: think that we need to be able to have those 357 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:46,640 Speaker 1: conversations where we can in the workplace, because yeah, don't 358 00:21:46,680 --> 00:21:50,159 Speaker 1: you want the best work environment and employees that you 359 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:54,199 Speaker 1: can have. So I'm curious how you have navigated that, Like, 360 00:21:54,240 --> 00:21:56,720 Speaker 1: as someone who is dealing with this and we know 361 00:21:56,840 --> 00:21:58,439 Speaker 1: it's a something that you have to deal with all 362 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:01,840 Speaker 1: the time, Like for people who are listening, how have 363 00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:04,280 Speaker 1: you navigated better? How have you not navigated it? Like 364 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:06,439 Speaker 1: how does it play out for you? Are you doing 365 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 1: things to navigate this or is it just something that's 366 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:13,920 Speaker 1: going to be always a you know, everyday struggle. It's 367 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:20,280 Speaker 1: a it's an everyday struggle. I think no matter what, UM, 368 00:22:20,359 --> 00:22:23,960 Speaker 1: I did figure out triggers and when I got this job, 369 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:30,000 Speaker 1: I it was really hard at first, but I if 370 00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:34,199 Speaker 1: I can anticipate something, then it's much easier, Like I 371 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:39,160 Speaker 1: can prepare myself for it, and I hardly ever get 372 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:44,680 Speaker 1: really triggered or upset by stuff at work anymore. It's 373 00:22:44,720 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 1: the things that surprise me that get me, Like I 374 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:50,040 Speaker 1: remember a year ago, because again, like you deal with 375 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:51,880 Speaker 1: it for a long time, right, and you think, why, 376 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:54,919 Speaker 1: I've I've learned and I know what's gonna set me 377 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:57,240 Speaker 1: off on what's not. I went to go see mo 378 00:22:57,400 --> 00:23:00,879 Speaker 1: Wanna and within thirty minutes, I was like, I've got 379 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:04,600 Speaker 1: to leave, and I was in the bathroom crying over 380 00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:10,520 Speaker 1: what was it about Molanna. I just didn't believe that 381 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:13,600 Speaker 1: there would be this young girl and this big dude 382 00:23:13,640 --> 00:23:17,399 Speaker 1: alone on a boat together, nothing would go wrong. There's 383 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:20,920 Speaker 1: some in my heart was like nope, which is awful. 384 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:24,840 Speaker 1: And I've since seen Mohanna and I love it. But 385 00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:28,600 Speaker 1: I didn't know, like you can't prepare yourself for everything. Yeah, 386 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:31,320 Speaker 1: I mean I had. That's interesting that you say that, 387 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:34,240 Speaker 1: because I remember a very similar experience. Um this was 388 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:35,720 Speaker 1: a couple of years ago. I had gone to the 389 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:39,080 Speaker 1: movies to see, um this movie south Side with me, 390 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:41,240 Speaker 1: and it's if you've seen it it's a really cute, 391 00:23:41,359 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 1: romantic movie about Barack and Michelle Obama's first date when 392 00:23:46,040 --> 00:23:48,000 Speaker 1: they had first met when they were in law school. 393 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:51,280 Speaker 1: And when I saw the movie, the trailer that proceeded 394 00:23:51,320 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 1: it was a trailer for Nate Parker's Birth of a Nation, which, 395 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:57,760 Speaker 1: if you know, there was a whole controversy where his 396 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:03,720 Speaker 1: background of having allegedly raped a classmate in college and 397 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:07,720 Speaker 1: that classmate later committing suicide. That was like that that 398 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:12,640 Speaker 1: conversation dominated the premiere of that movie, and so for me, 399 00:24:13,160 --> 00:24:15,680 Speaker 1: I could not think about Birth of a Nation or 400 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:19,120 Speaker 1: see anything about it without thinking about, you know, rape 401 00:24:19,119 --> 00:24:23,840 Speaker 1: and sexual assault. And so watching this trailer really put 402 00:24:23,880 --> 00:24:27,080 Speaker 1: me in a headspace of you know, being sort of 403 00:24:27,359 --> 00:24:29,760 Speaker 1: like I wouldn't say I was triggered, but it was 404 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:34,080 Speaker 1: top of mine. And so then seeing a movie that's 405 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:36,639 Speaker 1: about two people that I really admire going on a 406 00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:39,480 Speaker 1: sweet date and sort of the kind of one of 407 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:41,119 Speaker 1: the kind of running jokes of the movie, and I 408 00:24:41,119 --> 00:24:44,720 Speaker 1: guess their relationship is that when Barack Obama first met Michelle, 409 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:46,920 Speaker 1: Michelle didn't want to date him and was like very 410 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:50,040 Speaker 1: clear she was like, its just some scrubby legal guy 411 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:52,200 Speaker 1: in my practice, he's younger than me. I don't like him, 412 00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:54,760 Speaker 1: and so in the movie, she keeps saying, you know, 413 00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:56,159 Speaker 1: I don't want to go out on a date with you. 414 00:24:56,240 --> 00:24:58,200 Speaker 1: And the audience is very curly meant to find this 415 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:01,160 Speaker 1: as charming and heartwarming, and it is charming and heartwarming, 416 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:04,000 Speaker 1: Like I don't want to crap on that movie. But 417 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:07,320 Speaker 1: because I had just seen that trailer about birth of 418 00:25:07,359 --> 00:25:09,359 Speaker 1: a nation and I was in my head, all I 419 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:13,560 Speaker 1: was thinking of is sexual assault right, sexual assault RPE. 420 00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:17,520 Speaker 1: Within that framework, I could not experience what I what 421 00:25:17,640 --> 00:25:21,560 Speaker 1: I logically understood on screen to be a charming love story. 