Preview

Traumatic Experience Essay

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
536 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Traumatic Experience Essay
In life, many things are taken for granted on a customary basis. For example, we wake up in the morning and routinely expect to see and hear from certain people. Most people live daily life with the unsighted notion that every important individual in their lives at the moment, will exist there tomorrow. However, in actuality, such is not the case. I too fell victim to the routine familiarity of expectation, until the day reality taught me otherwise.
Growing up, I always found sanctuary confiding in my father's youngest brother, Dean; I had a favorite uncle, as we all seem to have at one point in our lives. Since Uncle Dean was the youngest, I looked at him as the coolest out of the myriad of older relatives. He often bought me ice cream sundaes and showered me with aimless jokes and "piggy-back" rides. Most of the time spent visiting my father on weekends, was actually spent wrestling with Uncle Dean or playing video games until the break of daylight. I looked forward weekends, because that meant "Uncle Dean Time". I expected to hang out with my Uncle Dean every Friday and Saturday. In fact, I knew for certain he would be waiting at my father's home with some brand new clothes or any other prize vied for by a 10 year old. Little did I know that over the next coupe of years, I would gain knowledge of one of the most important lessons of life: value those dearest to you, for you never know how long they will be in your company.
When 12 years old came around, nothing could've primed me for the amount of devastation that was to submerge my happy little world. Two months after my birthday, I received word that my renowned and dearly loved, Uncle Dean, had been killed in an unfortunate automobile accident. Crushed, yet filled with a strange numbness, I became withdrawn and dwindled in disbelief. "How could this be?" I would repeat those words of this question over and over to myself, as if it were some magical mantra that could resurrect my deceased best ally. I began

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    PTSD, or commonly known as Post-traumatic stress disorder, is the development of characteristic symptoms after a psychologically traumatic event, typically outside the range of usual human experience. It is important to remember that the reaction to stress is highly individualized, which means that the stress that would cause this syndrome in one person could possibly have little, if any, effect on another person. (TCMD). Vietnam veterans are particularly vulnerable to post-traumatic stress disorder. Thousands of the 600,000 Americans who served in that war still suffer feelings of alienation, sleeping problems, relieving of painful experiences, and difficulty concentrating. Most veterans do not suffer from the disorder; of those who do, many did not experience symptoms until months or even years after their return home. Those who suffer from the disorder seem more likely to have other stressful events in their lives, which in turn make the disorder seem worse—a vicious cycle. (Lefton)…

    • 698 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    I never thought me, of all people, would experience such a sorrowful day. I have tried to forget it time and time again; but the reality is I will always remember every miniscule detail, moment, word, and facial expression on that particular day. My heart managed to shatter into a million pieces, leaving me without a reason to pursue my existence. My salty tears freely rolled down my warm cheeks, causing my eyes to burn sensationally. I remember mourning on the comforting shoulders of my family members, as they too were consumed by their feelings. The most valuable lesson that beared a reservation in my spirit was to cherish every moment and loved one, for tomorrow is not guaranteed to anyone. I wish I could have fathom this reality before the climactic tragedy struck me like a ton of bricks. Although death is normal, it seemed almost foreign when it abducted the life of my favorite uncle.…

    • 1141 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Strategy 1:A main problem that soldiers with PTSD try to cope with is the stigma that surrounds their illness. In the military, many people think that having PTSD is a form of weakness. This ideology is what hurts many soldiers. Their friends,colleagues, and families think that they are some sort of liability and that they are weak and useless. For captain Wayne Johnston(a military captain with ptsd), “the pain of dealing with his diagnosis – and the stigma that comes with it – is worse than any physical pain he’s ever suffered.” To deal with this issue there must be a massive reconstruction of…

    • 922 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Dsm-5 Trauma Essay

    • 501 Words
    • 3 Pages

    According to the DSM-5 trauma is defined as “exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violation” (APA, 2013). The exposure must be as a result of either: direct experience the traumatic event, observed the traumatic event personally, learnt of a traumatic event that happened to a close family member or close friend, or experiences first-hand repeated or extreme exposure of traumatic event (not through pictures, media, television, or movies) (APA, 2013). More so, in treating trauma and any disorder as a result of traumatic events there are so many interventions that have been proposed in treatment. Nonetheless, Cloitre, Cohen, and Koenen (2006) in their book titled Treating survivors of childhood abuse: Psychotherapy…

    • 501 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Victim Interview Paper

    • 662 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Victim parked their vehicle, a green 2003 Toyota Corrola, on the side of a Family Dollar in Fort Worth, Texas. Upon the victim's arrival, she went into the store, leaving her car on because she would only be a second and she did not want her car to get cold again since it was early January. While she was in the store, the suspects pulled into the parking lot next to the victim's vehicle. One suspect jumped in her vehicle and they both drove away. After the victim realized that her car was not in the parking lot, she called police to the scene to file a report.…

