by Richard Cummings

I had been thinking or re-evaluating my past which I suggest we all do for a minimum time voluntarily, the other half of the time, our mind or unconsciousness does it for us whether we like it or not. Today, PTSD has risen as a result of society becoming more violent. If you had experienced a violent crime or been involved in a violent act or saw one, there is a good chance you have it. What is difficult is it’s like Pneumonia, if you had it once, it’s easier to get the next time. The definition of violence is always changing.

The victim is all of us and the perpetrators are many. If I were to say most all adults at the age of 30 have some level of PTSD, I believe it would be accurate enough. By age 30, you have observed or have been involved in some type of violent accident. You may have seen someone die and/or attended a funeral of someone close, including pets. You most likely are married or was. If it “was” you didn’t get along with someone who you thought you would and life suddenly changed for you. I am not going to commit to saying everyone who has been divorced had a PTSD event, but I would be fairly accurate saying you do. Even if you were living together, or had a close relationship, which you have had many by now, a negative event happened most likely which destabilized the relationship. I am not excluding the worst perpetrators, family members.

I am completing a scientific set of articles having to do about Quantum and Theoretical Physicists who are certain we live in a world which is a reflection of another one. That information alone may cause someone who is very religious, much disagreement and anger; so much so, the person would organize others to protest. If the protest turned violent, you have a very good chance of your body and senses going into what I call the Fright or Flight response. This is when your senses are overloaded for a period of time without you being aware. Your mid brain takes over increasing the heart rate and inducing a chemical reaction sending a biochemical into your blood called Adrenaline, temporary blocking your frontal lobe. Your body is ready in less than a second for immediate flight, fight or self-protection. What is interesting is this reaction takes place in the mid brain which most all animals and prehistoric humans have. When your brain decides your safe, the consequences are PTSD and a body full of adrenaline.

Here we are, in this world, full of unknowns, not knowing the truth, thinking subjectively. Suddenly you find yourself in a daydream re-enacting a bad experience. There are some fortunate individuals who could possibly feel better if they had some type of support, respect if you will. There are probably a handful of people who live in a protected environment who do. For the rest of us, we have to dig for support. The human thought process is entirely different for everyone. There isn’t one human on this earth who has had the same experiences as the other. I can accurately say all of us have been treated with disrespect causing anger and mistrust.

We all have an inner need to belong and feel important. This is talked a lot about in psychology and introduced by an Alfred Adler in the early 1900s. Our society and culture have become much more complexed since then, but the relative belief still exists. Respect is the most important character, personality trait, perhaps more important than love. Respect and support is not a guarantee of preventing or illiminating PTSD. It’s not going to take that pain away of disrespect or make any of our PTSD less worse. Its just there, a part of life now. One of those things we just are going to have to live with.