PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), can cause people to be stuck and overwhelmed by the thoughts and feelings that occur from trauma that has occurred in the past. It can either be a “Big T” (a huge trauma) but life can also bring many “small t’s” (smaller, accumulative traumas) that can similarly have a devastating effect. Strong feelings, recurring thoughts, not being able to get past the event (s), avoiding situations, and becoming reactionary are some of the effects. I propose a new category -and call it CTSD. That would stand for CURRENT or CHRONIC traumatic stress disorder. There are situations that aren’t in the past at all, but continue to recur or are ongoing with cumulative effects.
I love the term “Post Traumatic Growth Opportunity “, aka PTSO: the opportunity to grow and change after a trauma or horrible time of life. This requires resiliency, tenacity, support and focus. The outcome from counseling is understanding trauma’s impact and accepting it is a part of who you are; learning how your character changes and becomes stronger; having community with others who have experienced the same thing; and doing the hard work to determine that you won’t succumb to anger, bitterness, anxiety, fear or depression.
This picture is of a sweet teapot my brother brought me from Greece. One day it fell and broke into pieces. So I glued it together-though not all the pieces were found. There are some holes in it, and I can’t put water in it anymore. But it is perfect for my (fake) lilacs-and still looks beautiful and holds the memories of my brother’s thoughtfulness. Post traumatic growth isn’t a glib saying like “bloom where you are planted”. Rather-there are jewels and gold to be found in unlikely places where we would rather not have to go to find them.
Blessings
Post Traumatic Growth Inventory below