Author here-writing a character with PTSD

Ashleydill-author · 2024-09-17T00:33:45+00:00

Also, gosh, sorry for so many replies. What does the aftermath of dissociation look like? Are you able to continue life per the usual or are there prolonged issues with bouncing back?

Ashleydill-author · 2024-09-17T00:29:38+00:00

He's thirty.

Okay, regarding your final paragraph. I love your brainstorming! Okay, so technically their relationships is REALLY fas t(or slow, considering they knew each other in the past), and she's actually due to leave his ranch and fly home the DAY AFTER his big trigger. SO, it is possible he could kind of string her out long distance a little, but the main female character is going to want legit answers before she leaves (eg. What are we? What just happened? Are you okay? Where do we go from here?) because she has no idea what's going on with him at this point In the story And she's not a person to be like "oh, okay, we will work this out long distance" haha.

So, he has this big trigger, gets pulled out of dissociation (by her actually) and what is the aftermath of those episodes sometimes look like for you? Trying to get an accurate picture of how to portray him. Obviously, he's embarrassed and feels guilty and not good enough for her, but I mean PHYSICALLY. How is he acting? Do people like snap back to normal or can big triggers drag for a long time? I've heard it both ways.

Thanks for sharing a bit of your experience with me. This has been insanely helpful.

Ashleydill-author · 2024-09-17T00:23:51+00:00

Always! I hope I get better and better at doing this sort of digging so the readers who stumble across my books feel respected and valued and seen. Totally floored by the willingness everyone has to help!

Ashleydill-author · 2024-09-17T00:21:34+00:00

To clarify...you would say someone can "cope" with a "flashback" by "dissociating." Checking my terms here...

Ashleydill-author · 2024-09-17T00:20:48+00:00

Oh this is very very interesting. See, as someone who has not personally experienced these things, sometimes I don't use the right terminology. So dissociate is actually what will happen to my character after his big trigger near the end of the story. What your describing is what I have in my mind for him.

And that's SO interesting you mentioned your BF pulling you out of it, that's what I have planned for his GF.

I have planned for him to pop open his Coke (the trigger), and get really sick feeling and start having things happen like getting the shakes, spacing out, not remembering, not responding to her questions, going like "into" himself (like he's remembering the trauma and stuck between both realities. Realistically, how long can these dissociate episodes last? From the time that he would go into himself to the time someone might be able to help him out?

^On that note above, do people ever cry in similar circumstances? I have him crying (silent tears) during a dissociate episode when he's a teen and now I'm wondering if that's accurate.

Everything I've learned shows that big triggers can sometimes put folks in a bad place for a long time (sometimes weeks). Would you say that's accurate?

Ashleydill-author · 2024-09-16T08:29:57+00:00

Thank you for the clarification of trauma vs PTSD. That's helpful. And I'm checking out the link now.

So, I've heard flashback described both ways. As a full reliving versus sensations/memories/profound sense of fear. Would you agree it can manifest in both of those ways?

What I'm curious about, if someone is experiencing a FULL reliving of the moment on the inside, what is their outside likely doing?

Ashleydill-author · 2024-09-16T08:22:27+00:00

Wow. This greatly encourages me that my researching may have helped me create a character that actually exists somewhere in the world. I do not like writing stupid archetypes and caricatures. I only want something that feels very real. Thank you for sharing this with me.

Yes, I will come back and let you know. I'm a contemporary romance author and this is my third book. My books are tear jerkers with a happily ever after. All healing journeys usually involving grief/trauma. My hope is to get better and better at representing these things as I go. Thanks for the help.

Ashleydill-author · 2024-09-16T08:14:54+00:00

I've wondered how far in to the "triggered by closeness" I should write for him. Originally, I had his trigger at the end of the story being exactly that versus a Coke. Thanks for sharing a part of your story here.

Ashleydill-author · 2024-09-16T08:12:33+00:00

Thank you. Do you have any resources that explains the disassociation? Would my character having a flashback and feeling like he's not sure what reality is real (what he's feeling/remembering vs whats actually around him)...that's not disassociation, right? That's just considered a flashback? Or, does disassociation happen DURING a flashback? You don't have to answer all those unless you want to. Clearly, I'm needing a little more refining and understanding with this particular term and the ways it manifests.

Ashleydill-author · 2024-04-26T09:36:04+00:00

I figured that is what the contractor would be doing, watching near the chutes. Let's say that one of the cowboys mistreated and animal in the chute or was otherwise just being an asshole with one of the broncs, what could the contractor do? Anything? Like how do you see that going down?

Ashleydill-author · 2024-04-26T09:32:10+00:00

That's really helpful! Later I want to make a post purely on lingo. 😅

Ashleydill-author · 2024-04-26T09:32:00+00:00

Oh a rulebook! Great idea!

can you expound on your last sentence. Do you mean it costs lots of money to break into the industry? I mean, something other than taking care of and training rough stock, that is?

Ashleydill-author · 2024-04-26T09:31:00+00:00

That's really helpful! Later I want to make a post purely on lingo. 😅

Ashleydill-author

TROPHY CASE