Do You Think It'll All Be Okay?

guys! look at him! hes normal!

I talk to many people who say things like "oh I have trauma but I don't have PTSD", but then when I talk to them a little more I realize that they most likely do, they just can't recognize it as such due to how lacking PTSD awareness is, even beyond the whole "it's not just a veteran's disorder" thing.

The main reason they think they don't have PTSD usually has to do with flashbacks and nightmares, either they have one but not the other or have neither. But here's the thing, those are only two symptoms out of the 23-odd recognized symptoms. Flashbacks and nightmares are two of the five symptoms under Criterion B (Intrusion), which you only need one of for a diagnosis. The other three symptoms are unwanted upsetting memories, emotional distress after being reminded of trauma and physical reactivity after being reminded of trauma (i.e. shaking, sweating, heart racing, feeling sick, nauseous or faint, etc). Therefore you can have both flashbacks and nightmares, one but not the other, or neither and still have PTSD.

In fact, a lot of the reasons people give me for why they don't think they have PTSD are literally a part of the diagnostic criteria.

"Oh, I can barely remember most parts of my trauma anyway." Criterion D (Negative Alterations in Cognition and Mood) includes inability to recall key features of the trauma.

"Oh but I don't get upset about my trauma that often because I avoid thinking of it or being around things that remind me of it most of the time." Criterion C (Avoidance) includes avoiding trauma-related thoughts or feelings and avoiding trauma-related external reminders, and you literally cannot get diagnosed if you don't have at least one of those two symptoms.

"Oh I just have trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep, but I don't have nightmares." Criterion E (Alterations in Arousal and Reactivity) includes difficulting sleeping outside of nightmares.

"But I didn't have many/any trauma symptoms until a long time after the trauma happened." There's literally an entire specification for that.

Really it just shows how despite being one of the most well-known mental illnesses, people really don't know much about PTSD. If you have trauma, I ask you to at least look at the criteria before you decide you don't have PTSD. Hell, even if you don't have trauma, look at the criteria anyway because there are so many symptoms in there that just are not talked about.

PTSD awareness is not just about flashbacks and nightmares.

[link]

we been knew its just a nail in a coffin tbh

This has been a PSA.

brand of the blood god.

From Allay, to Vex

Poem-tober day 1: Vex

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I don’t like what they did to you Pulled you so thin that walls mean nothing And left you solid enough to feel pain I don’t think you like what they did, either

They put a sword in your hand and bid you kill for them They do not bid you to die for them That is a given; there is no choice to live Even when the sword is gone, you still fight; you still die

I am scared of you Which I guess is what they want But I am not scared in the way they want I am scared of [what they have done to] you

You do not know me I think you did, once Back when you knew yourself beyond violence And we danced to the same simple songs

They call to me after the way they call to you Our names not for us, but how they use us Yours to distress, to worry, to fear Mine to calm, to alleviate, to help

I am bound to follow, as you are; it is our nature Though my fate is far more benign Simply to carry, to throw, to sort And to dance for their amusement by the music box

What you have become seems happy with its fate And I wish I could share that joy Even if I don’t understand why they hurt you so It should be enough to know you died laughing

But I wonder If anyone ever plays music for you The discs spin and they sound like love Like life, and the songs we used to know

If you heard one now, would you dance? Or have you forgotten how? If you must go, I wish you could go out dancing I will sing for you anyways

The fireworks are starting!

rice is the perfect food and westerners should eat more of it i'm so serious

Rebecca Sugar cooked with "Character whose entire existence is devoted to the service of another character who's now dead and now they have no idea what to do with themselves except live." I love that shit. I forged myself into a tool for you and now you're gone. I'm sniffing this like a bloodhound

THIS IS AWESOME??

Cool eye halo, bro