422 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:23,119 Speaker 1: And of course they get married and they're the best 423 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:26,160 Speaker 1: on blah blah blah. But in that moment, I just thought, wow, 424 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:29,280 Speaker 1: I can't see this as sweet and romantic. I can 425 00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:33,840 Speaker 1: only see it as threatening. Yeah. Yeah, it's it's things 426 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:37,520 Speaker 1: like that that I find the most the most challenging, 427 00:25:37,520 --> 00:25:41,600 Speaker 1: because you can't prepare yourself for them. Um and I 428 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:44,359 Speaker 1: do have some some things that we'll talk about later, 429 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:47,639 Speaker 1: like if you find yourself in a situation where Mona 430 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:51,680 Speaker 1: has upset you, that you can do, but we'll come 431 00:25:51,680 --> 00:25:54,159 Speaker 1: back to that. And I have to say, you know, 432 00:25:54,600 --> 00:25:57,840 Speaker 1: as I just got my start teaching in the college setting. 433 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:01,280 Speaker 1: What you just said, I feel like makes the conversation 434 00:26:01,720 --> 00:26:05,720 Speaker 1: around trigger warnings in places like college classrooms. No one 435 00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:09,000 Speaker 1: in a classroom setting should have to leave crying if 436 00:26:09,040 --> 00:26:11,320 Speaker 1: they can help it, right, like, if you can avoid 437 00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:15,880 Speaker 1: that happening. And so when that conversation around oh, trigger warnings, 438 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:19,720 Speaker 1: our kids are so caddled, blah blah blah. This is science, Like, 439 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:23,040 Speaker 1: this is not people being coddled little snowflakes. This is 440 00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:29,320 Speaker 1: medical research about how about people's mental and physiological responses 441 00:26:29,520 --> 00:26:33,280 Speaker 1: to trauma. To boil that down into look at these 442 00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:36,320 Speaker 1: little snowflakes, you know, don't want to get upset because 443 00:26:36,359 --> 00:26:41,560 Speaker 1: of whatever. It's so backward and so wrong, you know, 444 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:44,480 Speaker 1: And it makes me sad that we are not providing 445 00:26:45,119 --> 00:26:48,640 Speaker 1: an environment, as you mentioned before, in our workplaces that 446 00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 1: makes room for this, but especially for young people who 447 00:26:51,359 --> 00:26:54,119 Speaker 1: are just developing and in school, you know, being told 448 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:57,119 Speaker 1: that their traumas are not real, that they're that they're 449 00:26:57,720 --> 00:27:02,240 Speaker 1: you know, backed by science, busy logical responses to traumatic stuff. 450 00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:06,560 Speaker 1: Oh there, that's just a joke. You're a snowflake. Yeah, 451 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:13,399 Speaker 1: that that is not helpful at all, not at all 452 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:18,159 Speaker 1: UM and there aren't specific studies yet looking into the 453 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:21,440 Speaker 1: impact of me too on survivors of sexual assault, but 454 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:24,199 Speaker 1: a study from two thousands six found that when a 455 00:27:24,280 --> 00:27:28,600 Speaker 1: survivor of a crime saw or read anything about their case, 456 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:34,080 Speaker 1: they were very likely to experience negative emotions. Six reported 457 00:27:34,119 --> 00:27:39,920 Speaker 1: sadness and reported fear. Other studies suggest that just seeing 458 00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:43,879 Speaker 1: traumatic stories like this UM will increase the likelihood of 459 00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:47,040 Speaker 1: developing PTSD. In particular, there was a pretty big study 460 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:50,840 Speaker 1: after UM nine eleven on New Yorkers that saw witness 461 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:56,159 Speaker 1: nine eleven UM. Another aspect that can be traumatizing is 462 00:27:56,200 --> 00:28:00,000 Speaker 1: for trans people who have survived sexual assault. And despite 463 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:01,920 Speaker 1: you're seeing some of the highest rates of sexual assault 464 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:04,880 Speaker 1: have been kind of left out of the me too 465 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:08,719 Speaker 1: movement UM, and this is seen by some trans folks 466 00:28:08,760 --> 00:28:12,399 Speaker 1: as just another example of their experiences being ignored, and 467 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:15,960 Speaker 1: that in itself can be triggering. And it's the same 468 00:28:16,040 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 1: for nonsense and people of color because it's mostly been 469 00:28:19,920 --> 00:28:23,040 Speaker 1: me two, has mostly been about affluent white women. Well, 470 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:26,199 Speaker 1: that's just like what you said earlier, how important it