(Clearwisdom.net) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a psychiatric disorder that can occur after experiencing or witnessing life-threatening events, such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, serious accidents, or violent personal assaults. People who suffer PTSD often re-live such experiences in nightmares or flashbacks. Patients also have difficulty sleeping and frequently feel detached or estranged. These symptoms can be severe and can last for a long time, reducing significantly the quality of the patient's life.
When a person undergoes significant life change or tribulation, he or she is highly susceptible to PTSD. Some people who have suffered severe mental anguish end up committing suicide. One symptom is that the patient easily recalls the horrible experience as if it happened a moment ago. The patient is also very sensitive to any sudden event or noise. Other symptoms include frequent nightmares, dull facial expression, absent-mindedness, hypochondria, and phobias. Severe conditions are similar to psychiatric disorders.
Many mainland China Falun Dafa practitioners have sustained severe mental and physical torments in forced labor camps or prisons. Such practitioners must have strong righteous thoughts to be immune to the tribulation of post-traumatic stress disorder. From what I know about history, some suffered similar persecutions, in which they had been tortured to the point of mental breakdown. Memories of these horrible experiences remained deep in their minds. For practitioners who are suffering this kind of tribulation for the first time, they might be trapped by this obstacle and falter in their cultivation. Some people might lose their lives by not handling PTSD well.
After suffering imprisonment and torture, some practitioners still face a variety of pressure, such as finding a job and making ends meet. If the tribulation becomes too big, a practitioner should actively study the Fa and share cultivation experience with other diligent practitioners. This way, PTSD can be gradually alleviated. This kind of tribulation can be extremely detrimental, and if we do not take appropriate measures in time, it could destroy a practitioner.
Other practitioners should also pay close attention to this issue. We need to give special care to the practitioners who have been severely persecuted or lost their family members. Even simple greetings and brief visits can provide comfort and encouragement for them.
Practitioners who have had similar tribulations should share with others their experience in persevering through such trying times. The persecution itself is imposed on us by the old forces, so helping fellow practitioners who have suffered the persecution to overcome this difficult period is very important in denying the old forces' arrangements.
December 15, 2004
