After LMK was diagnosed with a mental illness, I spent a lot of time learning about the different types of illnesses people deal with every day. There are the "classics" like OCD and d.epression, but there are also less spoken about illnesses like sc.hizophrenia, borderline pe.rsonality disorder, and PTSD (post-traumatic stress syndrome).

To date, I have not experienced much mental illness. I have bouts of depression, like most folks, but for the most part - I am lucky. However, after the incident with the rat a little over a week ago I began to experience some PTPSD symptoms.

Three symptoms of PTSD are:

  • Re-living the event - Sometimes, if I close my eyes, I can see the whole scene play out again. I can see the thin tail that looked snake-like, until I realized what it was.
  • Avoiding reminders - This one was tricky. Since I have a bladder the size a pea, avoiding the "scene of the crime" was incredibly difficult. I found myself running upstairs instead of going back to the downstairs bathroom.
  • Being on guard - This one was the more difficult. Most women know what a "hover-er" is. I have never been a hover-er. Now? I perch on my own toilet seat...terrified that a rat is going to sneak up behind...beneath...below on me and bite my tush. I mean, my mother always said, "if you see one mouse, you can bet he has 9 more friends." So logically, I've got 9 more rats to find before I can safely pee in peace.
If what I've experienced is even a tenth of what true PTSD sufferers must endure, then they are truly exceptional people.

* Post Traumatic Potty Stress Disorder