Dr. John A. King explains that PTSD isn't cured but managed better over time. Symptoms can suddenly return with panic and paranoia, surprising those around you. When overwhelmed, he asks loved ones for 12 to 24 hours alone to stabilize, a practice he calls getting the ducks in a row.
I had someone approach me yesterday about being involved in a documentary on post-traumatic stress disorder, and they put a question to me. Do I believe that people, you know, overcome PTSD? They get cured of it? My reflection was, you know, personal experience, no. We all get better at managing it. And that's the key, is we have to accept it and manage it. It's a little bit like, you know, telling someone with autism they just need to get over autism and just come on, give me a hug. I might string together 30 good days, but on day 31, my world falls apart. Panic, paranoia, whatever it is. Can't go out in crowds. And people get shocked. They go, man, I thought you were over this. You're never over it. Most of the time you're just better at managing it. And I think for those of us who do have post-traumatic stress disorder, one of the challenges we have is sometimes the wheels fall off our world and we need to ask those close to us, look, just give me a little room. I just need 12 hours, 24 hours to get my ducks in a row.
