Trauma needs to be taken seriously and recognized by the victim and supporters. Especially if the person suffering is young. Avoidance of emotions of that magnitude is very damaging to mental development. Everyone has trauma in some way or another, it's wise not to underestimate certain skills, like communicating, this can help us find a partner who listens, and opens up growth in the brain. It's easy to get mild depression as a kid or young adult, soon you pass up dates, gatherings, effects performance in school and getting to know people. Additional trauma could happen to anyone at any time. I am proof that it isn't always the trauma event that gives you the ptsd, its the way you learned to cope all these years later that can absolutely bite you in the ass later in life.
Not saying ptsd is always preventable but I am a true believer in getting to the bottom of the demons left behind after trauma to get your brain back on track as quickly as possible......autonomic memory is a real bitch. Even with early childhood trauma though, the breakdown panic attack was severe for me, thinking and feeling you are going to die and feeling the black dreadness that overcomes you....was terrifying. Technically that event was traumatic enough to trigger post traumatic stress and untreated later develop ptsd. Thinking you are going to die due to lack of oxygen caused me nightmares, odd waking terrors and flashbacks, later on my mind opened up some nightmares from my childhood.. Ignoring trauma is inviting it to stay, remember, acknowledge, talk, move on and that is what helps.
By the way, brains are extraordinarily complex, our very actions in response to situations change the way we think, reinforcing pathways in the brain. Forget about diagnosis, criteria and stuff THAT DOES NOT MATTER.
There are clearly different ways people respond to trauma, and not all brains are equal, for better or worse.
I believe you, you don't have to convince me or anthony that you have ptsd. Does it honestly matter what exact situation you were in and when? If anyone is at fault for your condition, try try try. The military has their own protocol and criteria...probably a good idea. Just hearing about some of the stuff my bud who was in the army had to go through is enough to feel like you need to talk to someone about it.
Weren't in the military? Then stop it with the criteria crap, they aren't going to pay for your treatment or diagnose you, a lot of us like me are S.O.L (something out of luck:} Trust me after serving their countries the last thing they need is civilian and other circumstance complaints about their criteria forms and getting diagnosis, its hard enough for them but the system is in place for them.
For the rest of us, the answer is the same. Seek treatment, open up, open up until you find a crack and expose it, say what happened, talk with someone who is supportive and understands. Don't shut down, because you will strain your supporter, conquer a fear, learn to not react the same old way to negative things. It is poison for the damaged nervous system, so is alcohol, so is pot. Your body doesn't naturally have pot in it, when you run out, believe me you will know it. Instead of scoring another bag, try your hand at a crossword or some drawing, learn to recognize things like obsession and avoid playing video games for too long. It is known to flood the dopamine receptors so much that too much makes you feel like crap and ruins sleep. Anything that is addictive throws up a red flag for me, but a little fun doesn't hurt. Try to live the best with what you got and strive for better, hell I think that works for people without ptsd as well. HaHa.
