Art- The Start of My Woman

Who is this Woman?  

What will I call her when she is finished?

I set out on a challenge.  A challenge to create a piece of art that I have had in my mind for a very long time.

  She will be constructed in several stages.  

This is the first stage.  

I wanted to experiment with the colors and the 

flowers that I will be using in the final project. 

 For a long time after my accident,

 I saw most of life in very dull, grey hues.  

Over time, I began to find small amounts of peace.  

With the realization of peace, 

came an appreciation for the color 

that was slowly coming back 

into my perspective.

PTSD and Nightmares

Re-Occurring Nightmares

source

After someone is exposed to a traumatic event or experience they are likely to experience a few nightmares related to the traumatic incident that they experienced. 

Some people will experience recurring nightmares for a long period of time. These recurring nightmares play a large role and are a defining symptom in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. 

It is common for 71-96% of patients diagnosed with
PTSD to suffer from nightmares.  

The Mayo Clinic give great encouragement:

"Many people who go through traumatic events have difficulty adjusting and coping for a while. But with time and taking care of yourself, such traumatic reactions usually get better. In some cases, though, the symptoms can get worse or last for months or even years. Sometimes they may completely shake up your life. In a case such as this, you may have post-traumatic stress disorder.

Getting treatment as soon as possible after post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms develop may prevent long-term post-traumatic stress disorder. "

Why can I not sleep? 

I have asked my self this question over and over since my accident in May of 2011.  

After the onset of the accident and the physical pain that ensued, I found myself totally unable to find a comfortable position to sleep.  I lived on the family couch for just over a year and a half!  

I did not want to wake up my family as I struggled to sleep.  For much of the first year following the accident I slept less than a few hours a night and it would take all night to accumulate those hours.

photo source

The National Sleep Foundation states:

Some people with sleep problems and anxiety 

have post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.

 PTSD is a reaction to a traumatic stressful event 

resulting in a feeling of a loss of control and an 

inability to help yourself in a bad situation. 

It’s often experienced by people 

who are in situations that range 

from combat to rape, 

but it can be caused by a variety of events.

I will be honest: At the beginning, I spent hours and hours awake at night crying due to the lack of sleep, physical pain and emotional drain.....