***TRIGGER WARNING***

When I was 17 and first got my driver's license I was so excited. I had just bought my first truck and was so proud to finally be on the road. On my way to work one Sunday morning in December in 2013, I was driving down the highway like normal. It had snowed the previous night and was hailing but I didn't think anything of it. 

I felt my truck start to swerve a little to the left so I went to adjust my wheel and before I knew what was happening, my rear tires spun and I found myself facing the opposite direction. In a panic to avoid being hit by uncoming cars, I jerked the wheel to the left and in doing so, put myself in a barrel roll.

Witnesses say I rolled 3 or 4 times before coming to a stop. A nice older couple helped me out of my truck and let me sit with them while I waited for my mom to come get me. I needed a few stitiches above my right eye from a glass cut but other than that I was just a little shaken up and asked my mom to bring me to work (she said no of course) and brought me home to recover. 

That night was the first time I had the nightmares. I didn't sleep at all and would doze off in school. I went from being a productive student to almost failing my senior year. The nightmares went on for weeks until my mom forced me to go see a counselor. I was so embarassed about having these dreams. I was fine when I was awake, no symptoms of PTSD, my mom made me drive to school so I wouldn't be afraid of driving. I was fine. But every night when I closed my eyes, I relived it. 

Over time my symptoms got worse, if I hear a loud crashing sound I flinch and shake and sometimes even black out. I've been going to therapy to try to talk through my triggers but nothing is helping. I can't go on rollarcoasters anymore. I thought that as time went on, things would get better but I was so so wrong :( 

If anyone would like to share their story feel free to comment or message me. If you have any advice on how to cope with the trauma I'm all ears <3