HEALTH UNDER THE SHADOWS OF PTSD

Trauma Victims Face Lifelong Effects of the Disorder

By Lindiwe Vilakazi WI Health Reporter

The quality of our mental health can quickly jump from stable to incredibly dicey territory after a life-changing encounter or traumatic event. Underneath a seemingly reserved demeanor, a subtle trigger or circumstance can open the proverbial “pandora’s box" to a host of adverse behavioral outcomes for people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental ailment that devel- ops from an experience of hyperintense, scary, dangerous or shocking events. The harrowing impacts of PTSD often present hindrances on an individual’s quality of life, psychosocial functioning, and other alarming variables including suicidality.

Native Washingtonian Damon Roberts, 60, and author of “Matter of Time: Continue to March,” knows all too well the turbulent chain of events that a life with PTSD can cause, experiencing the disorder from two sides of the coin being an Iraqi war veteran, and later on in his life as a returning citizen,