Accepting is the first step in living with PTSD.  Without recognizing and accepting PTSD, life will not change. I spent many years in this process.  I first realized when I was 15 years old that my response to life experiences was not like my friends.  I didn’t know what it was or what to call it.  For years, I looked for physical causes for passing out, time gaps, and other physical symptoms.  Took me 30 years to get to a counselor that provided the diagnosis of PTSD.  I hadn’t heard much about it before that.  I didn’t know it was considered a ‘soldiers illness’. I called it a Shadow Warrior that could beat me up with no evidence left behind. I couldn’t understand if it was all in my head why did my body hurt so much.

What it PTSD?

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder most people have some of the symptoms after a traumatic event.  What sets it apart is the severity of symptoms and duration.  Nightmares for 50 years is not what I would wish on anyone, it is how I live.

Symptoms

Looking for answers but not sure if you or a family member or friend has PTSD check out the symptoms.

River Denial

Denial of the problem is common.  Words like, “it’s not that bad”, “I don’t remember anything bad in my life”, “forgive and forget”, “PTSD is for other people”, “I can handle my life”, “its no big deal”, any of these phrases sound familiar.  People deny any problem for many reasons.  One common reason is that they don’t want to believe the problems their mind is trying to tell them.