Post-Tramatic Stress Disorder

Recovery from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: What Helped Me

There is a such thing as recovery from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). I have had posttraumatic stress disorder since college. At one point, my symptoms were so severe I was involuntarily committed to the state hospital system. That was eight years ago. Now I’m living on my own and running a small freelance writing business and I recently published a Bible study for sexual assault survivors. My symptoms are usually manageable. Recovery from PTSD is possible, and here are three things that helped me.

How to Recover from an Abusive Relationship

Do you know how to recover from an abusive relationship? No one wakes up one day and says, “I think I’ll fall in love with someone who abuses me.” Most relationships don’t become abusive, and most abusive relationships don’t become abusive until the relationship is well-established. And lack of violence does not mean lack of abuse (Effects of Emotional Abuse on Adults). Breaking it off is the most dangerous part, but what comes after that? Do victims know how to recover from an abusive relationship?

Three Myths about Child Sexual Abuse

There are many myths about child sexual abuse but I’m going to focus on three (What Is Child Sexual Abuse?). Three myths about child sexual abuse are that all abused children tell someone, all victims of childhood sexual abuse have physical trauma, and all victims of childhood sexual abuse will grow up to become sex offenders. Let’s take a closer look at these child sexual abuse myths.

Fireworks and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Vets July 4

Fireworks and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are a problem July 4th. I enlisted in the Army during the height of the Iraq War and was high on the list to go. Long story short, a health condition forced my discharge, but not before I watched people suffer nervous breakdowns and try to piece themselves back together in a hostile psychiatric system (What Is Combat PTSD?). That’s one thing that weighs heavily on my heart as the Fourth of July approaches–the number of veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder who will be triggered by fireworks.

The Need for Mental Health Courts

We are overdue for a conversation on the need for mental health courts. My friend, Hector Barajas, a U.S. Army veteran, developed posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of his service in the 82nd Airborne during the Gulf War. He was honorably discharged, but his illness was not acknowledged. In the midst of a flashback, he fired a gun. Although no one was hurt, he was arrested, convicted of a felony, then deported for life–he thought his service made him a citizen, but was misinformed and paid a drastic price. Hector and the estimated 30,000 veterans like him who have been deported largely for crimes committed due to PTSD are the poster children for the need for mental health courts.

What Men Don’t Know about Rape: Mike Tyson, Donald Trump

There are many things some men don’t know about rape (Do Women Enjoy Being Raped? Myths About Rape). Presidential candidate Donald Trump recently accepted an endorsement from convicted rapist Mike Tyson, calling him a “tough guy” and saying he was “railroaded.” This has not gone over well in Indiana, where Tyson was convicted and served three years in a youth prison before getting early release. It made me think of Mike Tyson, Donald Trump, and what men don’t know about rape.

Three Things Sarah Palin Needs to Know About PTSD

There are three things Sarah Palin needs to know about posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Palin showed her amazing ignorance about PTSD when she blamed President Obama for her son Track’s PTSD. Palin said Track’s recent domestic violence arrest was due to PTSD, and as horrible as that is, it could be true. However, Palin’s “party of personal responsibility” is shifting the blame from themselves (Republicans have blocked every veterans’ mental health bill and every mental health bill in general) to people who have nothing to do with it. So here are three things Sarah Palin–and every politician gutting our mental health system–needs to know about PTSD.

Three PTSD Myths: Ending Stigma of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

There are many myths about posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Due to the stigma of mental illnesses such as PTSD, myths are common. The best way to address a myth is by educating people with the truth. So here are three myths about PTSD.

A Letter to Rand Paul re: Disability Benefits for Mental Illness

Dear Senator Paul:

I understand that you think I and people like me are “gaming the system” because we’re receiving disability benefits for mental illness. I also understand that you claim you were quoted out of context and that some people do deserve disability, but the able-bodied don’t. I’ve seen both videos, and you didn’t say anything about mental illness. Logically, that means you think people with severe mental illness should not receive disability. Let me inform you about the realities of mental illness and disability benefits.

Savor the Small Victories in Mental Health Recovery

Those of us in mental health recovery are often faced with the hardships our symptoms can cause us. It can be easy to get discouraged, to look at our progress in recovery and tell ourselves, “I’m never going to overcome this mental illness.”