'I never could have imagined a world in which all strangers must stay six feet away from me.' HuffPostPersonal
, I was in a hospital emergency room. I had collapsed on a park bench, dizzy and slurring my words, and had trouble understanding where I was. The paramedics feared a stroke, but five hours later I was told nothing was medically wrong with me. I left feeling confused. The next day I was back to work, having told no one what had happened.living with post-traumatic stress disorder, the last few years have felt like tripping from one landmine to another.
I repeated this cycle for years, recovering only enough to get by and putting on a positive face to avoid making people worry. I went to therapy when I could afford it, consumed the “right” books and podcasts, practised yoga. In reality, it felt like I had survived the trauma, but I would not survive the recovery. I don’t wake in a panic in the morning, like finally having permission to feel panicked took the anxiety away.
When someone unexpectedly enters my personal space it can bring me back to times when I was touched without wanting to be. Of three responses to trauma — fight, flight and freeze — I tend toward dissociation, part of the “freeze” response. My mind shuts down to protect itself from too much information. It feels like I’m drowning, overwhelmed by my body’s response to the dangers it perceives around me.Crowds and unexpected situations can trigger the author's panic attacks.
I am left drowsy and forgetful, and have even fallen asleep in public for weeks after.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
COVID-19 outbreaks shine light on meat production in CanadaCOVID-19 outbreaks shine light on meat production in Canada GlobeBC
Read more »
Canadian Animal Blood Bank in dire need of donors amid COVID-19 pandemicThe CABB is holding emergency blood drives as demand increases during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read more »
NDP MPs Question Trudeau Government’s Deal With 'S**tty' Amazon“You can’t find a better example of the abusive practices of labour in the 21st century than Amazon,' said CharlieAngusNDP
Read more »
Trump administration slaps solar, wind operators with massive retroactive rent billsTrump administration slaps solar, wind operators with massive retroactive rent bills GlobeBusiness
Read more »
Economic storm brews over Newfoundland and LabradorPandemic, collapse of global seafood prices have brought province to the brink of insolvency
Read more »
Home Depot misses profit expectations as it spends heavily to reward employees working during the pandemic; shares dropRetailer scraps its full-year outlook, citing uncertainties stemming from the pandemic
Read more »