Diddy Trial: Cathy gives an overview of sexual and physical abuse from the stand
Sean Combs’ ex-girlfriend, Kathy, was in the position on the third day of the trial, explaining Combs’ physical, sexual and psychological abuse.
As Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial continues, we hope to hear more conditions related to the abusive relationship.
Combs was arrested in a Manhattan hotel in September 2024 and was later charged with assault, sex trafficking and transporting to engage in prostitution. He pleads not guilty to all five counts. The criminal trial is intended to condemn one of the most well-known figures in the music industry, with a series of civil cases from dozens of accusers aimed at combs and for a wide range of sexually and physically abusive behavior. The allegations have been involved in rape, sexual assault and physical violence for decades.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one term you might hear during your testimony. Mental health professionals say to USA Today that it is a mental health condition that stems from staying in abusive and traumatic situations for a long time, and sometimes it can be attributed to staying in an abusive and traumatic situation.
“It is extremely difficult for survivors of any form of abuse to disclose their experiences to others,” says Payal Patel, LMFT, a licensed marriage and family therapist. “It takes a lot of courage, courage and empowerment to get to that point, and it is not our job to decipher what led to or was it because of abuse, why they had been waiting so long to report it…it is a long journey to healing for survivors.
What I would like mental health professionals to understand about PTSD when the didi trial is ongoing.
What is PTSD?
What we know about the incident against Shaun “Diddy” Comb
The trial against Sean “Diddy” Combs is kicked off. How strong is the case against him? This is what we know now.
PTSD is a mental health disorder caused by “experience or witnessing a traumatic event, such as a natural disaster, acts of violence, or serious accidents,” according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH).
While it is generally discussed in the case of war veterans, other triggers can be seen as abusive relationships, fear of health, and someone else dies or gets injured, adds Patel.
A health professional may diagnose someone with PTSD if they have symptoms that include feeling anxiety, sadness, scared, angry, struggling to concentrate or fall asleep, or continuing to think about a traumatic event, but it lasts long after the event occurs and interferes with your ability to live your daily life.
What is PTSD treatment?
The good news is that most people experiencing PTSD recover from their current symptoms over time with each NIMH.
A recommendation from experts in PTSD treatment is talk therapy. PTSD National Center for the National Center for Veterans Affairs (NCPTSD), a subsidiary of the U.S. Veteran Affairs Bureau, should be aware that types of treatments, such as cognitive processing therapy, eye movement desensitization, reprocessing, and long-term exposure, may be useful.
“Of course, therapy is most useful for people who are survivors of all forms of abuse,” says Patel. “You want to make sure you’re working with therapists who are informed of trauma and are well trained to work with survivors. It can be a long journey where you can learn to build boundaries, learn to trust yourself and others, and find the right therapist.
Drugs commonly prescribed to support PTSD include paroxetine, sertraline and venlafaxine, according to NCPTSD. Several studies suggest that emotional support dogs can also have a positive effect.
NIMH points out that it supports research to learn more about how to identify “which trauma survivors may recover naturally and which may benefit from treatment,” and is studying ways to improve treatment for the specific needs of survivors.
