Today I am thankful...

Today I am thankful for all of the people who have decided to share their story of having PTSD, depression, or anxiety. It seems relatively easy to find celebrities or even close friends who have issues with anxiety and depression but to find someone who has PTSD has proven to be difficult.

When I was first diagnosed with PTSD I looked everywhere for someone else who had it. I searched facebook up and down for a page or even just a person who had it. I wanted to find someone who had suffered longer than I had who had more ups and downs for a longer time than me. I wanted to find someone whom I could lean on when I had questions or needed advice. I ended up finding a fantastic 'secret' group on facebook. (Yes, it's actually a secret group, I found it through a general fan page.) There I found 18 other women who were willing to share their stories and to give advice or to just rant. I even met a lady on there who has been through sort of what I have been through. I can't tell everyone how greatful I am for these ladies! They all have been there since day one. If it wasn't for them speaking out about having PTSD, I wouldn't have found them. Yes, I did hide the fact that I had PTSD from most people for almost a full year but between these ladies and my therapist, I finally had the courage to tell my story. 

I wish more people would tell their story so they could help others when they need it most. I know this isn't for a lot of people but when I found more people who had PTSD, I felt more on their level. I guess you could say that I felt 'normal' to know people going through the same things, that I wasn't an alien. When I started telling people I have PTSD it helped me start healing more, it wasn't like I was hiding a deep dark secret anymore. I didn't have to put on a happy face in front of people all the time, I could show my real feelings. 

After all that being said, I respect and understand everyone who chooses not to share their story. I didn't want to for a whole year. I thought people wouldn't accept me for who I am. But honestly, telling my story and educating others on PTSD has helped me so much. You need to figure out what's best for you, if that's keeping it to yourself your whole life, that perfect, if you feel the urge to tell others, I think that's great too. I always tell myself that others can benefit from what I have been through. If I help out just one person, I feel like I have done my duty.