The bias against saying ‘I have PTSD” | Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Perhaps you are familiar already with the common symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) but let’s review major symptoms real quick: having flashbacks of an event, having intrusive thoughts or images regarding the event or about oneself, nightmares and sleeping issues, distress over real or imagined events, and experiencing the physical sensations of an panic attack, as well as changes in personality due to a traumatic event.

One thing we have to get over thinking is that a diagnosis of PTSD can only occur when a person has experienced something we objectively believe “should” cause PTSD. Many people still think of a soldier who served in combat as their only association with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Truth be told an abusive, chaotic, or unstable childhood or abusive adult relationships are probably the more likely life events that cause PTSD.  Whenever someone has an experience with trauma, which could include violence, neglect, or uncertainty around safety, that person has a chance of developing PTSD.  PTSD is essentially a nervous system response to an injury within the brain caused by a onetime trauma or repeated traumatic events. Think of it as a brain bruise or injury. Bombs and explosions certainly are very traumatic events but so is a childhood of neglectful parents.

I notice clients feel weird about accepting or disclosing to others a diagnosis of PTSD if the triggering events were domestic violence or an abusive parent. The concern they have is that others will think they are being dramatic or “weak” and they often tell themselves they should have been able to endure whatever abuse they encountered without it affecting their nervous system. If a clinician has identified a person as having PTSD, or if a person recognizes they have the signs and symptoms of PTSD, they should not feel shame for having the diagnosis itself. I think as a society we need to be more clear on the notion that a lack of good parenting education continues to perpetuate trauma.  Many parents have no idea how their lack of responsiveness to their child may be a trauma to their developing brain. Many parents still believe spanking and physical punishment are appropriate, even though we have had clear research that corporal punishment is ineffective and perpetuates violence in families.

Although I would never want anyone to feel they had to disclose diagnosis to others if they are not comfortable doing so, I also believe it’s important to educate the public about how much more common the diagnosis of PTSD is in people who did not go to war or experience a major traumatic event such as a sexual assault, or serious car accident.


The good news about PTSD treatment is that our brains are incredibly plastic and trauma treatments such as EMDR and psychedelic assisted therapy such as ketamine treatment, have shown themselves to be effective treatments for many people.  These treatments have the ability to change neural pathways which allows for a healing of the brain, which then changes the way we respond to traumatic triggers. This then allows us to change the negative thoughts that usually develop as a result.

Diagnosis and being able to accept ourselves as having a nervous system that requires specialized treatment should not carry additional stigma.  Remember a big part of healing is allowing the self-acceptance that you are not “weak” for developing a bruise because you were injured.