Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) impacts various areas of life. When it comes to romantic and intimate relationships, PTSD can make it especially difficult to get close to someone.

I’m Sammi Caramela, and I’m excited to join HealthyPlace as the new author of "Trauma! A PTSD Blog." I’ve lived most of my life in survival mode, but it wasn’t until I was in my early 20s that I realized I was suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from early childhood trauma. Learning why I was suffering was crucial to healing from the extreme anxiety and depression I coped with on a regular basis.

My name is Adam M., and this is my story about using negative coping strategies after experiencing a trauma.

I joined HealthyPlace a year ago as a way to better understand my posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis. Writing about the impact PTSD has had on my life has been therapeutic, and I've learned a lot about myself in the process. I've also found great comfort in the online mental health community HealthyPlace has provided. However, it is time for me to move onto new adventures and say goodbye to HealthyPlace.

Dealing with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at work can be stressful. Navigating flashbacks, panic attacks, and hypervigilance is difficult in any setting, but managing these symptoms in a workplace can feel impossible. When you're constantly worrying about judgment from your coworkers and peers, it can be hard to focus on the job at hand.

Self-forgiveness in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) recovery is a valuable, yet often ignored, aspect of trauma healing. While we hear a lot about the importance of forgiving people that have hurt us, learning how to forgive ourselves is something that is not regularly discussed. However, self-forgiveness is crucial to our wellbeing, especially for people with PTSD.

Learning that I had posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was the first important step in my trauma recovery. Symptoms of the disorder typically start within three months of a traumatic event but in some cases, there can be a delay. Because of PTSD stigma, people often dismiss symptoms of the disorder until it is no longer possible to ignore them.

Grounding techniques are a valuable coping tool for people suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). At its core, PTSD is a disorder that keeps people stuck in the past. Grounding techniques, on the other hand, help people with PTSD connect with the present. Finding grounding techniques that work for my PTSD symptoms has been a journey. Grounding is a very personal experience, and what works for other people doesn't always work for me. Thankfully, there are plenty of techniques to choose from when it comes to grounding yourself.

Life is tough at the moment. Every day that passes by seems to be filled with anxiety after anxiety, and there is no clear end in sight. COVID-19 has thrown all our lives into disarray, and coping with mental health issues is harder than ever. Being stuck at home is undoubtedly difficult for everyone. Human connection is an essential part of life, and being unable to connect with friends and family members because of the coronavirus is taking a toll on all of us. But for people with serious mental illnesses such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social isolation can present unique challenges.

Nightmares are one of the most common symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While most people experience a nightmare or two in their lifetime, up to 72% of people suffering from PTSD develop recurring nightmares as a result of the disorder. I am one of those people. I started experiencing nightmares as a result of PTSD when I was sixteen. Almost eight years later, I still get them every time I close my eyes to sleep. Coping with daily nightmares (and the poor sleep quality that can result) has been difficult, but I have found ways to manage them over time.