Davina's experience ~ PTSD

Davina is a 23-year-old girl. She is diagnosed with PTSD. PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition triggered by a terrifying experience- either by witnessing it or experiencing it. In Davina's case, she experienced something quite a number of times which turned out to be quite traumatic with the passage of time. When she was a teenager, her cousin had come over to stay with her. She later realized and observed that while she used to be asleep, her brother used to take advantage of her and physically, and sexually molest her. She was even forced to kiss him on her birthday and many more times. She was quite helpless at that time cos the same brother had been molesting her since her very early childhood. When she tried seeing help from her family, no one trusted her and instead revoked her freedom. That is the reason why she couldn't go to her family because she knew she wouldn't be trusted again.

As time passed by, she started overthinking, stopped sleeping, and had a pessimistic view towards her life. Then she started smoking and drinking alcohol because that used to be ways she could escape the reality temporarily. The known symptoms of PTSD may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event. She used to have all the above symptoms. In the early times, her academic performance was also used to get affected due to the same. When she grew up she understood that and went to seek some help from a clinical psychologist. She got herself enrolled into therapy and soon got diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder. The PTSD symptoms are generally grouped into four types: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, and changes in physical and emotional reactions. Before getting herself to see a therapist or a psychologist started having negative and suicidal thoughts. When this started she reached out to a very very close friend of hers who explained to her that what was happening to her was not normal and to go get some help. Soon after the treatment started she started or at least tried being happy. Her treatment included therapy and some medications prescribed by the psychiatrist.