According to The Internet, my whispering friend in the lonely wilderness, post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms may include:
Flashbacks (check)
Reliving traumatic events for minutes or even days at a time (check)
Shame or guilt (oh, check)
Upsetting dreams about the traumatic event (check)
Trying to avoid thinking or talking about the event (checky doo-dah)
Feeling emotionally numb (sometimes)
Self-destructive behavior, such as drinking too much (ha ha, I gave up drinking ages ago. I win. The fightback starts right here, right now.)
Hopelessness about the future (oh)
Trouble sleeping (well, yes.....check)
Memory problems (excruciating memory problems, yes.....check. I can still do that thing where you memorise an entire box of Trivial Pursuits questions in a few hours, flawlessly, but useful stuff remains elusive. Getting better, though. No, it's not. Just trying to be positive.)
Trouble concentrating (sometimes)
Being easily startled or frightened (occasionally, but less so nowadays)
Not enjoying activities you once enjoyed (check)
Hearing or seeing things that aren't there (they are there)
"Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms can come and go. You may have more symptoms during times of higher stress or when you experience symbolic reminders of what you went through."
That sounds about right, yes. Check.
I tell you what, The Internet sometimes really knows his stuff. What a good boy, what a lovely friend.
