Hi,
My name is Maria. I'm new to the website so I want to introduce myself. I'll probably be here a lot now that I've found this wonderful community

I know this is long, but i can really use the help. even if it's just your advice and nothing official.

I have a question that maybe some of you can help me with. I have always had severe anxiety, and my parents' divorce when I was 11 made it even worse. In 2012, my mother was diagnosed with cancer for the second time in 13 years, and I had to take care of her. I was 16 and had a lot of school responsibilities but I also had to take her to the doctor, get her prescriptions, give her pain meds, change dressings, etc. through 3 surgeries that year. At the time, I accepted this with no problem and just focused on one day at a time. Now, 2 years later, I can't stop thinking about it. I think about her getting sick again, but worse than last time. I think about what could have happened or what could still happen. I have lots of dreams about it (more like nightmares). I've had three this week since Monday, and I always wake up feeling exhausted. I am always on edge and I can never focus. Falling asleep is also challenging, as my thoughts race on and on for hours.

I've always had anxiety so I just kind of accepted it and assumed it was just part of my anxiety. But now I'm starting to think it is PTSD because I had repressed a lot of the feelings I had during that time and I can't control it any more.

I realize that what I went through was not nearly as traumatizing as serving in the military, or being attacked, but it was a highly emotional and stressful time that wore on me psychologically for almost a year, and I think my brain is finally starting to process it for the first time.

Could I have a minor form of PTSD from watching a loved one go through cancer treatment?