is, 471 00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:29,000 Speaker 1: Like the first step to dealing with these issues are 472 00:28:29,600 --> 00:28:32,640 Speaker 1: being validated, being heard. If you feel like your experience 473 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:34,439 Speaker 1: is just not going to be validated, not going to 474 00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:38,000 Speaker 1: be heard. If you say it, someone's gonna be like, oh, yeah, yeah, 475 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:41,040 Speaker 1: I hear you trans women, But did you hear about 476 00:28:41,080 --> 00:28:44,720 Speaker 1: this affluent white woman who is not trans? You know? Yeah? 477 00:28:45,160 --> 00:28:48,040 Speaker 1: If that's if that's the methode that you're getting, then 478 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:50,560 Speaker 1: you can't get that. You can't take that first important 479 00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:57,640 Speaker 1: step right And um. Betty Tang wrote about about this 480 00:28:57,800 --> 00:29:01,320 Speaker 1: over at Slate, about this whole me too and c 481 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:05,680 Speaker 1: PTSD and PTSD and um. The article was called how 482 00:29:05,680 --> 00:29:09,440 Speaker 1: to find Shelter in the Storm of Me Too? And UM, 483 00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:13,160 Speaker 1: I want to read this quote. Many of my patients 484 00:29:13,160 --> 00:29:17,000 Speaker 1: were re traumatized by Donald Trump's election. Post election, they 485 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:20,000 Speaker 1: experienced a renewed sense of dismissal that a self professed 486 00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:24,040 Speaker 1: pussy grabbing man with multiple allegations of sexual assault stacked 487 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:27,360 Speaker 1: up against him could still be elevated to the most 488 00:29:27,520 --> 00:29:31,480 Speaker 1: powerful leadership position in the world. The tacit message was 489 00:29:31,960 --> 00:29:34,560 Speaker 1: as a crime, sexual assault did not matter, and as 490 00:29:34,600 --> 00:29:39,200 Speaker 1: an individuals survivors lives did not matter. This point had 491 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:42,920 Speaker 1: been underscored time and time again. Within the space of 492 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:46,400 Speaker 1: a year, Me Too launched a global reckoning about the 493 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:49,520 Speaker 1: importance of speaking up about all forms of sexual violence. 494 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:53,200 Speaker 1: Silence breaking women were named Times Magazines Person the Year 495 00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:58,280 Speaker 1: for the shift has been momentous and emotionally grueling. As 496 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:01,000 Speaker 1: galvanizing as me Too has been, it has also been 497 00:30:01,080 --> 00:30:04,920 Speaker 1: extremely overwhelming. This is the double edged sword of exposing trauma, 498 00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:08,640 Speaker 1: as long held sufferings pour forth relief and horror both 499 00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:11,720 Speaker 1: our eyes from my most vulnerable patients, this has been 500 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:16,720 Speaker 1: destabilizing and confusing. When their social media feeds are flooded 501 00:30:16,760 --> 00:30:20,760 Speaker 1: with detailed trauma histories, Some questioned their decisions not to 502 00:30:20,800 --> 00:30:24,520 Speaker 1: disclose their's, while others wondered whether their assaults were quote 503 00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:28,960 Speaker 1: as bad or worse. Yeah, I I plus a million 504 00:30:29,040 --> 00:30:31,000 Speaker 1: to what she said. I have this theory that that 505 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:34,040 Speaker 1: that's why we see me too, was because we couldn't 506 00:30:34,080 --> 00:30:38,680 Speaker 1: stop self proclaimed pussy a grabber from ascending to the 507 00:30:38,760 --> 00:30:41,000 Speaker 1: highest office in the land. Right. We couldn't stop that, 508 00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:46,280 Speaker 1: But we can stop Harvey Weinstein. We can stop you know, 509 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:51,000 Speaker 1: your your boss, right. I think the anger at not 510 00:30:51,080 --> 00:30:53,560 Speaker 1: being able to staff Trump and watching him a send 511 00:30:53,640 --> 00:30:56,239 Speaker 1: and be so awful to women and everyone and just 512 00:30:56,440 --> 00:30:59,640 Speaker 1: be a nightmare. I think it triggered this anger that 513 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:02,760 Speaker 1: was in out of all of us who are marginalized, 514 00:31:02,760 --> 00:31:05,200 Speaker 1: who are women, who are trans or people of color, 515 00:31:05,320 --> 00:31:07,680 Speaker 1: I'm saying, we couldn't stop it then, but we can 516 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:09,880 Speaker 1: stop it now. And so maybe it's not Donald Trump, 517 00:31:09,920 --> 00:31:14,280 Speaker 1: but you know I can speak up and and you know, 518 00:31:15,280 --> 00:31:18,320 Speaker 1: call out my abuser and and that that is sort 519 00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:23,560 Speaker 1: of a way of feeling empowered even when you know 520 00:31:24,520 --> 00:31:27,640 Speaker 1: you can't, Like we still have a you know, admitted 521 00:31:27,640 --> 00:31:31,880 Speaker 1: pussy grabber in the White House, right and UM. On 522 00:31:31,920 --> 00:31:34,360 Speaker 1: the flip side of that, a lot of folks have 523 00:31:34,440 --> 00:31:37,400 Speaker 1: expressed guilt for not being able to speak out about 524 00:31:37,440 --> 00:31:40,480 Speaker 1: their own experiences, which just adds on to what you're 525 00:31:40,520 --> 00:31:44,479 Speaker 1: already dealing with. And therapists say they are different levels 526 00:31:44,480 --> 00:31:48,479 Speaker 1: of engagement in me Too. For survivors UM maybe signal 527 00:31:48,520 --> 00:31:51,520 Speaker 1: boosting UM sharing a story in your own feed, but 528 00:31:51,560 --> 00:31:56,400 Speaker 1: for some disengagement is key for their mental health. If 529 00:31:56,440 --> 00:31:58,280 Speaker 1: you see a post from a friend about me Too, 530 00:31:58,360 --> 00:32:02,040 Speaker 1: therapists recommend to comment thinking of you or or even 531 00:32:02,040 --> 00:32:04,840 Speaker 1: a love or angry face emoji toes show that you 532 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:07,720 