I want to talk about a disorder called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. PTSD is a mental health disorder that is mostly found in people who have experienced events that were scary, dangerous, shocking, or deeply upsetting. These events can be many. They can come from abuse. They can come from accidents. They can come from disasters. They can come from war. The point is not only that the event was hard—the point is that the event was so intense that it overwhelmed the person’s sense of safety, and the memory of it remained trapped in the mind and body.
When people hear the word “trauma,” some think it only belongs to soldiers or people in war. But trauma can happen in many places. A child can experience trauma. A woman can experience trauma. A man can experience trauma. A whole community can experience trauma. And even when two people go through the same event, the effect can be different. One person may heal over time. Another person may struggle. Another person may appear fine on the outside but carry fear and pain on the inside. That is why I say these events affect people differently.
PTSD happens when a person does not fully heal from a traumatic event. The event ends, but the mind keeps replaying it. The body keeps reacting as if the danger is still present. The person’s thoughts keep returning to what happened. And the worst part is that the memories do not always come politely. They intrude. They rush in. They disturb sleep. They disturb peace. They disturb normal life. This is why PTSD is not simply “remembering something bad.” It is more than memory. It is trauma returning again and again—sometimes through thoughts, sometimes through dreams, sometimes through fear in the body.
When someone goes through trauma, the body can respond in different ways. People often talk about fight, flight, or freeze. Some people fight. Some people run away—flight. Some people freeze, as if they cannot move or cannot respond. These reactions are natural survival responses. They are the body’s way of trying to protect itself. But when the trauma remains unresolved, the body may keep reacting like that even long after the danger is gone.
Now, PTSD has common symptoms, and I want to describe them clearly. One major symptom is intrusive memories. These are memories that rush back into the mind without warning. The person remembers what they saw, what they heard, what they felt. It can be like the past enters the present. They may be sitting quietly, but suddenly the mind pulls them back to the traumatic moment. Along with intrusive memories, there can be nightmares and bad dreams. Sleep becomes a battlefield. The person may fear going to bed because they know the dreams will come. They may also have scary thoughts that keep repeating—thoughts that disturb peace, thoughts that create fear.
That is why I often tell people: be careful about what you expose yourself to. Some people think watching violent scenes, scary events, or shocking images is just entertainment. They think, “I am only watching for fun.” But sometimes those images return later. They haunt the mind. They disturb the heart. And for some people, they can contribute to fear, anxiety, and trauma-like reactions. Not everyone will develop PTSD from what they watch, but the mind is powerful, and what enters the eyes can stay inside the mind.
Another major symptom is avoidance. People avoid situations, places, objects, or even conversations that remind them of the traumatic event. I know an example of a veteran—someone who served in war and later returned home with emotional wounds. This person cannot watch certain channels or movies, especially those with police scenes, gunshots, or armed conflict. It is not because the person hates entertainment. It is because those scenes wake up memories. They trigger fear. They bring the past back. So the person avoids them.
Avoidance can look simple on the surface, but it can become serious. A person may avoid crowds. A person may avoid loud sounds. A person may avoid driving. A person may avoid relationships. A person may avoid anything that feels like it could lead to pain again. Slowly, life becomes smaller, not because the person wants to be isolated, but because fear becomes a fence around them.
Another symptom is dissociation. Dissociation is when a person feels disconnected from the real world. It can look like the person is present physically, but mentally they feel far away. It can feel like they are living in another world. Some people describe it as feeling numb, feeling detached, or feeling like they are watching life from outside themselves. It is the mind’s way of escaping when reality feels too painful.
Another symptom is hypervigilance. Hypervigilance is when a person is always on alert, always tense, always watching, always expecting danger. The person may feel, “I can be attacked any time.” They may sit in a room and scan the environment. They may startle easily. They may tense up quickly. Their body behaves as if the danger is still there. I remember older people in my home village who lived through war times. Some of them could hear the sound of an airplane and immediately feel fear. Some would hide. They were not hiding because an airplane today was dangerous. They were hiding because the sound woke up old trauma. The past was still living inside them, and their body responded before their mind could calm them. That is what PTSD is about. You experienced something in the past, and later it haunts you. The event is gone, but the fear remains. And when the fear remains long enough and begins to control your life, it becomes a disorder.
When we talk about causes, it is clear: PTSD is connected to traumatic events. War is one cause. Accidents are another. Abuse—physical or sexual—is another. Disasters are another. Violence is another. Serious medical emergencies can also be traumatic. And sometimes you can predict risk: people who have lived through war, people who have been abused, children who have been harmed, people who have survived horrific accidents—these are people who may carry trauma that can develop into PTSD.
That is why I want to emphasize something strongly: protect your children. Do not expose children to events that can scar them. Some things cannot be controlled—accidents happen, disasters happen, life happens. But some things can be controlled. If you can control what a child sees, control it. If you can control what a child experiences, control it. Do not expose your children to political unrest. Trauma in childhood can grow into mental health struggles in adulthood.
When it comes to treatment, there is medication for PTSD, especially for symptoms like anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and intense fear reactions. There is also therapy, and therapy is very important because PTSD lives not only in the mind, but also in the body and emotions. Therapy helps a person process what happened, understand triggers, and learn safer ways to cope.
There are also stress-management and self-management strategies. Many people with PTSD learn their own ways to manage triggers. For example, some avoid certain places, people, movies or sounds. Some develop routines that help them feel safe. Some learn breathing techniques. Some find supportive environments. Some find comfort in trusted relationships.
Another thing I want people to understand is the role of service animals. Sometimes you will see someone moving with a dog everywhere they go. Many people think it is just a pet. But for some people, that dog is not just a pet—it is a service animal. It provides comfort. It provides grounding. It helps the person feel safe. It can sense distress and help the person stabilize when anxiety rises. So next time you see someone with a dog or doll, do not rush to judge. That dog or doll may be part of their healing and part of their survival.
PTSD is real. It is not weakness. It is not drama. It is not “just thinking too much.” It is a serious mental disorder that comes from trauma. And the best approach is early help, understanding, and support. If you notice these symptoms in yourself, seek help early. If you notice them in someone else, do not stigmatize them. Encourage them to get support and treatment.
When people hear the word “trauma,” some think it only belongs to soldiers or people in war. But trauma can happen in many places. A child can experience trauma. A woman can experience trauma. A man can experience trauma. A whole community can experience trauma. And even when two people go through the same event, the effect can be different. One person may heal over time. Another person may struggle. Another person may appear fine on the outside but carry fear and pain on the inside. That is why I say these events affect people differently.
PTSD happens when a person does not fully heal from a traumatic event. The event ends, but the mind keeps replaying it. The body keeps reacting as if the danger is still present. The person’s thoughts keep returning to what happened. And the worst part is that the memories do not always come politely. They intrude. They rush in. They disturb sleep. They disturb peace. They disturb normal life. This is why PTSD is not simply “remembering something bad.” It is more than memory. It is trauma returning again and again—sometimes through thoughts, sometimes through dreams, sometimes through fear in the body.
When someone goes through trauma, the body can respond in different ways. People often talk about fight, flight, or freeze. Some people fight. Some people run away—flight. Some people freeze, as if they cannot move or cannot respond. These reactions are natural survival responses. They are the body’s way of trying to protect itself. But when the trauma remains unresolved, the body may keep reacting like that even long after the danger is gone.
Now, PTSD has common symptoms, and I want to describe them clearly. One major symptom is intrusive memories. These are memories that rush back into the mind without warning. The person remembers what they saw, what they heard, what they felt. It can be like the past enters the present. They may be sitting quietly, but suddenly the mind pulls them back to the traumatic moment. Along with intrusive memories, there can be nightmares and bad dreams. Sleep becomes a battlefield. The person may fear going to bed because they know the dreams will come. They may also have scary thoughts that keep repeating—thoughts that disturb peace, thoughts that create fear.
That is why I often tell people: be careful about what you expose yourself to. Some people think watching violent scenes, scary events, or shocking images is just entertainment. They think, “I am only watching for fun.” But sometimes those images return later. They haunt the mind. They disturb the heart. And for some people, they can contribute to fear, anxiety, and trauma-like reactions. Not everyone will develop PTSD from what they watch, but the mind is powerful, and what enters the eyes can stay inside the mind.
Another major symptom is avoidance. People avoid situations, places, objects, or even conversations that remind them of the traumatic event. I know an example of a veteran—someone who served in war and later returned home with emotional wounds. This person cannot watch certain channels or movies, especially those with police scenes, gunshots, or armed conflict. It is not because the person hates entertainment. It is because those scenes wake up memories. They trigger fear. They bring the past back. So the person avoids them.
Avoidance can look simple on the surface, but it can become serious. A person may avoid crowds. A person may avoid loud sounds. A person may avoid driving. A person may avoid relationships. A person may avoid anything that feels like it could lead to pain again. Slowly, life becomes smaller, not because the person wants to be isolated, but because fear becomes a fence around them.
Another symptom is dissociation. Dissociation is when a person feels disconnected from the real world. It can look like the person is present physically, but mentally they feel far away. It can feel like they are living in another world. Some people describe it as feeling numb, feeling detached, or feeling like they are watching life from outside themselves. It is the mind’s way of escaping when reality feels too painful.
Another symptom is hypervigilance. Hypervigilance is when a person is always on alert, always tense, always watching, always expecting danger. The person may feel, “I can be attacked any time.” They may sit in a room and scan the environment. They may startle easily. They may tense up quickly. Their body behaves as if the danger is still there. I remember older people in my home village who lived through war times. Some of them could hear the sound of an airplane and immediately feel fear. Some would hide. They were not hiding because an airplane today was dangerous. They were hiding because the sound woke up old trauma. The past was still living inside them, and their body responded before their mind could calm them. That is what PTSD is about. You experienced something in the past, and later it haunts you. The event is gone, but the fear remains. And when the fear remains long enough and begins to control your life, it becomes a disorder.
When we talk about causes, it is clear: PTSD is connected to traumatic events. War is one cause. Accidents are another. Abuse—physical or sexual—is another. Disasters are another. Violence is another. Serious medical emergencies can also be traumatic. And sometimes you can predict risk: people who have lived through war, people who have been abused, children who have been harmed, people who have survived horrific accidents—these are people who may carry trauma that can develop into PTSD.
That is why I want to emphasize something strongly: protect your children. Do not expose children to events that can scar them. Some things cannot be controlled—accidents happen, disasters happen, life happens. But some things can be controlled. If you can control what a child sees, control it. If you can control what a child experiences, control it. Do not expose your children to political unrest. Trauma in childhood can grow into mental health struggles in adulthood.
When it comes to treatment, there is medication for PTSD, especially for symptoms like anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and intense fear reactions. There is also therapy, and therapy is very important because PTSD lives not only in the mind, but also in the body and emotions. Therapy helps a person process what happened, understand triggers, and learn safer ways to cope.
There are also stress-management and self-management strategies. Many people with PTSD learn their own ways to manage triggers. For example, some avoid certain places, people, movies or sounds. Some develop routines that help them feel safe. Some learn breathing techniques. Some find supportive environments. Some find comfort in trusted relationships.
Another thing I want people to understand is the role of service animals. Sometimes you will see someone moving with a dog everywhere they go. Many people think it is just a pet. But for some people, that dog is not just a pet—it is a service animal. It provides comfort. It provides grounding. It helps the person feel safe. It can sense distress and help the person stabilize when anxiety rises. So next time you see someone with a dog or doll, do not rush to judge. That dog or doll may be part of their healing and part of their survival.
PTSD is real. It is not weakness. It is not drama. It is not “just thinking too much.” It is a serious mental disorder that comes from trauma. And the best approach is early help, understanding, and support. If you notice these symptoms in yourself, seek help early. If you notice them in someone else, do not stigmatize them. Encourage them to get support and treatment.
