“I started having flashbacks. They kind of came over me like a splash of water. I would be terrified. Suddenly I was reliving the rape. Every instant was startling. I felt like my entire head was moving a bit, shaking, but that wasn’t so at all. I would get very flushed or a very dry mouth and my breathing changed. I was held in suspension. I wasn’t aware of the cushion on the chair that I was sitting in or that my arm was touching a piece of furniture. I was in a bubble, just kind of floating. And it was scary. Having a flashback can wring you out. You’re really shaken.
“The rape happened the week before Christmas, and I feel like a werewolf around the anniversary date. I can’t believe the transformation into anxiety and fear.”
Does this story sound familiar? Can you relate to any part of this scenario? If you can you may be suffering from PTSD.