Irum Khan

Let starts discussing about PTSD. Post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a serious, potentially debilitating condition that can occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a natural disaster, serious accident, an act of terrorism, or sudden death of a loved one, war,violent personal assault such as rape, or other life-threatening events.Most people who experience such events recover from them, but people with PTSD continue to be severely depressed and anxious for months or even years, following the event. They frequently relive the event throughflashbacks and nightmares. Relaxing, concentrating, or sleeping may become difficult, and they often feel detached or estranged from others.

PTSD is characterized by three main symptoms: Re-experiencing the
trauma through intrusive distressing recollections of the event,
flashbacks, and nightmares. Emotional numbness and avoidance of
places, people, and activities that are reminders of the trauma.
Increased arousal such as difficulty in sleeping and concentrating,
feeling jumpy, and being easily irritated and angered.

Now ask this question to yourself. Recognizing PTSD... do I have it?
Yes, I do have it and I bet majority of people have the same problem.
A couple of months ago, I went to a doctor. I had severe stomach ache
whether I ate or not, ache was there. My doctor knows me since ages.
He checked and asked me everything and found every thing to be
alright. Then in a very nice friendly chat, he asked me “Daughter of
Genghis Khan” What is going in your life besides this stomach ache? I
said I am enjoying my life. While chatting I revealed I can not sleep
during the night. I have always bad dreams and nightmares. He asked me
to share one of the bad dreams. I agreed but asked him to do a
positive evaluation of my dream. He promised. I only shared this dream
in which I am in my dad’s home. All of my family members are there and
we are laughing. All of a sudden there was a horrible sound of a blast
and I heard people screaming and crying. I also saw there is fire all
around me but I do not have any feeling of burning. I tried to stop
everyone. "Hey guys listen, I m standing in the fire but I do not have
any burns. Why all of you are crying and screaming?" I also heard
sounds of my dear-ones who were screaming, asking for help. While I
was narrating the dream, the doctor stopped me. "Ms.Khan you are too
much worried about your family," he said and advised me not to watch
TV news or read incidents like these.

To be short if I am suffering from such diagnosis while sitting in the
United States, just imagine the plight of people who are facing such
incidents daily in their lives. I think we all belong to each other and
I only need love and peace in this world. I think I m not asking for the
more.

Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that. (Martin Luther King Jr.)

God bless and keep smiling!