Most people are familiar with PTSD – Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Most people also throw the acronym around lightly, not with malice, and apply it to anyone who is freaked out by something.
However, the reality of this disorder is not to be taken lightly and it is very real. On any given day, we could encounter or interact with one or more persons suffering from PTSD. Chances are, we may not even know it.
This is why it is important to take a step back and think before we speak, reflect before we come to judgment. Countless people suffer silently, that number rising each hour. To sum it up – don’t be an anal opening, AKA a*&%hole!
PTSD is usually due to a horrific incident in someone’s life, resulting in chemical and/or neurological changes in brain chemistry.
There IS no stigma. There IS no shame. There IS support.
About 3.6% of adults ages 18-54 have PTSD during the course of a year. That’s 5.2 million people, with women having a higher incidence than men.
Psychiatric care is equivalent, if not more important, than physical care. The body and mind are connected.
Today, June 27, is PTSD Awareness Day – a time to educate and support those who suffer in silence. Play a role in saving someone’s life.