PTSD – Having a Happier Holiday
Good morning and Merry Christmas!! It occurred to me this morning that sharing a bit of how the trauma brain works might be helpful, especially for families gathering together during the Christmas holiday.
So here goes .. As a trauma survivor I remember every traumatic event in my life with equal clarity (and even more so) than most any positive event. For instance, I remember the acute feelings of abandonment when my mother left me and her car at a sitter’s when I was four with more clarity than the movie Les and I watched last night.
No reason to feel sad for me, it’s just the way the trauma brain works. And, it’s not just traumatic events. It’s like every major event in my life has been recorded as an easily retrieved 8 mm video. So, if your Great Aunt Cecilia seems preoccupied with something awful that happened to her when she was six, remember, to her that event is as clear and detailed as if it happened yesterday.
I hope that helps you and yours make the most of your time together. Cheers to making new and happier memories! …oh, and we watched three movies last night – the Christmas Rom about the German Shepherd was the best 
