I was recently diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), although I have been living with it for a long time. I told my fiancée who has an understanding of my issues and she agreed with the reasons behind the diagnosis. It wasn’t scary telling her because she already had an idea of the extent of my problems. I knew she would be supportive, I could take my time talking to her and she wouldn’t think any differently about me.
It feels strange to be so open about one diagnosis and yet completely petrified about disclosing anything about the other.
I was also diagnosed with Panic Disorder, which is an issue that I have been more open about with my friends and online through my comics. This outlet in illustrative form has been more of a ‘dipping my toe in the water’ in terms of talking about my issues. It feels strange to be so open about one diagnosis and yet completely petrified about disclosing anything about the other. I guess the only reason I am capable of doing it now through this medium is because Nervous Comics gives me boundaries. It’s a front, a voice, a way to convey my issues in a way that I can think very carefully about how much information I feel comfortable disclosing.
This illustration highlights my worries of talking about my diagnosis, how I would even raise it as a conversation, all the things that people will say, their reactions and what they might think of me. I would like to think everyone would be as understanding as the final character. Even if they had not heard of PTSD it would be nice just to feel like I do not need to prepare myself a defence against presumptions or prejudice. I am still the person I was a minute ago before I told you, nothing has changed, so I hope your neither would you perception of me or how you treat me.
Maybe if I felt that there was not such an issue with my diagnosis I would not be so scared to talk about it. Maybe just by talking about it I might also find out that the people I choose to tell might not even have a problem with it. I hope that by taking the plunge and talking about this issue, others might feel that they can do the same. A good friend told me “Courage is contagious” and with this in mind, I really do hope my comics can create a positive way to raise Mental Health awareness.