Life For A Child

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This is a new link to an organization called COMPASSIONATE FRIENDS.  This link is for anyone who has suffered the loss of a child or who knows someone who has suffered the loss of a child.  The work that compassionate friends is doing is incredible.  I encourage you to visit the site anyway and to donate if you want to.  No parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle should ever have to know what it is like to lose a child but if someone does, Compassionate Friends is there to help.

POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER - A new area of interest to me (out of necessity but such is life) is the understanding and managing of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  PTSD can affect anyone who has suffered a traumatic life experience, particularly if the experience was forced on them and if it was something which they could not control.  The most common and well understood version of PTSD involves soldiers of war.  But PTSD can affect anyone who has been victimized by a dramatic event where they were not in control.  This can involve being stalked, attacked, raped or having one's safety threatened and not being able to regain a sense of control and safety.  So, far the best website that I have found is this one: 

http://helpguide.org/mental/post_traumatic_stress_disorder_symptoms_treatment.htm#

However, PTSD is not a situation where one should rely on self help and websites.  PTSD requires therapy, support and may involve years of long term management.   The good news is that PTSD comes about suddenly and for obvious reasons so it is relatively easy to anticipate.  While it is almost always debilitating if not managed, it can be managed well with the proper resources.  If you have suffered traumatically and things are not feeling better, speak to your doctor about PTSD.  Unmanaged PTSD will get worse and is very likely to lead to depression in addition to the debilitating aspect of the PTSD itself.