Being Misunderstood is Frustrating...
When the people around you do not understand what you are feeling or why you feel that way, it can be extremely frustrating and it results in an unwanted capitulated feeling of isolation. It is important to understand that people that assume you can just get over something traumatic, clearly do not have enough knowledge to understand the deeply rooted ramifications of this condition (PTSD). Therefore, even though their intentions may come from a good place, they are reacting from a point of indirect ignorance. What makes this particularly difficult is that people whom do not understand this condition, often do not even want to learn about it to help the person they know is suffering. I feel this is because trauma itself is often quite disturbing and unbelievable, incomprehensible to the bystanders of trauma sufferers.
The most empowering way to deal with this condition is to read a lot of literature about the specific incident that has caused the trauma, as well as the resulting condition PTSD. This process is conducive to constant affirmation of your feelings and discomforts. Every time you read a document which is related to what you are suffering you will be helping yourself to see that you are only having a very natural reaction to trauma. This will help you understand that you are very normal to have a reaction to trauma. Trauma simply sucks. This will also give you a guideline for what to expect in the further development of your emotions and memories down the line, so you will be more able to cope with them because you know what may be coming. It is actually the people in the surrounding environment that are in denial about what has happened and its likely aftereffects on the victim. You experienced it so you have actual knowledge about it. Remember this, they are simply uneducated on this experience so their responses are innocently inappropriate.
It is also extremely helpful to find a local group specific to the type of trauma you have suffered and begin attending that as regularly as possible. The first day is always a little nervewrecking but a wonderful thing happens as everyone begins to share parts of their stories and emotions. This process is also very affirming and a group specifically designed for the trauma is regulated by a counselor, safe, and supportive. Furthermore, this will affirm any reading you have been able to do on these topics, in addition to affirming your feelings, because you feel empowered by deciding to do some research on your own.
It is just good to keep in mind that recovery comes slowly, should not be rushed, and is a choice we make to take steps in that direction. Once the people around you see that what you are trying to do is making you feel a little better every week, they will come around and start supporting you instead of making it harder. Sometimes people even become curious about it and because you will be able to answer questions like a pro by this time, they will come to understand their own misunderstandings, most of the time.
If money is an issue for the group and you are a female, try the local women's shelters and libraries. They are often free and can always put you in the right direction in any case.
Good Luck. I know how hard this is and I got really tired of people telling me how to deal with it, so I read a lot and shot back information as ammunition to anyone who made me feel worse and sometimes I spouted wrtiter's names and statistics! Sometimes I would carry a book around and pull it out to show people certain excerpts to prove my points. Eventually, my family began to tell me I was right...because they ran across information on their own, randomly, and they would apologize. But this process has taken months. Expect it to.
