Sometimes I get stuck on wondering how one could ever adequately describe how it feels to have ptsd to the people in life who don't understand it and openly dismiss us as exaggerating or being drama queens and such.

It's frustrating to know that without experiencing it themselves or by proxy of someone they care deeply enough for they are unlikely to ever understand or care about those who suffer from it. Much less how much it hurts to be written off as either making it up or just seeking attention.

However, an amusing idea has recently popped into my head and continues to relieve some of that frustration as I picture the scenarios in my mind. I share this musing with the rest of you in hopes that it provides similar relief.


The idea is this: one of these individuals consumes half of one of those big bags of sugar-free Haribo gummy bears you can order on Amazon (look it up and read the reviews for a better understanding and plenty of laughs). These treats are essentially weapons grade laxatives disguised as candy due to the reaction many people have to the sugar substitute used in them.

Later when that person is crumpled on their bathroom floor in the midst of the nightmarish aftermath of their snack, pleading for any form of relief from their torment (which will likely have been going on for almost a day strait by that midpoint) you tell them to think about this whole ordeal. You tell them to imagine ALL of that pain, discomfort and torment, but taking place exclusively inside their head instead of in their guts and all over their now broken and overflowing toilet.

As they start to picture what that would be like to experience you then explain to them that that is more or less what it can be like to go through a rough period with ptsd.