Confessions of a Concussed Cyclist: lets talk about PTSD

May 18, 2026

I typically write about my TBI, but PTSD is just as much a part of my daily life. At the time that I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, there was still a strong belief that PTSD only belonged to military members. I had a hard time accepting the diagnosis myself because I felt what I had been through was nothing compared to what people in the military go through. But here’s the deal, PTSD doesn’t care who you are. However, PTSD is very specific and I feel like there’s been a shift the past couple of years that whenever something upsetting happens, people claim they have PTSD. That is not how it works. It’s actually very disrespectful to those of us living with it. It downplays our reality. I have felt compelled to spell it out, to say it louder for those in the back. So here we go. I hope you’ll stick with me and read till the end. 

I am not a doctor. I am not pretending to be one. But I do want to inform you because my frustration around this topic is rising and I use writing to deal with my frustrations. 

A Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) diagnosis has to come from a professional. Not Google. Not a YouTube comment. Not a self-diagnosis. I’m going to copy information from the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria down below for anyone that cares to read it. 

Just because something traumatic happened to you, it does not mean you will have PTSD. Just because you struggle after a traumatic event, it does not mean you have PTSD. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) “around 70% of people globally will experience a potentially traumatic event during their lifetime, but only a minority (5.6%) will go on to develop PTSD”.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health “people may have a range of reactions after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event, such as a natural disaster, act of violence, or serious accident. Common reactions include feeling anxious, sad, or angry; having trouble concentrating and sleeping; and thinking about what happened. Most people will recover from these symptoms and their reactions will lessen over time.

People may be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) if their symptoms last for an extended period after a traumatic event and begin to interfere with aspects of daily life, such as relationships or work.”  (Please note the “extended period” part.)

According to the Mayo Clinic “generally, PTSD symptoms are grouped into four types: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, and changes in physical and emotional reactions.” 

• Intrusive memories: unwanted thoughts or memories of the event over and over again. Dreams or nightmares (these could be about the event itself or how the event made you feel).
• Avoidance: not wanting to think or talk about the traumatic event. Staying away from people, places, or events that remind you of the traumatic event.
• Negative changes to thinking or mood: struggling to feel positive. Having negative thoughts about yourself or other people. Feeling detached.
• Changes in physical and emotional reactions: easily startled or frightened. Always on guard. Trouble sleeping. Irritability or angry outbursts. Rapid heartbeat, shaking, sweating. 

Still with me? Here’s a short list of how PTSD affects me every single day. This is not a complete list but hopefully you get the idea.

• I am always on guard. I am always on the lookout for potential threats or dangers.
• I am always tense. My shoulders and neck are tight. My jaw is clenched. 
• If I get triggered (another word that people use nonchalantly way too much!) my heart races. I get hot and sick to my stomach. I get even more tense. I get very angry. My head pounds. I may stay in this state for hours, days, or even weeks.
• I imagine danger where there is none. I can actually see a worse case scenario play out in front of me, even though things are perfectly fine in reality. 
• I have nightmares.
• I don’t feel safe in new places or situations. 
• I hate sitting where I can’t see the full room. I prefer my back to the wall so I can see everything around me. 
• I startle easily.
• I’m more afraid than I’ve ever been. 
• I can get triggered by words, videos, articles, pictures, but I can also get triggered by loud noises, or sudden movements. 
• I always, frequently,  look over my shoulder when outside. 
• I will not go to the town I was hit in. The thought of going there scares me, makes me anxious, makes me sick to my stomach.

After my diagnosis , I tried therapy two different times, and dropped out both times. I thought I could beat this. I thought I could show PTSD I was boss (just like I thought with my brain injury…I was wrong both times). Years after my diagnosis, years of struggling to keep my head above water, a kind psychologist said to me “what you’re doing isn’t working. You NEED to go back to therapy.” I knew he was right. I knew I was drowning. So I entered therapy again. It still took some time to find a good fit, but I was more determined that time around. I needed help. I have now been in weekly talk therapy and most recently EMDR, since. I also take medication. I am not anywhere near the end of my PTSD road. But every day I show up. Every day I fight battles you could never imagine. 

All this to say….for the love of God, PLEASE STOP CASUALLY USING THE TERM PTSD. Until you are officially diagnosed, you have no right to say you have it. People latching onto the buzz words “PTSD” or “triggered” and throwing them around nonchalantly is rude and disrespectful. Trust me, unless you have a true diagnosis, you have no idea how it feels to live with PTSD. You have no idea how it feels to be truly triggered. And honestly, I hope you never have to find out. 

