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"I
was raped when I was 25 years old. For a long time, I
spoke about the rape on an intellectual level, as though
it was something that happened to someone else. I was
very aware that it had happened to me, but there just
was no feeling. I kind of skidded along for a while.
"I started
having flashbacks. They kind of came over me like a
splash of water. I would be terrified. Suddenly I was
reliving the rape. Every instant was startling. I felt
like my entire head was moving a bit, shaking, but that
wasn't so at all. I would get very flushed or a very
dry mouth and my breathing changed. I was held in suspension.
I wasn't aware of the cushion on the chair that I was
sitting in or that my arm was touching a piece of furniture.
I was in a bubble, just kind of floating. And it was
scary. Having a flashback can wring you out. You're
really shaken.
"The
rape happened the week before Christmas, and I feel
like a werewolf around the anniversary date. I can't
believe the transformation into anxiety and fear."
PTSD is not
a disorder to be associated solely with military personnel,
as it has been in the past. It has been shown that exposure
to traumas such as a serious accident, a natural disaster,
or criminal assault can result in PTSD. When the aftermath
of a traumatic experience interferes with normal functioning,
the person may be suffering from PTSD. The increasing
stress of living in the 21st century, on both a global
and personal level, has been sufficient to considerably
elevate the numbers of people who suffer from PTSD.
PTSD can
occur at any age, from childhood to old age and traumatic
stress can be cumulative over a lifetime. Responses
to trauma include feelings of intense fear, helplessness,
and/or horror.
PTSD can
occur at any age, although it is less frequent in the
elderly. Young children who have suffered a trauma may
have dreams of the event, which within a few weeks,
turn into general nightmares. Children will often relive
the event through play. They may also exhibit physical
symptoms, such as headaches and stomach aches.
Symptoms
usually begin within three months of a trauma, although
there can be a delayed onset and six months can pass
between trauma and the appearance of symptoms. In some
cases years can pass before symptoms appear, in this
case the symptoms are often triggered by the anniversary
of the trauma, or with the experience of another traumatic
event. Symptoms may vary in frequency and intensity
over time.
Take
a PTSD Self Test
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