Published on 12, July, 2020
I am keen to open a discussion about how significant trauma and autism overlap. I'm picturing a Venn diagram.
I suffer from complex PTSD and have often wondered, in a chicken-or-egg situation: Have I encountered more trauma in my life because I am autistic? Have my autistic traits made me more of a target for bad *** to happen to?
I am a member of online groups for people with CPTSD and also for women with autism and very often if you obscured the title of the page they're posted from, you wouldn't be able to guess which post is for which topic, they seem to be, often, almost interchangeable.
Anyway, probably best we don't go into graphic detail but here to share stories with anyone else struggling with this or a similar condition. It's tough out there. More power to you.
Hi Autumn Trees
Interesting topic.
I suppose the autism is there first, and due to the many perils of life as an ND person in an NT world, trauma is likely to follow.
Thinking back over all the trauma in my life, would it have happened if I hadn't been autistic? For the most part, I doubt it.
That's really interesting.
I am on the fence as to whether my traumas would have happened or not...I guess maybe if I was NT I could have made better decisions about where to go or who to trust.
I have been told I am too trusting before and that I always try and see the good in people. Some people just aren't good though.
Yes, better decision making is definitely a factor for me, and trust. Taking everything literally has been an issue. A big part of trauma can be the lack of understanding, care, or unkindness from other people.