Wow, where do I begin? I would imagine
that a short introduction would be useful. My name is Nat and I am a 22 year
old college Biology major on my fourth semester. Mostly I am attending class,
running around campus, doing homework until my eyes bleed, or attending an
assortment of campus events. I have started spending most of my free time
gardening. I am kept sane by a small collection of plants that cover the walls
and tables of my study. I am actually a little proud of my collection. I have a
variety of trees, bushes, vines, shrubs, and whatever I can get my hands on.
On another note, I suffer from PTSD, of
which I was diagnosed with a little over a year ago. For those who have no idea
what PTSD is, I will do my best to try and explain. Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that is caused when someone is exposed to
a traumatic situation and is unable to cope afterwards. This is a mental
illness that is very common in people that are exposed to combat situations,
however, it may also be caused by violent assault, sexual assault, natural
disasters, serious accidents, the list goes on and on. Symptoms can include,
flash backs, anxiety, depression, suicidal tendencies, emotional numbness,
nightmares, crippling fear, and disorientation.
I have PTSD from a series of events that
happened between the ages of 11 and 17. For the longest time I believed that I
was crazy. I knew nothing of mental illness and trauma until I decided to seek
professional help. It was a huge eye opener when I realized that I was just
sick and I started looking into the disorder. I wanted to start this blog to
document my attempt at a recovery and to show anyone living with PTSD that you
are not alone in your struggle to go back to a normal life. I want to be as
optimistic as I can but I will be honest, it feels like I am being haunted. I
am tormented by frequent nightmares, flashbacks, triggers, violent panic
attacks, and just not feeling right anymore, however, I am not about to give
up.
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