This Is What It's Like To Have PTSD

It's mental health awareness week at BuzzFeed, which means that for the next seven days, they will be pushing mental illness in the spotlight to help educate the unaffected population and support the affected or affiliated. With only a week of the Internet's attention, it will be hard to spread the care and awareness deserved — but hopefully by watching this video which features people explaining what it feels like to have PTSD, an impact will be made. The video was put together with confessions sourced from the Whisper app, an anonymous community that allows you to post secrets a la Post Secret.

Like with any mental illness, stigma is an issue. People suffering with PTSD especially worry about stigma, which can deter them from opening up and getting the help they need. The expectations and societal pressures to be affected or not affected in certain ways can be daunting and isolating. Which is why it's no surprise that the Whisper app receives many, many confessions from people who don't feel comfortable sharing it with psychiatric professionals or with people they love.

PTSD can result from a number of events, including emotionally or physically traumatic events in childhood or adulthood. Here is some insight to exactly what people suffering from PTSD experience:

Can't Sleep At Night

So scared of the nightmares that the exhaustion is worth it.

A Diagnosis Would Make It Too Real

Leaving a state of denial is scary.

Watch the full video here. If you or someone you know is suffering from PTSD, find support here.