literature

Breaking the Silence

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Published: Oct 11, 2008

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Literature Text

Silence was golden, now it is broken
Screams went unheard, now fully spoken
Dreams were shattered, now kept clear
Desires once hidden, now shone with fear

Hear me now, hear what I say
Those kept in prisons, bars made of clay

Dig deep in darkness, show us your light
Draw on our strength, show you can fight
Sing to the heavens, show stars to shine
Strangle the hate, show our life on the line

Hear me now, hear all I cry
Those in the darkness, afraid when we die

Swim in the poison, the fears you mould
Dance with the devil, his hand you hold
Suffocate the memories, the giant’s face leers
Drowned out the passion, black souls your peers

Hear me now, hear how I sigh
Those in the silence, now say goodbye.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a condition that effects millions the world over. At first, it was diagnosed mostly in war veterans and those who had experienced abuse. Now, though, research has found that even those who have seen a traumatic event second hand may experince the effects of PTSD. Case in point, the 9/11 attacks here in the US. After that even and the repeated exposure of the footage through the media, thousands of Americans showed signs of PTSD.

It effects children as well. Sadly, they are often misdiagnosed as having ADD or Bipolar disorder, as trigger event can cause the child to act in a way that is similar to symptoms mostly seen in ADD/ADHD suffers.

Triggers are different for each sufferer, and each person reacts differently to the triggered episodes. Long gone memories can resurface at times, leading to an episode. Even something as simple as a movie, a smell, or a sound can trigger an episode, which can last for minutes, or weeks. Sadly, some sufferers are trapped in silence, unaware of what is going on within them, and that there is help out there for them.

My daughter, who is almost 5 was diagnosed with PTSAD, a high anxiety level of PTSD, about a year and half ago. It is so hard for her to understand what is happening to her, and why she feels the way she does. Each day is different for her, and as her mom, I am never sure what will trigger her, so it is a learning experience for me. At times it is very hard to deal with, and some nights, the emotional pain I feel for her is exhausting.

To compound this, I have also been diagnosed with PTSD and have been dealing with it as best as I can for years now. Therapy has helped, and I have other calming de-stressers that I do to help me combat the attacks I get at time. However, it has only been with in the last few weeks that I discovered how far back my PTSD triggers went. One such episode has lasted for several days, rendering me unable to preform the most simple of task, from reading and writing to cooking. I am over the worst now, and thankfully, have learned some new techniques to help me stay calm, and out of the panic attack mode.

So if you know of anyone who is experiencing PTSD, be supportive in anyway you can, even if that means giving them some space. And for those who are sufferers, know you are not alone. Stand together, and be heard.