[Open Eyes]

The Many Faces Of PTSD

Many people still consider PTSD as only being something Vets suffer from. Unfortunately, often one's own family can respond to PTSD in dismissive ways which ofcourse only aggrivates the challenge of not only understanding it but slowly learning how to manage it. This article has different links that are well written and as I have read them myself, it was nice to have the validation to how challenging it can be, but to also see the attempt that is being made for "awareness".

I found this link helpful, had found myself feeling "if only they would understand and stop telling me to "just get over it" or all the other hurtful comments that definitely aggrivate something that is already such a challenge."

http://www.theestablishment.co/2016/...ne-who-has-it/

For myself, it was hard enough to witness something that profoundly affected me, but what made it worse was all the ways I was told "that is not valuable enough, you don't deserve to feel as bad as you do" even by professionals. I have noticed how I am not the only one that has suffered only to be dismissed and encouraged to feel even more guilt when I had too much of that already. It was bad enough to experience all that loss, but what was worse was all the additional suffering I endured "after" including the nine years of having to remember and all the ways I had to face being "dismissed" right to the very end. That last day was just horrible, I had to drive in a really bad snow storm, so bad that people were being told not to go out as conditions were way too dangerous.

Then after all that comes this voice saying to me, "I am sorry, I know you want to tell your story, and to even include how you now suffer from PTSD because it was so bad, but, you can't get that, instead all that you will face is how anything you do say about that will most definitely be used to just beat you up even more". Somehow, while I did understand that, I did want to tell my story. What stopped me was not the PTSD, but that it could cost me so much money, that I simply could not afford.

Someone said to me, "You may not remember exactly what someone says to you, but you never forget how it makes you feel". YES, this is profoundly "true". However, the problem with PTSD is that when something is said in a certain way, suddenly, it can trigger what "hurt" so profoundly, so much so that it can become very disabling. And unfortunately, some of the worst offenders can be the very individuals who claim to have the authority in the mental health field. As a result, an individual can suddenly face a bunch of labels instead of the one label that not only do they need to be diagnosed with, but helped to understand and "treated" for asap so that the symptoms don't pull that individual into suffering even more and self blaming for.

AWARENESS, is most definitely crucial.

I have noticed htat "PTSD" has become the 'it' term - even in my support group it is bandied about and I feel it is insulting - that it lessens it somehow. I have strong reaction when I hear people say they have PTSD because they were traumatised by trivial experiences. No kidding, I heard one woman say she had PTSD because she was affected by her husband taking away her credit card. PTSD is about a lot of things; perhaps some may in fact seem trivial to me. But, what is common is the abject paralyzing fear, emotional or physical pain, and an intense feeling of shame that accompanies it.

Definition from the Mayo Clinic:

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.

Many people who go through traumatic events have difficulty adjusting and coping for a while, but they don't have PTSD — with time and good self-care, they usually get better. But if the symptoms get worse or last for months or even years and interfere with your functioning, you may have PTSD.

Getting effective treatment after PTSD symptoms develop can be critical to reduce symptoms and improve function.

[TishaBuv]

When I finally confronted my mother only several years ago about why she didn't even tell me my father was dying, she said "Kids have no feelings about it, you didn't need to know anything." When I tried to tell her how I felt, she dismissed the whole conversation. She wouldn't stand being told she was wrong. She just snappily said "I did the best I could."

[TishaBuv]

Originally Posted by justafriend306

I have noticed htat "PTSD" has become the 'it' term - even in my support group it is bandied about and I feel it is insulting - that it lessens it somehow. I have strong reaction when I hear people say they have PTSD because they were traumatised by trivial experiences. No kidding, I heard one woman say she had PTSD because she was affected by her husband taking away her credit card. PTSD is about a lot of things; perhaps some may in fact seem trivial to me. But, what is common is the abject paralyzing fear, emotional or physical pain, and an intense feeling of shame that accompanies it.

Maybe that woman had paralyzingly, painful fear from her husband taking away her credit card.

I think PTSD is about one's reaction to some trauma. Does it matter what the trauma was?

[Michalx09]

Thanks for sharing your awareness!