Faces of PTSD Day "Not All Wars Take Place On The Battlefield."

I just found out today is #FacesofPTSD day. Today is a day to unite and show that PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is not only associated with soldiers on the battlefield. No one is immune to potentially ending up in a situation that could lead to battles with PTSD. Abuse, rape, accidents...there are countless ways that could cause PTSD to manifest.

I have dealt with PTSD since I was 18 years old. I'm now 39, and even with counseling I still have triggers and days that I struggle. You may be wondering why I would choose to address this here, on my pregnancy blog.

The reason is simple.

At 18 I was raped and that incident resulted in pregnancy.

I did what you are supposed to do. I went to the ER. Had the rape kit done, pressed charges...it was a humiliating and miserable timeline of events. In that day, I didn't know just how miserable it could be.

You see, I was only 18 years old. I had no one one my life who had been through anything similar. I didn't know what to expect medically or legally. I was just helplessly pulled under and along by the current of events, never able to catch my breath.

Just when I thought I could find moments of peace from the nightmares, the daily fears of if I was being followed or watched, I began having horrible cramps and some bleeding. An ER visit confirmed that I was having my very first miscarriage. I was shocked, angry, heartbroken....so many emotions that it was hard for me to process my thoughts.

To this day, I still have triggers. I still have fears. I still find myself paralyzed when faced with things and thoughts that flood my mind and body with ingrained stress and fear.

I may have never stepped foot on a military battlefield. But I assure you, my war is just as real and has had lifelong negative impact on how I feel, think, live, and react to the world around me.

I am the Face of PTSD.

Read the article that started the movement:

"What gives Google? PTSD search results"