Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that stems from witnessing a terrifying event. Most people think of PTSD as something those who fight in the war end up developing due to the trauma of the war. Although this is true, the disorder also affects many around the world who never fought in the war. There are many events that can take place that can leave someone with PTSD. Shootings, car wrecks, horrific accidents, and many other events like this, when witnessed, can scar someone forever.
PTSD symptoms usually do not show themselves until 3 months after the event. The symptoms seem to come out of nowhere and hit hard from the first time they are felt. Symptoms can be life lasting or can only last for 6 months. The time they last depends on the event and the impact on the person specifically. There are four clusters of PTSD. The four clusters are what those with PTSD will experience as their symptoms. The severity and length of the clusters vary from person to person.
1. Intrusive Memories: Recurrent memories of the event, flashbacks, nightmares, sever emotional distress and physical reactions to reminders of the event.
2. Avoidance: Trying to avoid thinking or talking about the event and avoiding places, activities, or people that remind you of the event.
3. Negative changes in thinking and mood: numbness, memory problems, negative thoughts about yourself and others, hopelessness, pushing people away, feeling detached, lack of interest in anything, and difficulty experiencing positive emotions.
4. Changes in physical and emotional reactions: being easily startled or frightened, always being on guard for danger, self-destructive behavior, trouble sleeping, irritability, angry outbursts and aggressiveness, guilt or shame.
Sounds, sights, smells, and impending doom can all play a part in a flashback of the trauma event. For example, the sound of a popping balloon can send someone with PTSD into a flashback. The smell of gunpowder, smoke, or a smell the person experienced during their trauma event, when smelled again, can send them into a flashback. Although those with PTSD may try to avoid places in order to keep from flashbacks, it is not possible to keep away from smells or sounds that can send them into a flashback.
I don’t talk about it hardly ever, but I was diagnosed with PTSD two years ago. When I was a sophomore in college I was at a mall when there was a shooting. While I won’t go into detail, because I never do, it left me very traumatized. For the first couple months after the event I felt fine. I was not have flashbacks, nightmares, and felt I could go do anything I could before. That soon ended only 4 months after the event. Going to lectures was the hardest thing I had to do. Once inside my building I immediately became sick. The professor writing on the board sounding like gunshots, talking coming from the hallway sounded like screams to me, and I ALWAYS felt like a shooter was coming to kill me no matter where I was. I soon could not go anywhere anymore because I knew for a fact if I went there would be a shooting. I began missing out on everything and the events I had to attend, like my own graduation, I was physically sick and panicking the entire time. These feelings soon began showing up in nightmares as well, therefore I have a hard time allowing myself to go to sleep. My nightmares are always a shooting that takes place where I am, whether it be a mall, school, or concert, and almost every single night is what I dream about.
PTSD is horrible and traumatic. If this is something you are going through I am so sorry. Please reach out to your doctor, counselor, or psychiatrist about your symptoms and get help. It is extremely important to reach out to someone, anyone, for help. Please email me through the contact page or contact me via Instagram if you want to talk or need help.
Keep fighting.♡︎
Kokonaomi