Speaker 1: you heard it UM or you saw it, but to 533 00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:10,840 Speaker 1: not ask for details or to not try to be 534 00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:14,440 Speaker 1: their their therapist. Oh my god, I mean I've seen 535 00:32:14,440 --> 00:32:17,360 Speaker 1: that play out on Facebook where somebody talks about something 536 00:32:17,400 --> 00:32:20,040 Speaker 1: good happened to them and you see somebody who I'm 537 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:23,000 Speaker 1: sure as well meaning just making a real ass of 538 00:32:23,040 --> 00:32:27,480 Speaker 1: themselves in the comments, and you're thinking, show respect, validate it. 539 00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:29,600 Speaker 1: You saw it, you heard it. But people don't want 540 00:32:29,600 --> 00:32:32,880 Speaker 1: to be necessarily giving you the details of their of 541 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:35,320 Speaker 1: their traumatic event, and they don't owe you that right 542 00:32:35,400 --> 00:32:40,880 Speaker 1: like survive. Like I'm when a survivor speaks out, I 543 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:44,600 Speaker 1: applaud them, but survivors don't owe you their story. It 544 00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:47,000 Speaker 1: should not take all of us splitting our risks and 545 00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:49,800 Speaker 1: showing you our blood to get people to do something 546 00:32:49,840 --> 00:32:53,480 Speaker 1: like like you do not owe someone your meat story 547 00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:55,720 Speaker 1: of survival. It's like what you're saying, it's a double 548 00:32:55,800 --> 00:32:59,120 Speaker 1: edged thing because it should not take waves and waves 549 00:32:59,120 --> 00:33:01,680 Speaker 1: and waves of people telling you all the dirty details 550 00:33:01,680 --> 00:33:04,040 Speaker 1: about what the most traumatic thing that ever happened to 551 00:33:04,080 --> 00:33:06,880 Speaker 1: them to get people to act and be like, yeah, 552 00:33:06,880 --> 00:33:10,560 Speaker 1: this is a problem. And if people speak up, more 553 00:33:10,600 --> 00:33:13,360 Speaker 1: power to them. I applaud you, but you don't owe 554 00:33:13,400 --> 00:33:15,200 Speaker 1: any but at your story. And if speaking up doesn't 555 00:33:15,240 --> 00:33:19,160 Speaker 1: feel right to you, we should still as a society 556 00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:22,480 Speaker 1: be able to say this is going on and it's 557 00:33:22,480 --> 00:33:25,120 Speaker 1: not okay, even if you're not, you know, not giving 558 00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:29,120 Speaker 1: someone every detail of something, the most traumatic thing that 559 00:33:29,160 --> 00:33:32,720 Speaker 1: happened to you, you know, absolutely. I mean I remember 560 00:33:32,760 --> 00:33:34,760 Speaker 1: seeing a lot of that, because one of the reasons 561 00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:39,400 Speaker 1: I avoid social media is largely stuff like this. UM. 562 00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:41,840 Speaker 1: But I remember when me too was first happening, a 563 00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:43,840 Speaker 1: lot of tweets along the lines of like, the owners 564 00:33:43,880 --> 00:33:49,560 Speaker 1: shouldn't be on on women who have experienced this to 565 00:33:49,560 --> 00:33:53,720 Speaker 1: to make changes, but that that's what it took, or 566 00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:55,640 Speaker 1: at least that's what it took for this conversation to 567 00:33:55,680 --> 00:34:00,080 Speaker 1: start happening. Um. Another possible impact of me too for 568 00:34:00,280 --> 00:34:03,880 Speaker 1: survivors is that more people are seeking treatment compared to 569 00:34:03,920 --> 00:34:06,640 Speaker 1: the same time period. In sixteen, the Rape Abuse and 570 00:34:06,720 --> 00:34:11,719 Speaker 1: Incest National Network received more calls in Whether that's because 571 00:34:11,719 --> 00:34:14,320 Speaker 1: of re traumatization or an increased belief that their stories 572 00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:18,960 Speaker 1: will be believed, We're not sure, but either way, it 573 00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:23,160 Speaker 1: is happening. And something else that it's important to point 574 00:34:23,160 --> 00:34:25,920 Speaker 1: out is that a lot of these abusers might be 575 00:34:26,200 --> 00:34:29,560 Speaker 1: scared or anxious about being found out as abusers and 576 00:34:29,680 --> 00:34:33,280 Speaker 1: as creeps. And that might lead them to make threats 577 00:34:33,280 --> 00:34:36,759 Speaker 1: to whoever they know that that you know would speak 578 00:34:36,800 --> 00:34:38,440 Speaker 1: up about that, And so that's something that we need 579 00:34:38,480 --> 00:34:40,400 Speaker 1: to stay vigilant for as well. In the in the 580 00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:45,560 Speaker 1: in the wake of me Too, Yes and Um, assistant 581 00:34:45,560 --> 00:34:50,120 Speaker 1: professor of Clinical psychology and psychiatry and clinical staff member 582 00:34:50,120 --> 00:34:52,960 Speaker 1: at Penn Center's Treatment and Study of Anxiety or c 583 00:34:53,160 --> 00:34:56,520 Speaker 1: t s A a new as Nanni said when discussing this, 584 00:34:57,120 --> 00:34:58,759 Speaker 1: I've had women in the middle of the me Too 585 00:34:58,840 --> 00:35:01,839 Speaker 1: movement who say I can't own it like these women can, 586 00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:04,359 Speaker 1: and I say, you don't need to. That's the great 587 00:35:04,360 --> 00:35:06,840 Speaker 1: thing about this movement. You can own as much of 588 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:09,160 Speaker 1: it as you want. You don't need to share your 589 00:35:09,160 --> 00:35:12,120 Speaker 1: trauma to get over your trauma, except with your therapist. 590 00:35:12,560 --> 00:35:14,480 Speaker 1: And while me too can be traumatizing for a lot 591 00:35:14,480 --> 00:35:17,480 Speaker 1: of people, for some it has been healing and maybe 592 00:35:17,480 --> 00:35:20,000 Speaker 1: it's been both at the same time. Yeah, I think 593 00:35:20,000 --> 00:35:23,120 Speaker 1: we just have to allow space for that that it 594 00:35:23,160 --> 00:35:25,440 Speaker 1: can be both. It can be traumatizing, but it can 595 00:35:25,480 --> 00:35:27,520 Speaker 1: also be healing. You know, we can we can just 596 00:35:27,920 --> 00:35:32,719 Speaker 1: help that duality and that's okay, mm hmm. And this 597 00:35:32,840 --> 00:35:36,520 Speaker 1: finally brings us to UM some some treatment options, some 598 00:35:36,520 --> 00:35:38,640 Speaker 1: things you can do if this is something you're dealing with. 599 00:35:38,960 --> 00:35:40,799 Speaker 1: But first we're going to take one more quick break 600 00:35:40,800 --> 00:35:52,200 Speaker 1: for a word from our sponsor, and we're back. Thank 601 00:35:52,239 --> 00:35:55,640 Speaker 1: you sponsor. After hearing all of this, as you might imagine, 602 00:35:55,800 --> 00:36:00,000 Speaker 1: c PTSD can be debilitating and current research is looking 603 00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:03,240 Speaker 1: into more specialized ways to deal with it. But treatment 604 00:36:03,239 --> 00:36:06,600 Speaker 1: options do exist. Uh, there are things you can do 605 00:36:07,160 --> 00:36:09,600 Speaker 1: to help treat c PTSD. The first one and most 606 00:36:09,640 --> 00:36:12,800 Speaker 1: obvious is going to a therapist if that's an option 607 00:36:12,840 --> 00:36:15,359 Speaker 1: for you. I know, personally this has been really hard 608 00:36:15,400 --> 00:36:17,880 Speaker 1: for me, like finding the right person again with the 609 00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:21,919 Speaker 1: whole insurance thing. It can be really discouraging. But if 610 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:25,239 Speaker 1: this is something that is available to you, is a 611 00:36:25,280 --> 00:36:30,160 Speaker 1: possibility for you, don't give up. Yeah, it can be tough, 612 00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:33,440 Speaker 1: but you know, if it's something that you feel like 613 00:36:33,480 --> 00:36:36,600 Speaker 1: you need to do for yourself, just tell yourself, you know, 614 00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:40,359 Speaker 1: this is a process, and that first step is making 615 00:36:40,360 --> 00:36:42,879 Speaker 1: a call. Maybe that first step is going online. I'm 616 00:36:42,880 --> 00:36:44,759 Speaker 1: doing a Google search. Maybe that first step is talking 617 00:36:44,800 --> 00:36:46,840 Speaker 1: to a friend who might be able to get you 618 00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:49,120 Speaker 1: someone to talk to. You know, like, take that first step, 619 00:36:49,400 --> 00:36:52,600 Speaker 1: even though it might be hard, and and like I 620 00:36:52,640 --> 00:36:56,160 Speaker 1: said at the top, since c PTSD is is relatively new, 621 00:36:56,160 --> 00:36:58,880 Speaker 1: there aren't too many people that specialize in it, and 622 00:36:59,040 --> 00:37:02,440 Speaker 1: misdiagnosis is pretty common. It can be hard to get 623 00:37:02,480 --> 00:37:04,799 Speaker 1: it covered by your insurance here in the US, so 624 00:37:05,640 --> 00:37:08,600 Speaker 1: unfortunately is not an option for everyone, but if it 625 00:37:08,680 --> 00:37:12,600 Speaker 1: is for you, we definitely recommend it. If you do 626 00:37:12,719 --> 00:37:16,240 Speaker 1: go to a professional, they might employ cognitive behavioral therapy 627 00:37:16,400 --> 00:37:19,880 Speaker 1: or exposure therapy, or acceptance therapy, or this new one 628 00:37:19,960 --> 00:37:25,680 Speaker 1: called eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, which is really interesting. UM. 629 00:37:25,719 --> 00:37:29,080 Speaker 1: One of the first goals of treatment is called stabilization, 630 00:37:29,640 --> 00:37:32,120 Speaker 1: and this refers to the ability to separate the traumatic 631 00:37:32,160 --> 00:37:35,399 Speaker 1: event from the present by using grounding techniques. And these 632 00:37:35,400 --> 00:37:39,080 Speaker 1: can be pretty literal, like walking around barefoot to keep 633 00:37:39,080 --> 00:37:41,200 Speaker 1: you in the safety of the here and now, just 634 00:37:41,239 --> 00:37:44,920 Speaker 1: something kind of physical that that puts you in the moment. 635 00:37:45,400 --> 00:37:47,080 Speaker 1: Other things that you'll hear a lot when it comes 636 00:37:47,080 --> 00:37:50,680 Speaker 1: to treating both PTSD and c PTSD UM. It might 637 00:37:50,680 --> 00:37:52,600 Speaker 1: sound simple, but it could be a challenge if you're 638 00:37:52,600 --> 00:37:55,400 Speaker 1: a survivor of something traumatic. Things like learning how to 639 00:37:55,440 --> 00:37:58,279 Speaker 1: manage stress, learning how to deal with flashbacks, and knowing 640 00:37:58,320 --> 00:38:01,880 Speaker 1: what triggers them, having a health strategy for emotion management 641 00:38:02,080 --> 00:38:05,840 Speaker 1: and finding healthy long term coping mechanisms, and really figuring 642 00:38:05,840 --> 00:38:07,960 Speaker 1: out a way to improve your sleep so that you 643 00:38:08,480 --> 00:38:12,080 Speaker 1: don't just feel like garbage all the time. Yeah, and 644 00:38:12,360 --> 00:38:15,760 Speaker 1: all of those if you if you look up online, 645 00:38:16,440 --> 00:38:19,920 Speaker 1: they're like walkthroughs. If you're thinking, well, how do I 646 00:38:19,920 --> 00:38:24,239 Speaker 1: improve my sleep? There are um there are documents and 647 00:38:24,280 --> 00:38:27,400 Speaker 1: resources available to you online that will tell you, like 648 00:38:27,440 --> 00:38:32,000 Speaker 1: step by step. Try this. Another important one, and this 649 00:38:32,040 --> 00:38:33,720 Speaker 1: one one was a big one for me, is finding 650 00:38:33,719 --> 00:38:37,080 Speaker 1: a support group, reaching out to friends and family. Those 651 00:38:37,120 --> 00:38:40,880 Speaker 1: are generally good steps for for mental health. Educating yourself 652 00:38:40,960 --> 00:38:42,840 Speaker 1: and the people in your life about the symptoms and 653 00:38:42,960 --> 00:38:46,960 Speaker 1: risk associated with c PTSD and PTSD is another recommendation. 654 00:38:48,880 --> 00:38:50,640 Speaker 1: I would also add, you know, even if you're not 655 00:38:50,719 --> 00:38:55,279 Speaker 1: someone who's struggling with PTSD or c PTSD, you know, 656 00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:59,680 Speaker 1: I remember after Anthony Bourdine died, the kind of national 657 00:38:59,680 --> 00:39:02,080 Speaker 1: converse station was, you know, talk to someone if you 658 00:39:02,120 --> 00:39:04,920 Speaker 1: are having an issue, you know, don't suffer in silence. 659 00:39:05,160 --> 00:39:07,000 Speaker 1: But I also and I think that's important, and so 660 00:39:07,040 --> 00:39:08,640 Speaker 1: I'm glad that you said that, But I also want 661 00:39:08,680 --> 00:39:11,440 Speaker 1: to implore folks, reach out, you know people. As we 662 00:39:11,520 --> 00:39:14,719 Speaker 1: discussed today, it's hard to talk about this. One of 663 00:39:14,719 --> 00:39:17,880 Speaker 1: the hallmarks of someone having PTSD is that they have 664 00:39:18,000 --> 00:39:19,880 Speaker 1: not it's hard to talk about and you don't. You 665 00:39:19,920 --> 00:39:22,799 Speaker 1: put it off, you don't talk about it, and it 666 00:39:22,920 --> 00:39:27,719 Speaker 1: might not be a conversation about the person who is 667 00:39:27,760 --> 00:39:32,080 Speaker 1: suffering speaking up. We should all taken upon ourselves, whether 668 00:39:32,120 --> 00:39:34,719 Speaker 1: we are struggling with issues or not, to talk to 669 00:39:34,760 --> 00:39:36,720 Speaker 1: our our people and be like, hey, are you okay? 670 00:39:36,880 --> 00:39:39,360 Speaker 1: Do you need to talk? You know, and not just 671 00:39:39,400 --> 00:39:40,799 Speaker 1: waiting for them to come to us. I guess that's 672 00:39:40,800 --> 00:39:45,080 Speaker 1: what I'm saying, Yeah, for sure. And at its core, 673 00:39:45,640 --> 00:39:49,040 Speaker 1: what most professionals believe is key to treating c PTSD 674 00:39:49,920 --> 00:39:53,759 Speaker 1: is to restore the survivor's sense of control and to 675 00:39:53,960 --> 00:39:58,000 Speaker 1: empower them, and parts of that can include healing relationships 676 00:39:58,640 --> 00:40:02,640 Speaker 1: or allowing yourself a period of mourning and um finding 677 00:40:02,680 --> 00:40:07,279 Speaker 1: ways to reconnect with your life. So if this is 678 00:40:07,360 --> 00:40:11,359 Speaker 1: something that you're you're struggling with, or that you think 679 00:40:11,400 --> 00:40:14,879 Speaker 1: you might be struggling with, UM, there is hope. There 680 00:40:14,960 --> 00:40:17,920 Speaker 1: is hope. It's not it's not easy by any means, 681 00:40:17,960 --> 00:40:25,120 Speaker 1: but there are things that you can do and there 682 00:40:25,120 --> 00:40:27,840 Speaker 1: are also a lot of resources for you. Um. The 683 00:40:27,960 --> 00:40:30,320 Speaker 1: National Center for PTSD is a good place to start 684 00:40:30,400 --> 00:40:32,440 Speaker 1: here in the US. They have an app, They have 685 00:40:32,440 --> 00:40:36,680 Speaker 1: an app on your phone, and the nonprofit out of 686 00:40:36,680 --> 00:40:39,279 Speaker 1: the Storm There there is a lot of there's a 687 00:40:39,280 --> 00:40:42,600 Speaker 1: lot of good stuff out there for for how to 688 00:40:42,640 --> 00:40:49,839 Speaker 1: deal with it and encourage anyone who thinks they're dealing 689 00:40:49,880 --> 00:40:51,600 Speaker 1: with it or maybe not, maybe someone in their life 690 00:40:51,640 --> 00:40:53,399 Speaker 1: is to go and to go and look it up, 691 00:40:53,920 --> 00:41:03,240 Speaker 1: because just having simple coping techniques are yeah, stress management. Um, 692 00:41:03,280 --> 00:41:08,759 Speaker 1: it's super helpful, super helpful. Yeah. And I mean if 693 00:41:08,760 --> 00:41:11,279 Speaker 1: you need help, get help and and talk to your 694 00:41:11,280 --> 00:41:13,160 Speaker 1: friends and take care of each other and any I 695 00:41:13,200 --> 00:41:15,960 Speaker 1: have to say, I am grateful for you for really 696 00:41:16,040 --> 00:41:19,600 Speaker 1: modeling what that could look like and being so transparent 697 00:41:19,760 --> 00:41:22,200 Speaker 1: on the show about these issues because it really can 698 00:41:22,320 --> 00:41:26,239 Speaker 1: help somebody. Yeah. I struggled with it whether or not 699 00:41:26,280 --> 00:41:30,319 Speaker 1: I was going to talk about it, but UM, I 700 00:41:30,360 --> 00:41:33,759 Speaker 1: know for me hearing someone else talk about it and 701 00:41:33,800 --> 00:41:37,000 Speaker 1: just seeing that they were having this life, that they 702 00:41:37,000 --> 00:41:42,839 Speaker 1: were successful and happy, and that they had like not 703 00:41:43,040 --> 00:41:45,359 Speaker 1: overcome it completely, but they had found ways to deal 704 00:41:45,400 --> 00:41:49,120 Speaker 1: with it and still be happy and fulfilled and that 705 00:41:49,280 --> 00:41:52,040 Speaker 1: was so valuable to me, So if it was valuable 706 00:41:52,080 --> 00:41:55,600 Speaker 1: to anyone else, I I hope. I hope so totally, 707 00:41:55,640 --> 00:41:58,560 Speaker 1: because I mean you, yeah, you are a successful, dynamic, 708 00:41:59,320 --> 00:42:02,839 Speaker 1: happy person and that you know, having these challenges does 709 00:42:02,880 --> 00:42:05,360 Speaker 1: not mean that you're not those things. You can you 710 00:42:05,400 --> 00:42:08,000 Speaker 1: can be all of those things at once. Yeah. I'm 711 00:42:08,040 --> 00:42:11,799 Speaker 1: happy that folks are modeling that because it is important. Yeah. 712 00:42:11,880 --> 00:42:15,040 Speaker 1: And and one thing, one disclaimer I would like to 713 00:42:15,120 --> 00:42:17,560 Speaker 1: include because I did do this as well for a while, 714 00:42:17,560 --> 00:42:21,200 Speaker 1: as I would see people who I thought were quote 715 00:42:21,239 --> 00:42:24,839 Speaker 1: dealing with it better than me, But you don't know 716 00:42:24,880 --> 00:42:27,680 Speaker 1: what what's going on outside of when you're seeing them, right, 717 00:42:27,719 --> 00:42:30,719 Speaker 1: and that's not helpful to you. They it's a struggle, 718 00:42:31,560 --> 00:42:35,440 Speaker 1: and some people are better, are better they they just 719 00:42:35,600 --> 00:42:38,239 Speaker 1: you don't know what they're dealing with outside. You don't 720 00:42:38,280 --> 00:42:41,520 Speaker 1: see all of them. So don't think like you aren't 721 00:42:41,680 --> 00:42:44,600 Speaker 1: enough for you're you're not as strong as this person. 722 00:42:44,760 --> 00:42:47,960 Speaker 1: Because people deal with things in different ways, People present 723 00:42:48,080 --> 00:42:53,080 Speaker 1: things in different ways, So it just is different for 724 00:42:53,160 --> 00:42:58,400 Speaker 1: different people. And I would put money on someone that 725 00:42:58,440 --> 00:43:00,960 Speaker 1: you think is dealing better with it and you is 726 00:43:01,040 --> 00:43:03,520 Speaker 1: just dealing with it differently. Are when you be more 727 00:43:03,520 --> 00:43:06,920 Speaker 1: in private, or maybe not at all. Yeah, that's I mean. 728 00:43:06,920 --> 00:43:10,200 Speaker 1: I just finished watching Sharp Objects. No spoilers, but there's 729 00:43:10,239 --> 00:43:14,160 Speaker 1: a great line where um, someone tells the main character, Oh, 730 00:43:14,200 --> 00:43:16,840 Speaker 1: I'm so happy that you tackled your demons, and she says, 731 00:43:17,160 --> 00:43:23,680 Speaker 1: my demons are not remotely tackled, merely concussed. Love it, 732 00:43:23,920 --> 00:43:28,080 Speaker 1: Love it. So that brings us to the end of 733 00:43:28,120 --> 00:43:36,000 Speaker 1: this episode and two. Listener mail Alex Route, I love 734 00:43:36,080 --> 00:43:41,279 Speaker 1: hearing your feminist voices every week, even with laryngitis. I 735 00:43:41,360 --> 00:43:43,600 Speaker 1: wanted to thank you for doing an episode on name 736 00:43:43,719 --> 00:43:46,880 Speaker 1: changes in marriage. This episode really resonated with me because 737 00:43:46,880 --> 00:43:49,160 Speaker 1: I took my husband's name when I got married and 738 00:43:49,280 --> 00:43:51,920 Speaker 1: changed it back a year later. I actually wrote an 739 00:43:52,000 --> 00:43:54,560 Speaker 1: article about it that was published on XO Jane. During 740 00:43:54,560 --> 00:43:56,920 Speaker 1: my engagement, I debated whether to change my name, and 741 00:43:56,920 --> 00:43:59,960 Speaker 1: it ended up deciding to change it. I immediately question 742 00:44:00,040 --> 00:44:02,440 Speaker 1: into my decision, but I decided to stick with my 743 00:44:02,520 --> 00:44:05,719 Speaker 1: new name for a while in case it grew on me. Spoiler. 744 00:44:05,920 --> 00:44:08,680 Speaker 1: It didn't actually like my husband's last name, and it 745 00:44:08,760 --> 00:44:11,160 Speaker 1: sounded nice with my first name. But I just couldn't 746 00:44:11,200 --> 00:44:13,600 Speaker 1: get over losing such a big part of my identity. 747 00:44:14,080 --> 00:44:16,239 Speaker 1: I love my birth name, and, like you talked about 748 00:44:16,239 --> 00:44:18,960 Speaker 1: on the podcast, my name is intertwined with so many 749 00:44:19,000 --> 00:44:21,920 Speaker 1: aspects of my life. Plus, I'm a huge feminist and 750 00:44:21,960 --> 00:44:25,239 Speaker 1: taking my husband's name doesn't align with my values. I'm 751 00:44:25,239 --> 00:44:28,120 Speaker 1: actually embarrassed that I succumbed to society's pressure to take 752 00:44:28,160 --> 00:44:31,080 Speaker 1: my husband's name in the first place. About a year 753 00:44:31,080 --> 00:44:33,440 Speaker 1: into my marriage, I changed my name back. It was 754 00:44:33,480 --> 00:44:36,000 Speaker 1: a huge hassle, but it was so worth it. After 755 00:44:36,120 --> 00:44:38,120 Speaker 1: using a different last name for a year, reading or 756 00:44:38,160 --> 00:44:40,840 Speaker 1: hearing my full birth name again is the best feeling. 757 00:44:41,280 --> 00:44:43,759 Speaker 1: I did get a lot of interesting reactions, though. My 758 00:44:43,840 --> 00:44:45,600 Speaker 1: husband was very supportive, and so were a lot of 759 00:44:45,600 --> 00:44:48,880 Speaker 1: my family and friends. But a lot of people, strangers, friends, 760 00:44:48,880 --> 00:44:52,799 Speaker 1: and acquaintances are like, We're confused, shocked, or even outraged. 761 00:44:53,320 --> 00:44:55,879 Speaker 1: Some of my husband's friends even called him to ask 762 00:44:55,920 --> 00:44:58,239 Speaker 1: if he was mad, or to say that they disagreed 763 00:44:58,280 --> 00:45:00,440 Speaker 1: with what he had done, which was dis pointing on 764 00:45:00,560 --> 00:45:02,960 Speaker 1: so many levels. I had to go to court to 765 00:45:03,040 --> 00:45:05,200 Speaker 1: change my name back, and even the judge assumed I 766 00:45:05,239 --> 00:45:08,160 Speaker 1: was getting divorced. I don't regret it at all, though, 767 00:45:08,719 --> 00:45:11,879 Speaker 1: I'm telling you, we got so much email about this 768 00:45:12,440 --> 00:45:17,839 Speaker 1: and just every email was unique, and um, I'm loving it. 769 00:45:18,760 --> 00:45:21,920 Speaker 1: That is interesting to me that people called her husband like, 770 00:45:23,560 --> 00:45:26,200 Speaker 1: I don't agree with that your wife was doing. Just 771 00:45:26,239 --> 00:45:28,600 Speaker 1: so you know, I don't agree with what's happening in 772 00:45:28,600 --> 00:45:31,319 Speaker 1: your marriage, Just so you're aware. Can you imagine, like 773 00:45:31,360 --> 00:45:38,960 Speaker 1: what a busybody, what a things say? Oh? How he 774 00:45:39,040 --> 00:45:42,520 Speaker 1: wrote The episode on name changes after marriage really hit 775 00:45:42,560 --> 00:45:44,480 Speaker 1: home for me because it was a major point of 776 00:45:44,480 --> 00:45:47,320 Speaker 1: contention for me and my now wife throughout our engagement, 777 00:45:47,480 --> 00:45:50,000 Speaker 1: which lasted two full years because we were waiting for 778 00:45:50,080 --> 00:45:52,239 Speaker 1: it to be legal to get married in Texas. From 779 00:45:52,239 --> 00:45:54,960 Speaker 1: a pretty early age, middle school, maybe before I even 780 00:45:54,960 --> 00:45:57,120 Speaker 1: had an inkling, I was queer. I was pretty sat 781 00:45:57,239 --> 00:45:59,239 Speaker 1: up not changing my name for a spouse. It was 782 00:45:59,280 --> 00:46:02,120 Speaker 1: all hypothetic, But I was a pretty contrary kid even 783 00:46:02,160 --> 00:46:04,560 Speaker 1: before I knew to call myself a feminist. Once we 784 00:46:04,600 --> 00:46:07,000 Speaker 1: were engaged, I had an even stronger desire that neither 785 00:46:07,080 --> 00:46:09,160 Speaker 1: of us should change our name because we felt that 786 00:46:09,239 --> 00:46:11,799 Speaker 1: it was super head or normative. And I've already felt 787 00:46:11,840 --> 00:46:15,440 Speaker 1: pretty overwhelmed the sheer head oronormity about entire wedding industry. 788 00:46:15,920 --> 00:46:18,040 Speaker 1: It turns out my wife was equally set on sharing 789 00:46:18,040 --> 00:46:20,279 Speaker 1: a family name. It was important to her that we 790 00:46:20,400 --> 00:46:23,240 Speaker 1: established an identity as a family. Well. I was focusing 791 00:46:23,239 --> 00:46:25,799 Speaker 1: on the fact that marriage wouldn't erase us as individuals, 792 00:46:25,880 --> 00:46:28,120 Speaker 1: because the whole thing about codependent lesbians that I was 793 00:46:28,160 --> 00:46:31,080 Speaker 1: pushing back onto. I think she didn't want to hyphenate 794 00:46:31,120 --> 00:46:33,920 Speaker 1: and saddle future kids with a hyphen A reasonable position 795 00:46:33,920 --> 00:46:35,960 Speaker 1: if you think about what those kids would face if 796 00:46:35,960 --> 00:46:38,120 Speaker 1: they grow up and get married and face the same debate. 797 00:46:38,280 --> 00:46:41,520 Speaker 1: Do we just have infinitely compounding hyphens? Coming back to 798 00:46:41,520 --> 00:46:45,160 Speaker 1: that thought later. Anyway, the reasonable solution was obviously that 799 00:46:45,200 --> 00:46:47,400 Speaker 1: she would take my last name. She was happy to 800 00:46:47,440 --> 00:46:49,640 Speaker 1: do so, and I was really the one uncomfortable with it, 801 00:46:49,840 --> 00:46:51,879 Speaker 1: which I think is probably a different dynamic than straight 802 00:46:51,920 --> 00:46:54,880 Speaker 1: couple's face. I also have some professional credit built up 803 00:46:54,920 --> 00:46:57,080 Speaker 1: with my family name, which is more unusual than my 804 00:46:57,120 --> 00:46:59,880 Speaker 1: wife's maiden name, and yet totally ikey that we call it. That. 805 00:47:00,600 --> 00:47:02,920 Speaker 1: My parents and grandparents have lived and done business and 806 00:47:02,960 --> 00:47:05,120 Speaker 1: our smallest town for a long time, so there are 807 00:47:05,160 --> 00:47:08,239 Speaker 1: practical reasons too. I just really really didn't want to 808 00:47:08,239 --> 00:47:10,160 Speaker 1: do it, and we put off the decision until literally 809 00:47:10,160 --> 00:47:13,040 Speaker 1: the week before our wedding. We ultimately decided that she 810 00:47:13,080 --> 00:47:15,279 Speaker 1: would take my last name and they both take her 811 00:47:15,280 --> 00:47:18,960 Speaker 1: maiden name as our middle name. Problem solved, except we 812 00:47:19,080 --> 00:47:21,359 Speaker 1: found out in the aftermath of the wedding that either 813 00:47:21,480 --> 00:47:23,880 Speaker 1: partner can change their last name on the basis of 814 00:47:23,880 --> 00:47:26,239 Speaker 1: a marriag certificate, and you can drop your middle name 815 00:47:26,239 --> 00:47:28,360 Speaker 1: in favor of your maiden name with no extra paperwork. 