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From the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for PTSD

A. Exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence in one (or more) of the following ways:

1. Directly experiencing the traumatic event(s).
2. Witnessing, in person, the event(s) as it occurred to others.
3. Learning that the traumatic event(s) occurred to a close family member or close friend. In cases of actual or threatened death of a family member or friend, the event(s) must have been violent or accidental.
4. Experiencing repeated or extreme exposure to aversive details of the traumatic event(s) (e.g., first responders collecting human remains; police officers repeatedly exposed to details of child abuse). Note: Criterion A4 does not apply to exposure through electronic media, television, movies, or pictures, unless this exposure is work related.

B. Presence of one (or more) of the following intrusion symptoms associated with the traumatic event(s), beginning after the traumatic event(s) occurred:

1. Recurrent, involuntary, and intrusive distressing memories of the traumatic event(s). Note: In children older than 6 years, repetitive play may occur in which themes or aspects of the traumatic event(s) are expressed.
2. Recurrent distressing dreams in which the content and/or affect of the dream are related to the traumatic event(s). Note: In children, there may be frightening dreams without recognizable content.
3. Dissociative reactions (e.g., flashbacks) in which the individual feels or acts as if the traumatic event(s) were recurring. (Such reactions may occur on a continuum, with the most extreme expression being a complete loss of awareness of present surroundings.) Note: In children, trauma-specific reenactment may occur in play.
4. Intense or prolonged psychological distress at exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event(s).
5. Marked physiological reactions to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event(s).

C. Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the traumatic event(s), beginning after the traumatic event(s) occurred, as evidenced by one or both of the following:

1. Avoidance of or efforts to avoid distressing memories, thoughts, or feelings about or closely associated with the traumatic event(s).
2. Avoidance of or efforts to avoid external reminders (people, places, conversations, activities, objects, situations) that arouse distressing memories, thoughts, or feelings about or closely associated with the traumatic event(s).

D. Negative alterations in cognitions and mood associated with the traumatic event(s), beginning or worsening after the traumatic event(s) occurred, as evidenced by two (or more) of the following:

1. Inability to remember an important aspect of the traumatic event(s) (typically due to dissociative amnesia, and not to other factors such as head injury, alcohol, or drugs).
2. Persistent and exaggerated negative beliefs or expectations about oneself, others, or the world (e.g., “I am bad,” “No one can be trusted,” “The world is completely dangerous,” “My whole nervous system is permanently ruined”).
3. Persistent, distorted cognitions about the cause or consequences of the traumatic event(s) that lead the individual to blame himself/herself or others.
4. Persistent negative emotional state (e.g., fear, horror, anger, guilt, or shame).
5. Markedly diminished interest or participation in significant activities.
6. Feelings of detachment or estrangement from others.
7. Persistent inability to experience positive emotions (e.g., inability to experience happiness, satisfaction, or loving feelings).

E. Marked alterations in arousal and reactivity associated with the traumatic event(s), beginning or worsening after the traumatic event(s) occurred, as evidenced by two (or more) of the following:

1. Irritable behavior and angry outbursts (with little or no provocation), typically expressed as verbal or physical aggression toward people or objects.
2. Reckless or self-destructive behavior.
3. Hypervigilance.
4. Exaggerated startle response.
5. Problems with concentration.
6. Sleep disturbance (e.g., difficulty falling or staying asleep or restless sleep).

F. Duration of the disturbance (Criteria B, C, D and E) is more than 1 month.

G. The disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

H. The disturbance is not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance (e.g., medication, alcohol) or another medical condition.

Specify whether:

With dissociative symptoms: The individual’s symptoms meet the criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder, and in addition, in response to the stressor, the individual experiences persistent or recurrent symptoms of either of the following:

1. Depersonalization: Persistent or recurrent experiences of feeling detached from, and as if one were an outside observer of, one’s mental processes or body (e.g., feeling as though one were in a dream; feeling a sense of unreality of self or body or of time moving slowly).
2. Derealization: Persistent or recurrent experiences of unreality of surroundings (e.g., the world around the individual is experienced as unreal, dreamlike, distant, or distorted). Note: To use this subtype, the dissociative symptoms must not be attributable to the physiological effects of a substance (e.g., blackouts, behavior during alcohol intoxication) or another medical condition (e.g., complex partial seizures).

Specify whether:

With delayed expression: If the full diagnostic criteria are not met until at least 6 months after the event (although the onset and expression of some symptoms may be immediate).

Source: APA, 2013a, pp. 271–272.