I recently cycled out of a very intense, two-week cycle of emotions that were a symptom of my post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While it is fresh on my mind (and psyche!), I thought I would share what it feels like from the inside to help you understand your abused child a little better.

Anyone with PTSD might experience some form of this cycling of emotions. The symptoms will be much more intense for anyone who suffered from ritual abuse like I did.

It started with mild feelings of anxiety. I could not relax. I noticed myself slipping back into some of my anxiety-control tics, such as blowing on my hands. I could not pinpoint why, only that I was feeling a bit out of sorts.

Next came the headache. As the stress began to build inside of me, my head began to pound. I became cranky and had a shorter temper than normal. I was less able to shake off the minor irritations of life with humor, which is my normal way of coping with the day-to-day annoyances that arise.

Sleep loss came next.