Society’s Conflicting Ideas About PTSD‼️
PTSD is a condition that occupies an odd space in our society. We joke about experiencing PTSD from watching a horror movie or having a crappy experience. It’s associated with people we think of as “questionable”, crazy, and with people we deride as fakers. Right? But truly, it’s a condition that you can’t see. A person living with PTSD can have walked away from the event that caused their trauma: combat, sexual assault, a violent attack, a car crash, a terrorist attack, a natural disaster, divorce, death, finding out your husband is cheating on you (maybe even with with men AND women), multiple forms of abuse… the list goes on and on. If a person has had multiple traumatic experiences, this can compound into SEVERE PTSD that literally makes it impossible to work, keep appointments or even be seen in public.
The event can last a moment, or, as with neglect, domestic violence or sexual abuse, the event can last many years. (My case)
🧠Eight million Americans live with PTSD. 🧠There’s a good chance that someone you’ve worked with work, or know, has experienced it. (Like me… I am still healing after 3 years!) PTSD can affect anyone who’s experienced a traumatic event. It’s easy to downplay or diminish your symptoms.
PTSD? “Not Me.”
Denial that you have PTSD is a common reaction, as is amnesia, avoidance and minimization. 💙People often downplay the effect of a traumatic event, or when they retell it, they may retell it while smiling or with laughter.
They may resist talking about the event at all but still be deeply distressed by their symptoms. #beenthere
PTSD distress may take these forms:
Disrupted sleep
Trouble concentrating
❤️Hypervigilance❤️ (totally ME)
Cognitive problems
In my case, I knew that I’d experienced a traumatic event, but my mind rejected it— after all, as a single mom, “I am strong and DON’T have the time to deal with this— I MUST move forward to provide for my children. I can’t have PTSD”, so I thought! And afterall, “someone out there had experienced something worse, and they’re handling it better than I am, Nancy, pull it together!” (My self talk which shamed myself… not healthy) This thought process diminished my trauma and, to my mind, invalidated my doctor’s diagnosis/therapist’s treatment.
The Stigma Around PTSD
People with PTSD might be concentrating so hard on trying to control their hypervigilance that they can’t present work they’ve prepared; anxiety takes over, along with isolation. Tasks that came easily to them (me) before the event, might be impossible now.
They could be aware of the stigma of PTSD and deny, even to healthcare providers, that they’re experiencing symptoms — until they impact their life so much that they turn into a different person.
MORE Symptoms of PTSD:
☑️Emotional outbursts
☑️Being easily startled
☑️Slow or disrupted information processing and memory
☑️Problems concentrating
☑️Sleep issues
☑️Overall Nervousness
☑️Isolation
☑️Feeling UNSAFE
☑️Looping Thoughts
Mental Wellness is a process‼️ Don’t try to white knuckle it- deal with it- start by talking about it, find a great therapist and support system. I am happy to share my resources from experience ❤️🧠🦠‼️
Healing your brain, gut, heart axis (3 brains) is the beginning of recovery too.
Message me for more information‼️ #ptsd #trauma #relationshipabuse #beentheredonethat #mentalwellness #mentalawareness #traumaticrelationships #abuse
Blessings of WELLNESS,
Nancy