    • 662 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Ptsd Research Paper

    • 994 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Ptsd was first recognized by the medical community by war veterans. Ptsd is common. It was stated in, (Adaa.org)," 67% of people who experienced some form of violence has Ptsd. The rate is higher than any other form of traumatic events." Americans age 18 or older will experience Ptsd at some part in their lives.(Adaa.org). This is a serious condition that can develop after a person has experienced or witnessed a tramatic event; where physical harm occured or the person was threatend. This condition causes fear, helplessness in people who suffer from Ptsd. Families of victims can also develop Ptsd. This…

    • 994 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    African Americans today are still suffering from the disgusting horrors of slavery. One woman, author Cindy George, wrote “Do you have Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome?” Published in 2015 on Ebony magazine, and she suggest that the way African American people respond to racial events may go back to harrowing treatment of our enslaved ancestors. George begins building on recent events such as Eric Garner who was choked to death by a police officer on camera and the cop was able to walk away with no charges. Another case in a Dallas Suburb of McKinney, Texas where an African American teenage girl and her friends were harassed and physically touched by the white neighbors and even worse the police officers. To the bloody beating of an African American college student in Virginia, to the massacre of nine congregants attending bibles study in Charleston, SC, church in June. George begins to build her arguments with…

    • 611 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    PTSD In The Military Essay

    • 1052 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is defined as “A prolonged maladaptive reaction to a traumatic event that is characterized by intense fear, avoidance of stimuli associated with the event, and reliving the event.” (Nevid & Rathus, p.261). PTSD is common in soldiers who have fought in wars. However, not just the individual suffering from PTSD is affected. The family members also have to learn to deal with the effects that this disorder has on their loved one. What resources are available to help these family members learn to understand and cope with this disorder?…

    • 1052 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    PTSD research paper

    • 1664 Words
    • 5 Pages

    I have been to two major conflicts in my tenure and both of them involved driving through the rugged terrain when no other unit was willing; we were the front line support for all of theater. This proved to be a very…

    • 1664 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Holocaust Essay

    • 722 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Propaganda, the relocation of people to the Ghettos, the creation of laws to strip people of their rights, and the use of technology to increase the efficiency of the machinery of genocide. Genocide is a term created after World War II to describe the systematic murder of an entire, political, cultural, or religious group. These are just some of the numerous systems that Adolf Hitler used to implement the Holocaust. Because of Hitler, nearly six million Jews were exterminated. Hitler's idea of a "perfect world" was a world full of people, but only people with blonde hair and blue eyes, although he himself had dark hair and brown eyes. So basically, he is a hypocrite in my opinion.…

    • 722 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Repressed Memories Essay

    • 1267 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Repressed memories have long been one of the most highly debated topics in psychology. Repressed memories are said to be a defense mechanism for forgetting, or disassociating from, extremely traumatic events. However, an overwhelming amount of research suggests that traumatic events are much more likely to stick to memory because they are extremely emotional. It is important to understand the reality of repressed memories because the perpetuation of these memories can have extreme personal, legal, and moral implications. Despite popular belief and anecdotal cases, there is no support in cognitive research for the existence of repressed memories.…

    • 1267 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Post traumatic stress disorder, known as PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that affects one’s mental health. Its victims experience symptoms following the witnessing of events that cause severe psychological distress. Such events are mostly those of war, violence, abuse, or serious accidents. Lasting from a few months to many years, post traumatic stress disorder causes very intense, emotional or physical pain. Although many health professionals used to question whether or not PTSD is a legitimate disorder, it leaves a severe impact on one’s life and the people’s lives around one.…

    • 853 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Holocaust Essay

    • 1218 Words
    • 5 Pages

    “Hate and intolerance are the catalysts for the destruction of a family, of a culture, and a nation”, by Werner Gellert, chair of The New Mexico Holocaust and Intolerance Museum and Study Center. (history:www.nmholocaustmuseum.com) It is vital to remember and pass to a new generation the history and lessons of the Holocaust since over 5.7 million Jewish people had their lives taken away by a man who was intolerant of their religion. The largest numbers of victims of the Holocaust were Polish citizens. Adolf Hitler tried to destroy a nation by destroying families who were targeted because of their religion and culture.…

    • 1218 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    All over the world, children are being abused mentally and physically everyday. It is important that people know the different psychological disorders and symptoms that children have due to the abuse they go through. It is also important as a parent, medical worker, officer, educator, and many others to be able to identify child abuse and the psychological disorders and symptoms in order to help protect that child or children. This paper will provide evidence to answer the question: What are potential psychological disorders and symptoms of children who experienced physical or mental abuse?…

    • 868 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Essay On Child Abuse

    • 1271 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Child abuse has been happening all over the world to children of all ages, although many children don't speak up because they feel they might get hurt more. Child abuse is when a parent, or caregiver caused an injury, death, emotional harm, or risk of serious harm to a child. There are many forms of child abuse, including neglect, witnessing domestic violence, emotional abuse, sexual, physical, and substance abuse.…

    • 1271 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays