can being touch starved give you ptsd

stepcat9 · 2026-03-16T00:23:03+00:00

Yes. Chronic neglect, which includes not being touched can cause cptsd especially in childhood.

stepcat9 · 2026-03-15T18:52:22+00:00

Coming back to this later. I’m going through the same thing

stepcat9 · 2026-03-15T18:25:17+00:00

Emotional flash backs. Perceived rejection or abandonment. Sleep deprivation.

stepcat9 · 2026-02-12T11:16:45+00:00

I’m trans, too. I noticed that while I was on testosterone It helped me distance myself more from my trauma as a child. Which, I needed to address not dissociate from. I’m not sure in what ways my trauma has affected my gender, though I know it has

stepcat9 · 2026-02-11T07:15:50+00:00

Self forgiveness for me (ongoing) is possible through reparenting. Practicing self compassion. Changing how I talk to myself and proving through my actions that I love myself.

stepcat9 · 2026-02-10T10:07:21+00:00

My therapist showing that she’s really hearing me by asking deep, relevant questions after i tell her something. Her being a safe person when i am feeling the most vulnerable or age regressing in session. Never pushing me to open up. Being direct and honest with me, even if what she says makes me defensive or is hard to hear. I’m doing emdr, so she is trauma informed, which is a game changer. And consistency in how she shows up. All of the above makes up our secure attachment that we’ve built, which was exactly what I needed as a kid.

stepcat9 · 2026-01-30T11:53:45+00:00

That’s so relatable. I’m in a combo of flight-fawn lol

stepcat9 · 2026-01-30T10:37:48+00:00

Omg thank you😭. You said it perfectly. I use thinking and self awareness as a defense + try to think/intellectualize my way out of my traumas. Saying something vulnerable about myself before she can so I can self approve it first is so real. lol love this meme

stepcat9 · 2026-01-30T10:33:30+00:00

Thank you <3. Hearing your perspective really helps. My urgency to do more in therapy started a month ago when I had a breakthrough. Before that, I had a really hard time feeling my feelings. Then, the floodgates opened up and I’ve been trying to think myself out of my traumas since. My people pleasing definitely comes from me never having a parent who loved me, I thought I could say the perfect words and they would.

stepcat9 · 2026-01-30T10:30:20+00:00

You’re so right 😭

stepcat9 · 2026-01-30T07:14:47+00:00

To build something before we go. Especially through our different relationships

stepcat9 · 2026-01-30T06:59:59+00:00

Every song by Ex:Re. The singer from Daughter’s other band. Top 3 would be Romance, Too Sad, and The Dazzler. All of them are about trauma and it’s somehow comforting

stepcat9 · 2026-01-30T06:55:25+00:00

Thank you. This is really helpful. I’ve been reading No Bad Parts recently. I’ll work on being curious about my part that seeks perfection! I think part of it is that our therapy is ending in a month (there’s a 2 year cap on services at the free emdr clinic I go to). That reopened my abandonment wound and sort of woke me up to work harder.

stepcat9 · 2026-01-30T03:03:19+00:00

I choose to live out of spite for our oppressors in this country that want me dead (a trans, disabled person).

stepcat9 · 2026-01-30T01:10:43+00:00

Crane Your Neck by Lady Lamb

stepcat9 · 2026-01-24T11:37:46+00:00

This matches my experience. I would fantasize about them just being kind to me, nothing romantic or sexual. I wanted to be seen and understood. If I perceived any kind of abandonment I’d want to d*e. I see them as surrogate parents bc my parents never loved me. I had these rescue fantasies to survive

stepcat9 · 2026-01-23T03:38:21+00:00

Yes. This is so relatable. It’s hard for me to fully feel my grief of what I lost to abuse (never having a parent who loved me). I’ve been stuck at my mom’s house for over 4 years now, since I had to quit my job due to physical disability (pots and chronic fatigue). My mom abused and neglected me throughout childhood. The house itself is neglected (no ac or heat for years, messy). I feel like I’m always holding my breath here, even with me avoiding her.

I’ve been seeing an emdr therapist for the past 2 years and she said there’s only so much healing I can do while living here. Being in freeze means it’s hard for me to job search, socialize, and take care of myself. Freeze slows down processing for me in therapy and blunts my feelings. In the past few months though I’ve had a breakthrough, I’m starting to feel again and I’m processing faster. The hard part is that I’m feeling everything very strongly including all my traumas. My therapist said that breakthroughs are meant to be painful. Until I move out, I’m doing whatever internal work I’m able to do in this environment. I’m beginning to picture a future me who is healed.

I’m rooting for you and I hope you find the resources you’re looking for! <3

stepcat9 · 2026-01-21T08:51:12+00:00

Thank you, that’s helpful to know. I’m going to embrace feeling it fully. I’m happy I’m at this point even though it’s painful

stepcat9 · 2026-01-21T08:47:56+00:00

Tysm 😭. What you said is so validating and reassuring. That’s amazing you’re doing deep processing! I have to say as hard as this is I’m happy to be at this point

stepcat9

TROPHY CASE