healingfromptsd

Just because you haven’t experienced it yourself doesn’t make it any less real, less painful, or less valid for those who have.

Does this make sense to anyone else or is it just me 🥲 the contradictions are confusing

People often avoid those who are depressed or struggling with their mental health or in a “bad mood.” It saddens me that to be accepted socially, we often have to conceal our pain. Have you experienced this? I’d love to hear from you.

Sending all my love to those who relate 💛

A few things I’d tell my younger, traumatized self who woke up in the hospital on Christmas Eve after attempting su***de fourteen years ago. Maybe some of you out there need to hear these things, too. 💛

Sending love to anyone who is struggling right now. I know things may be excruciatingly painful, but please remember that healing is possible and things can get better.

Hang in there friends 💛

Just because someone can't see how your experience was traumatic doesn't make it any less valid.

I wish more people understood how hard it is to open up about your pain, and how heartbreaking it can be to be invalidated or dismissed.

Anniversary dates of traumatic experiences can bring up a mess of emotions, so I’m sharing a few tips that have helped me deal with my trauma anniversaries (I have a few in Nov & Dec).

Trauma anniversaries look and feel different for everyone, and they can feel different for you each year as you heal, so remember to listen to your current needs and do whatever feels best for you.

Things aren’t okay. Still. Hospitals are overwhelmed and thousands of innocent lives lost in Gaza. There is no healing from a traumatic event if that event does not end. If you have the capacity to do so, take action to end the horrific violence.

It’s trauma anniversary season, and my body has felt like it’s been falling apart—trauma isn't “just in your head.”

It took me a while to notice that many of my physical symptoms and unexplained pain were trauma-related. I detached myself from my traumatic memories, desperate to forget what happened so I could continue carrying out my life (more on that in Chapter 1 of my book, You’re Going to Be Okay). After years of burying my memories, my trauma finally got my attention through *physical* symptoms, including the ones listed here.

Allowing yourself to be fully “seen” isn't always a safe option. And it's exhausting. 😩

This happened to me the other day, and I’m still recovering. Even as someone who is very open about their trauma, the shame associated with getting triggered in public is overwhelming.

I plan to write a newsletter about this soon. But in the meantime, I’d love to hear from you. Can you relate? How does the fear of getting triggered in public affect you and your decisions?

Victim-blaming, being dismissed, not being believed, navigating through our “justice” system, losing relationships/jobs/housing due to the trauma… the list goes on. The unfortunate truth is so many survivors don't get the support they need after a traumatic event.

If you can relate to this and feel compelled to share, please leave a comment. Your stories are powerful, and I hope we can bring more awareness to how the trauma doesn't stop once a traumatic event is over.

When you’re traumatized, nothing feels safe. Sending love to anyone going through this as I know how exhausting, terrifying, and painful it can be.

Establishing safety is critical for healing, and because trauma is deeply personal, it’s a unique process for each survivor.

A few things that have helped me feel safe:
- Building self-awareness around my thoughts, feelings, sensations in my body, and how triggers affect me
- Self-soothing techniques like safe space visualization and giving myself a big hug
- Grounding techniques, breathing exercises, practicing mindfulness
- A calming nighttime routine: chamomile tea, journaling, stretching, reading (I used to also color and do word searches)
-Being mindful about the content I consume
- Processing trauma in a safe space (therapy, peer support)
- Spending time with people who help me feel safe

Your pain matters. YOU matter. 💛💛💛

My PTSD symptoms returned in full force these past few weeks with devastation and violence in the world. 💔 I’m not in therapy right now, so these are some things that have been helpful to me lately, just in case anyone out there is going through a rough patch is looking for some self-care inspiration.

Sending love to everyone out there struggling 💛 take good care

This is one reason why so many suffer in silence. Shame adds to the pain; compassion alleviates it. ***depreventionmonth

Going through a traumatic experience is incredibly painful.

When others invalidate, minimize, or dismiss our trauma, it adds to the pain.

When others tell us to “just move on” to rush us through healing, it adds to the pain.

