How in the hell did 3 months zoom by since my last post?!?! Wow! To celebrate my return to the blogosphere, we're starting today with a new and happier look for Make the Change! What do you think?
This week we are starting a series of posts called "PTSD: Loving, Living, and Leaving". This is a method for me to cope and to help others living with the situation cope with the range of emotions and experiences involved with PTSD and the impact it has on the world around us.
PTSD is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It is common in military service members, police officers, firefighters, 911 and emergency medical personnel, survivors of disasters, accidents, terrorists activity, and victims of rape. (this list is not all inclusive) You likely know more people than you realize that are walking around with memories and experiences that are difficult to understand and process. The more frequent someone is exposed to trauma, the more at risk they are for suffering from severe forms of PTSD.
My goal for this series is to share my research along with real stories and experiences so that others can seek help, learn to manage and cope with their experiences, and live a full life. PTSD does not define a person, but it can overwhelm and consume them and the people around them for a lifetime when it goes untreated. There is hope and help!
The name, "PTSD: Loving, Living, and Leaving", comes from the need to understand how to love and live with yourself if you suffer from PTSD and how to love someone living with PTSD. The last part is about leaving the "baggage" behind after you learn to deal with it and lastly, for family members and friends, to learn how to leave a bad situation or environment if someone with PTSD escalates and refuses to get the help they need.
If you or someone you love is struggling with PTSD - Please seek help, even when you don't think you need it! The research and methods to seek help have grown immensely in the last 10 years, especially for military veterans. Whether you choose traditional medicine, alternative medicine, or a combination of the two - there is help and no shame in seeking it.
If you have a story that you want to share (anonymously and/or cathartically) or a theme that you'd like me to research and include in the on going series, please shoot me a note at beth.ann.vann@gmail.com.
Together we can Make the Change!!
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