Fighting, bickering, maligning, here again

[Anne Bonney]

Years back a woman I knew had a tendency to shut down and withdraw when anyone got angry with her  She found that bad things kept coming her way.  It was like an invisible "Kick-Me" sign was taped to her back.  After she was nearly assualted in a laundromat, she took a self defense class.  The program was called "Model Mugging"  They literally practiced defending from attacks - verbal and physical.  It's intensive, and might be hard for some to deal with the "practice" when they role-play a mugger or rapist screaming and swearing in your face.  They do in fact use a form of "Operant Conditioning" but in a more appropriate way.  She explained it once to me, and it made perfect sense, but I lack the memory cells to repeat it.  When she tried to explain that what she learned is now "automatic - not in my head - in my spine", I understood.  The instructor was a former military man and retired cop who felt the need to help abused women take back thier power.  

She learned how to feign submission to gain tactical surprise, retreat when appropriate, verbally posture to make would-be attackers pause, and when/how to fight.  They practice holding thier ground, countering verbal attacks, and other self protecting behaviors to assess and defuse a potential threat.  If they decide that they need to fight, they fight full throttle.

If you are a wise-ass drunk with a big mouth and grabby hands on the subway, God help you.  

I was able to watch her graduation video.  Screaming "Dial 911!", She laid a shot on a well padded Karate instructor that lifted him 18 inches off the ground - both fists under the chin and one knee to the balls - this guy was in serious pain through 3 inches of padding.  180 pounds of attacker knocked flat by 110 pounds of femine aggression, precisely and devastatingly applied.  In perfect street fighter fashion, she circled around to the head of her downed attacker, just out of reach, but ready to kick, knee or elbow his skull to bits if he opted to get up.  Her girlfriends on the side lines cheered her on, yelling things like "Eyes! EYES!  Jamb your thumbs into his EYES!"  From time to time, I imagine new girls on front row doing this to some ass on the rap stool.

I can tell you this - the change in demeanor, body lanquage and self esteem this petite woman experienced was simply amazing.  She learned to walk "heads up" and widen her "circle of awareness" when on city streets etc.  Not only that, but her relationships at home and work improved.  She changed companies, has moved up several positions with the new company and is doing well.  She's still got the odd, "freak magnet" vibe, but in general the freaks she attracts are less threatening.  Amazingly, she says she feels calmer.  Something about knowing what she can do if she needs to, keeps her in better balance.  So, I married her.

What a great story.  Good for her.   I've been thinking this past year about taking one of those classes for those same reasons.  Maybe I'll look into it a little more.

[Lost_In_Translation]

The web site for model mugging is listed below.

http://www.modelmugging.org/

[Lost_In_Translation]

I recently came across an article on-line by a Harvard Psychology professor, detailing a new classification of PTSD.  Her paper details "complex PTSD" and references a spectrum of issues suffered by people that do not fit the classical definition of PTSD.  Cops, Soldiers, victims of extreme violence are considered candidates for PTSD, but no definition previously identified the suffering experienced by individuals as a result of cults, involuntary incarceration, ritual abuse etc.

[Inculcated]

I really appreciate that the supportive and informative nature of this particular thread.
I appreciate what's been offered to learn from, therein.
Again, I find something on Fornits that is of timely use to me.
I am titrating off of my meds., and find that without them there is some seriously exhausting, overwhelming, rage roiling beneath my serene surface.
Thank you to the OP and to each of the considerate participant’s contributions.

[Ursus]

I recently came across an article on-line by a Harvard Psychology professor, detailing a new classification of PTSD.  Her paper details "complex PTSD" and references a spectrum of issues suffered by people that do not fit the classical definition of PTSD.  Cops, Soldiers, victims of extreme violence are considered candidates for PTSD, but no definition previously identified the suffering experienced by individuals as a result of cults, involuntary incarceration, ritual abuse etc.

Here's a thread on this very issue, started several months ago:

Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=26624[/list]

[Bandit73]

I recently came across an article on-line by a Harvard Psychology professor, detailing a new classification of PTSD.  Her paper details "complex PTSD" and references a spectrum of issues suffered by people that do not fit the classical definition of PTSD.  Cops, Soldiers, victims of extreme violence are considered candidates for PTSD, but no definition previously identified the suffering experienced by individuals as a result of cults, involuntary incarceration, ritual abuse etc.

I'm not sure if CPTSD is that new. I've known for over 5 years that I've had it, because of what I suffered at school.