I feel like when our society thinks about PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), typically we all associate it with extremely traumatic events like going off to war or witnessing death. While those are traumatic and life-changing events, what most people don't know is that even small things in your life that take you by storm and traumatize you can cause symptoms of PTSD.

When I went through my last breakup, the way I was treated at the moment scarred me. I couldn't believe that someone I had loved with every fiber of my being could be so irrational and cruel. Every day following it felt like a crescendo, it started out small and hard and eventually worked its way back up. I remember staying away from my phone for the next few weeks after the event because every tiny thing I would see would send me into a negative spiral. Most of all, I remember how hard the PTSD symptoms hit me. I went to a therapist a week after the event and I made sure to tell her everything I was thinking and feeling. She assured me that I would be okay in the end -- something I already knew to be true -- but she also warned me that my symptoms would probably be around for a while.

My symptoms included:

Nightmares and Flashbacks

I would wake up every morning feeling the same as I did the morning after I was hurt. I would have nightmares about the event every single night and they would seem so vivid and real that I would be traumatized all over again. Most of my friends who would check up on me would tend to contact me later in the day after I had already gotten over the nightmare from the night before, so I would tell them I'm okay when really, I felt like I was suffocating. I felt like no matter how great things would get, by the end of the day I knew I would have to go to sleep and the cycle would start all over again. It was like I couldn't escape the past no matter how much I wanted to or how hard I tried.

Loss of Appetite

One thing anyone who goes through a sad event will notice is a loss of appetite and weight loss. Going through this symptom was super hard because I knew that I had to still eat food like a regular person, but for some reason, I was just never hungry. It wasn't a problem of getting me to eat, it was more that I never felt like my body needed food and I never felt my stomach growl. It was a super odd feeling and when I tried to eat more, I felt like I was overeating. One thing I had to learn through that is when we're sad or depressed, it is always great to eat a lot of food because the chemicals in foods like chocolate and carbs can increase our happiness. It's easy to avoid food when we're sad because our bodies don't signal to our brains that it's hungry unless we're out of our slump, so getting yourself out of that slump is important.

Waves of Sadness

This was the scariest symptom to me because it caused me to be in this slump where I felt like I had to isolate myself from the world. I would get invited to go out and visit friends, but I felt so unable to control my thoughts and emotions. I have had depression my entire life, but for some reason, these waves of sadness almost felt worse than any sort of depressive moments I've had. I felt like because of what he told me that day that maybe I really wasn't worth the time and energy anymore. I felt worthless and sad and honestly, I wouldn't wish those feelings on anyone, not even my worst enemy because those waves of emotions were terrifying until I got them under control.

While it has been weeks since I was first hurt and I have gotten myself out of feeling my symptoms more and more every day, I thought it would be good to share my feelings with the world and bring awareness to the fact that even if a situation doesn't seem life changing to you, it might to someone else. I never thought that I would end up in the situation I was put in, just like I never thought someone I love would treat me like a stranger. Every person has experienced something that may affect them like never before, whether it's as big as going to war, or as small as a breakup. However, these things were meant to happen to prepare us and help us grow as human beings. There IS a light at the end of the tunnel, and no matter what feelings you may be experiencing, even if they don't affect you every day like mine did, it's important to realize that you will be okay. If I can get through my daily slump, you can, too. All it takes is time, patience, and love for yourself.