forum Help me write a character with mental ilness

Started October 15, 2018 by Liva

tune

Hi…erm. So I have a character who is dealing with PTSD , but i know nothing about it or know anyone with it.. So can someone please describe how would character act with said mental illness..

I do not have PTSD or know anyone with it, but I’ve been doing a lot of research because I’m writing a character with it too. I’ll type out some explanations later. I have to go to class.

Have them when ever hit by a sound similar to what ever they had it from have them cover down in shock and have visions.

So, PTSD comes in a lot of different forms. You see a lot of flashbacks, etc in the media, and yeah, sure, some people get these, and some people might react differently to the sound of a gunshot because of their traumatic experience, but those are very common routes to go when writing, and you should know all the symptoms you have to pick from. Of course, don't use all of them, because most people won't have them all, but pick your own reasonable blend. These are the main forms in which it displays itself:
Re-experiencing- Flashbacks (usually reliving the event, but it's not typically an exact retelling. Some things might be a little exaggerated, for instance), Bad dreams, Frightening thoughts; this can be triggered by reminders of the event
Avoidance- staying away from places, events, or objects that are reminders of the experience, avoiding thoughts or feelings related to the event; sometimes someone will go out of their way in their normal routine to avoid such things
Arousal/reactivity- easily startled, tense or on edge, trouble sleeping, angry outbursts; these symptoms are usually more constant rather than being triggered
Cognition and mood- Trouble remembering key features of the traumatic event, negative thoughts about self or the world, feelings of guilt or blame, loss of interest in enjoyable activities; also more constant symptoms, cause some detachment from friends/family/etc.
(My main source here is: nimh.nih.gov, the National Institute of Mental Health)

@Becfromthedead wow thanks a lot :)