PTSD As a Person

His name is post traumatic stress disorder.  But people call him PT for short.  He’s someone you never want to face.  He’s always picking on people who’s already been in a bad situation and people that have already gone through so much that don’t deserve it.  Especially war veterans.  You will never look for him or expect him, but when he finally comes around, it’s bad.  So if something bad happens to you, you already know you’re also going to have to deal with him.  When he’s there, there is no getting rid of him.  He haunts you.  You know why, but at the same time you don’t.  He makes you remember all the bad things you don’t want to think about.  He even makes you forget about all the good times.  He bothers you every second of the day.  If any incident even close to the terrible incident you had earlier, you already know PT will be there to remind you and cause you pain.  When he’s around, you will get nothing done.  You can’t stop thinking about all the things he’s reminding you of.  They’re so bad you can’t function.  

You don’t want to take PT out in public with you.  He will embarrass you in public and make you look awkward in ordinary situations.  He will make you worried about things you shouldn’t be worried about and makes you remember the terrible incidents from just about anything.  You are welcome to bring PT to the therapist, but chances are he’s still going to want to come with you and won’t leave after.  Sometimes writing about the things PT reminds you of kind of helps, but he even makes writing hard.  He keeps poking at you old things you don’t want to listen to which obstructs everything you really want to write about.  And even when you try to write about the terrible things he reminds you he bothers you so much you can’t even write about them.  

The worst part about PT is he wakes you up and doesn’t let you sleep.  He makes you think about your terrible experience that made him come in the first place.  And when you’re sleeping he will make you have the worst nightmares every night multiple times a night.  You just can’t sleep with him around.  He’s someone you’ll never want to see, but once you see him it’s already too late.