My blog delves into how individuals can triumph over life’s challenges, manage Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and discover hope and positivity amidst adversity. Learn personal resilience, practical coping strategies, and the value of personal growth.

PTSD Explained

PTSD is often misunderstood. As someone who has learnt to live with it, I know how hard this can be. Speaking from personal experience, PTSD is characterised by a deep vibration within the self. It resonates with trauma memories embedded in the body and in the brain’s amygdala, where long-term memories and trauma reside.

When muscles tighten due to stress, they pull on tendons, which can lead to joint displacement. During a trauma response, the heart pounds as the body prepares for fight or flight—a subconscious reaction that is difficult to control.

When the immediate threat is gone, but triggers remain, the body continues to react as if the danger is still present. This cycle defines a PTSD response with an understanding of the psychological and physiological aspects of the disorder.

Twister – The Netflix Documentry & the account of PTSD

The Netflix documentary “Twister” is about the tornado that struck Joplin, Missouri, in 2011, claiming 158 lives. The town was destroyed. Residents shared their experiences in this powerful film, evoking deep emotions in me. Two scenes, concerning the PTSD experience, have stayed with me.

A Silver Lining

One scene features a teenager whose life was troubled with drugs and truancy before the storm. Swept from a car by the tornado, he survived and, as a teenager, shared his harrowing journey to recovery. His previously estranged parents came together to support him during this time. He later married and had four children. The movie captures his joyful outcome, filled with deep emotion and a renewed connection to life after such an ordeal, revealing a silver lining that resonates with many.

The PTSD Experience

In a second scene, a brother and sister recount their ordeal while chasing the storm, a familiar activity for them. They share heart-wrenching footage from their car’s dashboard and sounds recorded during the tornado, allowing viewers almost to relive the experience with them. Mother Nature’s power is vividly captured through their recordings. As the brother shares his story, the emotion on his face and in his eyes is palpable, leaving a lasting mark on him. He describes a tingling sensation tied to his deep emotions and connects it to his understanding of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). In that moment, I realized he had articulated PTSD in simple yet profound terms.

Hearing their stories, while unique to each individual, reveals a shared human reaction. By sharing these experiences, others can relate to the emotions we all feel. Emotion defines our humanity; it cannot be replicated by a robot or fully captured in words. It is something we experience in the flesh, reaching deep into our souls. When we articulate these emotions, our words become valuable, and our voices gain power.

Personal Experience of PTSD

I have balanced life with the flight fright response triggered by overwhelming stress, for over a decade. Time has proven to be a continual healer, along with therapies like EMDR, kinesiology and talk therapy.

Despite my own challenges, I’ve made significant progress and deepened my understanding of the human psyche, mind, body, and soul. I’ve remained focused on achieving my goals—a life filled with family, friends, a home, and a rewarding career. I’ve never lost sight of these aspirations.

At times, I’ve felt incredibly alone in my experience with PTSD. Trauma is often dismissed or misunderstood. A lack of recognition can lead to questions about one’s mental well-being and sanity, forcing one to justify oneself.

These experiences have inspired me to write my latest book, I AM, I WAS, which I hope to publish later this year, 2025.

The Discovery of Hope

Sharing a story infused with emotion creates a ripple effect, connecting people to one another. When hearts open—whether through grief or other experiences—there emerges a silver lining that restores balance and hope. Joy follows sorrow, contentment rises from upheaval, and peace emerges after pain. Courage propels us forward, while resilience is forged in adversity, allowing us to evolve both inwardly and outwardly. We become wiser, stronger, and bolder, all while retaining the delicate strength of a newborn flower. The flower sways in the wind and returns to its form, not the large, dried tree, which symbolizes a hardened ego that ultimately falls.

In all its splendour, a flower can stand tall and radiate beauty and grace despite the storms it has weathered. It may lose its petals, but they can regrow with the changing seasons. In contrast, a tree that stands grand but remains unwatered in the face of adversity may tumble down and cannot rise again.

Which analogy resonates with you more—the flower or the tree?

With love,
Anna Jane X