My Journey With:

Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) ~ Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) ~ Focal Impaired Awareness (Complex Partial) Seizures ~ Fibromyalgia ~ Chronic Myofascial Pain (CMP) ~ Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) ~ TMJ Dysfunction ~ Bipolar Disorder Type I Rapid Cycling With Psychotic Features ~ Migraines ~ Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) ~ Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) ~ Keratosis Pilaris (KP) ~ Complex-Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) ~ Panic Disorder ~ Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) ~ Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) ~ Self-Harm ~ Bilateral Piezogenic Pedal Papules ~ Hashimoto's Thyroiditis ~ Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) ~ Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) ~ Specific Phobias ~ Chronic Daily Headache ~ Eczema

Friday, September 13, 2013

30 Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)



1. The illness I live with is: Many, but this blog entry will be about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 2001 (age 20)

3. But I had symptoms since: age 4.  My PTSD is from many incidents that happened throughout my life.

4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: I barely remember not having PTSD.

5. Most people assume: People with PTSD are crazy.  We aren't.  We are survivors.

6. The hardest part about mornings are: trying to get the nightmares out of my mind.

7. My favorite medical TV show is: Scrubs

8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: my computer.

9. The hardest part about nights are: nightmares.

10. Each day I take 47 pills & vitamins. (No comments, please) 

11. Regarding alternative treatments I: take fish oil, meditate, and sometimes work out of workbooks for PTSD.

12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: invisible.

13. Regarding working and career: I can't work.

14. People would be surprised to know: how terrifying flashbacks are.

15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: Since I barely remember not having PTSD, I didn't have a "new reality" to accept.



16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: drive by a certain fraternity without having a breakdown.

17. The commercials about my illness: I haven't seen any.

18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: N/A

19. It was really hard to have to give up: N/A

20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: meditation.

21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: sleep without nightmares.

22. My illness has taught me: that anyone can look fine but be in agony inside.

23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: "Pull yourself up by your bootstraps and get over it."  How about you get educated?

24. But I love it when people: Don't treat me weird afterwards if they see me cry or have a flashback.

25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: "Because tomorrow's another day, and I'm thirsty anyway, so bring on the rain." ~Jo Dee Messina

26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: It's more like what I won't tell them.  People say it gets better, but that's really a lie we like to tell others to keep them from losing all hope.  Sometimes it is better, sometimes it is worse.

27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: How little people understand and how little patience that have for, mental illness.

28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: Sr. Renita brought me a mustard seed and prayed with me when I was in the hospital for being suicidal.

29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: It's important for people to know that healthy looking person may be miserable and in agony inside.

30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: Honored!  Thank you very much. ❤



LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...