“It all began after I had started dating women” said Sam*. He said that he couldn’t enjoy or truly kiss any girl. Initially he thought he might not be interested in opposite sex or might be Asexual but he was truly attracted to girls and he did want to have an intimate relationship with them. Whenever he got close to any women he started to become anxious. He went through therapy and got to know that in childhood he was sexually molested by his aunt. His mind had totally forgotten about the incident but it had affected his intimacy with any other women. He was finally diagnosed with Post traumatic stress disorder.
Imagine going through a traumatic experience like this and thinking that everything will be alright as time passes, but rather the wound becomes worse and unconsciously experiencing its dysfunctional effects on social, personal, professional life or/and health. This is what an individual with post traumatic stress disorder goes through.
Post traumatic stress disorder is among the most lightly taken or misunderstood disorder. One of the myth is that “PTSD affecting someone immediately after a traumatic ordeal is no longer at risk once the time has passed”. PTSD sometimes arises post 3 months after traumatic event, and for many it may take years for symptoms to appear(for example: effects of childhood abuse).
The second myth is that “only military veterans experience PTSD”. Though PTSD does affect war veterans but it can be developed in anyone, including old people and children. The individuals whose childhood is filled with abuse, neglect or molestation are highly susceptible to PTSD sometimes in their lifetime.
Last and the most important myth which is experienced by individuals suffering from the psychological disorder, “Experiencing PTSD is a symptom of mental weakness; people should just get over traumatic events of life!” It is very common to judge an individual suffering from any kind of disorder that they should get over it and not think about it. Imagine having dengue and people telling you to get over it and not to think about it.
The people who suffer from it know how uncomfortable are they or the situations where they consciously or unconsciously relieve their traumatic experience. Rather than consoling them or sending them for professional help, we try to give irrelevant suggestions which in itself is like wearing thick sweater in a sunny day.
Imagine to be in a Traumatic event or a guilt and then living in that guilt for rest of your life. This is the life of a person who is suffering from “post traumatic stress disorder”. Certain people who experience Traumatic situation like Tsunami, death, accidents, or any situation that leaves a mental scar or guilt behind that generates PTSD.
Prevention begins when we generate awareness and have empathy towards the happenings of surroundings as well. We at Lahe Lahe decided to Screen cinema from the world to bring in some awareness about various aspects of Mental Health. The screening of the film will be followed by a discussion on the subject led by a Developmental Therapist
On 23rd August 2019, we screen movie “Ordinary People” where the disintegration of an upper-middle class family in Lake Forest, Illinois, following the accidental death of one of their two sons and the attempted suicide of the other.
Director: Robert Redford, Writers: Alvin Sargent
Stars: Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch, Timothy Hutton
After the movie, there will be a facilitated discussion around “Post traumatic stress disorder” facilitated by Shraddha Modi, a developmental therapist whose passion for mental health has motivated her to study and work in this field.
See you on 23rd August 2019, 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm at Lahe Lahe Indiranagar
