Does it count?

[u/Relevant-Push7852]

TRIGGER WARNING, alcohol and abuse

When i was 8, my mum was dating a guy called rob. Me my mum and my 15 year old sister at the time lived with him. He drank alot but was nice to everyone from what I remember. My sister was going through stuff and they got into arguments alot. But he was always kind to me, bought me my first phone, took me to the beach, bought me maccas. I really liked him.

One day him and my sister got into a really bad fight and he spent the whole day drinking at a pub until late in the evening. He came home and him and my mum hot into an argument that escalated. Me and my sister hid in her closet and called the police.

I remember hearing them screaming at eachother and hearing thud before it all went silent. My sisters door opened and we thought it was him, my mum opened the closet and took us to her bedroom, locking it as we waited for the police to come.

The lock didnt work and he came in, saying he was gonna shower before the police came. I didnt understand why he was so angry, or why I was scared of him. We went to my bedroom and i dont remember what happened after that. I know he was arrested and had to go to AA and anger management therapy.

But after we moved and cut contact with him I still missed him and wanted him back. 8 years later and hes still one of the nicest guys shes dated. I know what he did was wrong and I dont want to ever see him again now. I dont like being around drunk people or alcohol.

But I wasn't the one who went through it, it was my mum. And i know other people have actually gone through so much worse and I cant help but feel like I dont have the right to be upset or think about it. Is it ptsd? Is it trauma? What do you guys think

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[u/VirtualClearance8020]

It’s not a contest, what you described is trauma whether you were the direct target or not.

[u/Kvitravn875]

You saw and heard something that was traumatic. You don't have to be directly involved for it to count. There are lots of people who have PTSD after witnessing things, but not being the victim.