When people don’t believe us, it adds to the pain.

When the pain becomes unbearable, it gets really hard to hold on.

Survivors: what you went through matters. Your healing matters. YOU matter. Things can absolutely get better. 💛

Support systems: your support and compassion can help make things feel less heavy.

***depreventionmonth

Each year my birthday brings up feelings of dread, and I just want it to pass.

For several reasons, but one is because I spent many years wishing I was never born. Another is that this day it irritates old wounds that make me feel like I'm not important and don't matter.

This is something I’ve been working on, and I’m slowly learning to celebrate myself in small ways as healing has disrupted the inaccurate beliefs about myself being unworthy and unimportant. We all deserve to be celebrated, supported, and loved. 💛

I'd love to hear how you feel about your birthday—whether you can relate or not, and how you like to celebrate yourself if you do.

P.S. I’ve just moved my newsletter over to Substack, and I’m currently working on a few pieces (one about why I struggle with my birthday) that subscribers will be able to access for free. If you’re interested in reading along, click on the link in my bio to subscribe and receive it once it’s released.

September is ***depreventionmonth. Many people don't realize that healing from traumatic experiences is a matter of life and death for some survivors.

Many people dismiss what survivors go through, minimizing or invalidating their pain, which can be incredibly isolating and devastating, adding to the pain they're already experiencing.

Social support promotes healing. We all have a role to play when it comes to su***de prevention.

[If you’re here supporting a loved one and looking for more ways to offer support, my “posts for allies” guide is a great place to start.]

*CW. I know there are survivors of su***de attempts here, and I just want to know that I see you.

People often invalidate the trauma associated with being suicidal. It is isolating and devastating. Surviving my su***de attempt was traumatic, but it’s been dismissed by others who have expressed, “you brought it on yourself.” 😔 (Someone in this space commented that on one of my posts before). A reminder that trauma is deeply personal, and it’s not up to you to decide what is and isn’t traumatic to individuals.

Sending so much love to anyone struggling out there. I know how painful things can be. Please believe me when I say that healing is possible. It may not happen right away, but little by little things can get better. Hang in there. 💛

September is su***de prevention awareness month. I survived a su***de attempt, and here are a few things I’d like anyone else struggling with this to know.

I know how painful and isolating things can be, but I promise, healing is possible. Hang in there, friends. 💛

There isn't anything wrong with being sensitive, but people saying “you’re sensitive” in a condescending way can make you feel there is.

I know it can be hurtful when “you’re (too) sensitive” is used as an insult. I hope this post helps. 💛

When we dismiss our pain, we delay our healing. Remember that your pain matters, too, and you deserve to heal. 💛

Remember that you matter, and your pain matters; some people don’t have the capacity to hold space for it (or even their own pain).

Many of my friendships faded when my trauma symptoms were the most severe. I stopped making an effort, withdrawing from others, primarily due to shame, but also due to fear of judgment and dismissal and blame from others (which, unfortunately, most of us have experienced; that fear is 100% valid.) But I wish some of those friends knew I was “distant” because of my internal struggles, not necessarily because of something they did.

I'd love to hear about your experiences with isolation and withdrawing from your relationships. Please share in the comments if you're comfortable doing so. 💛

Trauma is deeply personal, so an experience that seems traumatic to one person may not be to another—the person most qualified to decide what is and is not traumatic to you is YOU.

Give yourself credit for the growth you’ve experienced while healing. YOU did that.

Everyone here is at different stages along their healing journeys. If you’re just starting or going through a rough patch, it may seem impossible to see yourself growing from your experience. But remember that healing is a process that takes time. Keep going. 💛

Last week, I did a poll in my stories where 97% of respondents said they hide their pain. When I asked why, these were the most common responses.

I wanted to create this post so people better understand why we may not feel comfortable opening up about our struggles. People use our lack of openness as an excuse to invalidate our pain once we feel safe enough to share (”If it was so bad, didn’t you tell me sooner?”). In reality, the fear of judgment and invalidation keeps many of us silent.

Please feel free to add to this list in the comments below.