816 00:47:28,760 --> 00:47:31,239 Speaker 1: But for me to change my middle name only over 817 00:47:31,239 --> 00:47:34,040 Speaker 1: require a court order and a public notice in a newspaper, 818 00:47:34,360 --> 00:47:36,640 Speaker 1: both of which cost money, so I still haven't legally 819 00:47:36,680 --> 00:47:39,560 Speaker 1: changed my middle name. Also, even for my wife to 820 00:47:39,640 --> 00:47:42,960 Speaker 1: change her middle name in the quote usual way was 821 00:47:43,120 --> 00:47:46,799 Speaker 1: tons of paperwork to a bunch of different places. It's 822 00:47:46,800 --> 00:47:48,640 Speaker 1: not like there's some central office you write to and 823 00:47:48,680 --> 00:47:50,719 Speaker 1: they just tell everyone. The d m V does and 824 00:47:50,760 --> 00:47:53,040 Speaker 1: talk to the Social Security Administration and doesn't talk to 825 00:47:53,080 --> 00:47:56,360 Speaker 1: the Post Office, doesn't talk to the State Department, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. 826 00:47:56,800 --> 00:47:59,880 Speaker 1: It's a draconian nightmare. I was also pondering what it 827 00:48:00,040 --> 00:48:02,240 Speaker 1: means that you can have so much family identity wrapped 828 00:48:02,280 --> 00:48:04,480 Speaker 1: up and keeping your name when my virtue of doing so, 829 00:48:04,640 --> 00:48:07,439 Speaker 1: you're potentially keeping your own kids from having that same 830 00:48:07,480 --> 00:48:09,680 Speaker 1: sense of family identity if they don't share a last 831 00:48:09,760 --> 00:48:11,880 Speaker 1: name with one or both of their parents, how do 832 00:48:11,920 --> 00:48:15,520 Speaker 1: we reconcile that our reason for preserving the thing is 833 00:48:15,560 --> 00:48:19,560 Speaker 1: also literally destroying at the same time. Sure there's hypher nation, 834 00:48:20,200 --> 00:48:22,040 Speaker 1: but that's just pushing the buck down the road one 835 00:48:22,080 --> 00:48:25,040 Speaker 1: generation one. If two hyph native kids marry each other, 836 00:48:25,560 --> 00:48:28,600 Speaker 1: standardized forms don't have that many boxes. I have no 837 00:48:28,680 --> 00:48:31,040 Speaker 1: idea what the answer is. Obviously, in the past we've 838 00:48:31,080 --> 00:48:33,799 Speaker 1: just solved it by only caring about patriolenage. So it's 839 00:48:33,800 --> 00:48:36,440 Speaker 1: not like this is a new issue or by itself 840 00:48:36,480 --> 00:48:38,480 Speaker 1: a reason to change your name. But it's something I 841 00:48:38,560 --> 00:48:41,040 Speaker 1: was thinking about during the episode. Maybe we just need 842 00:48:41,080 --> 00:48:43,680 Speaker 1: to go super old school with naming conventions and tack 843 00:48:43,760 --> 00:48:47,560 Speaker 1: on a new son daughter child of surname with every generation. 844 00:48:48,480 --> 00:48:50,480 Speaker 1: Um Hallie, thank you for this letter. First of all, 845 00:48:50,520 --> 00:48:52,560 Speaker 1: it's it's I'm happy that folks who are not in 846 00:48:52,640 --> 00:48:55,799 Speaker 1: heterosexual pairings are writing in to tell us what the 847 00:48:55,840 --> 00:48:58,640 Speaker 1: experience is like for them, because I swear as you said, 848 00:48:58,640 --> 00:49:02,879 Speaker 1: and it's like a frient interesting story situation every time. 849 00:49:03,239 --> 00:49:06,560 Speaker 1: But also I don't think I really knew how because 850 00:49:06,600 --> 00:49:08,439 Speaker 1: I'm not married. I don't think I really knew how 851 00:49:08,480 --> 00:49:12,720 Speaker 1: complicated it can be logistically to change your name. Oh yeah, 852 00:49:12,840 --> 00:49:17,759 Speaker 1: I've been shocked at how expensive and how just time consuming. 853 00:49:18,120 --> 00:49:20,160 Speaker 1: And somebody wrote in and said, yeah, you had to 854 00:49:20,200 --> 00:49:23,399 Speaker 1: announce him the paper if you changed like I think 855 00:49:23,440 --> 00:49:25,440 Speaker 1: it was if the husband took the less. If the 856 00:49:25,520 --> 00:49:27,560 Speaker 1: husband changed his name, you had to announce it in 857 00:49:27,600 --> 00:49:30,680 Speaker 1: the paper or something. That's so old fats, that's like 858 00:49:30,719 --> 00:49:34,080 Speaker 1: the most I mean, people don't really get the paper anymore, right, 859 00:49:34,080 --> 00:49:38,160 Speaker 1: Like that's such how old. Well, yeah, that's I mean, 860 00:49:38,200 --> 00:49:40,640 Speaker 1: that's another thing true. I mean it's like it's what 861 00:49:40,920 --> 00:49:42,560 Speaker 1: it's like old school with an old school you know, 862 00:49:42,760 --> 00:49:46,160 Speaker 1: you know what I'm saying. Yes, Well, yeah, thanks to 863 00:49:46,320 --> 00:49:48,600 Speaker 1: both of them for writing in. We'll we'll be hearing 864 00:49:48,640 --> 00:49:51,560 Speaker 1: a lot more from listeners because we've gotten so much 865 00:49:51,600 --> 00:49:54,439 Speaker 1: mail about it. Um in future episodes as a listener mail. 866 00:49:54,880 --> 00:49:57,560 Speaker 1: We just got to do a full episode. We really should. 867 00:49:57,719 --> 00:49:59,719 Speaker 1: I thank us reading them the whole time with the 868 00:49:59,800 --> 00:50:02,080 Speaker 1: ball ring, but we need to figure something out, yeah, 869 00:50:02,120 --> 00:50:07,040 Speaker 1: because it's been just so rewarding and stunning. Honestly, how 870 00:50:07,080 --> 00:50:11,160 Speaker 1: many letters and other communications we've gotten about this. But 871 00:50:11,440 --> 00:50:13,400 Speaker 1: in the meantime, if you would like to write to 872 00:50:13,440 --> 00:50:15,880 Speaker 1: as yourself. You can our email as mom stuff it 873 00:50:15,920 --> 00:50:18,759 Speaker 1: has to Works dot com. You can also find us 874 00:50:18,760 --> 00:50:21,600 Speaker 1: on social media on Twitter at mom Stuff Podcast and 875 00:50:21,640 --> 00:50:24,440 Speaker 1: on Instagram Stuff Mom Never Told You And thanks as 876 00:50:24,480 --> 00:50:30,080 Speaker 1: always to our producer Dylan Fagan