18 Interviews With People Struggling With PTSD

We have interviewed 18 people who have struggled with PTSD. These stories vary a lot and are full of inspiring tips on how to deal with this complex struggle. Please allow these stories to be a beacon of hope for you, and know that there is always a way out.

Most recent stories of people struggling with suicidal ideation

My Fight Against Anxiety, PTSD, and Depression After Being Laid Off

My Fight Against Anxiety, PTSD, and Depression After Being Laid Off

September 17, 2024
Helped by: Reinventing yourself, Self-improvement
My Journey From Hitting Rock Bottom to Overcoming Abuse, Addiction, and Eating Disorder

My Journey From Hitting Rock Bottom to Overcoming Abuse, Addiction, and Eating Disorder

May 7, 2024
Helped by: Self-Care, Social support, Therapy, Treatment
Surviving a Workplace Shooting and Navigating PTSD, Insomnia With Marathons and Prayers

Surviving a Workplace Shooting and Navigating PTSD, Insomnia With Marathons and Prayers

April 2, 2024
Helped by: Exercise, Religion, Treatment, Volunteering

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Are you struggling with PTSD?

I’ve interviewed 18 people struggling with PTSD, and here are the top 5 most mentioned tips that helped these people overcome it:

  1. Therapy (13 people helped)
  2. Self-improvement (10 people helped)
  3. Social support (8 people helped)
  4. Medication (6 people helped)
  5. Reinventing yourself (4 people helped)

The data from our 18 interviews

In our many years of publishing helpful mental health content, we always received questions from our readers about specific situations. While we have a lot of helpful tips to share on how to be happier, we simply can’t offer advice for every situation.

That’s why I’ve set out to interview folks with every type of mental health struggle. My job as an interviewer is to categorize these interviews and present them in a way that is most helpful to our readers.

Read all the case studies

Case studies

My Fight Against Anxiety, PTSD, and Depression After Being Laid Off

“Neglect, abuse, and the profound impact of my mother’s involvement in the witness protection program marked my childhood. These experiences left deep emotional scars that have taken years to understand and manage. These challenges have ebbed and flowed over time. Yet, they’ve always been a constant presence, influencing how I see the world and interact with it.”

Struggled with:
ADHD
Anxiety
Depression
PTSD

Helped by:
Reinventing yourself
Self-improvement

Ella Shae Interview Featured Image

Case studies

My Journey From Hitting Rock Bottom to Overcoming Abuse, Addiction, and Eating Disorder

“Then something happened. On about day 3 or 4, the group spoke and I realized that their way of thinking around food, their rituals, and their tendencies, were all the same as the things I would do. It was wild because I thought I had made these things up myself and here I was with a room full of people who did the same things.”

Struggled with:
Abuse
Bullying
Depression
Divorce
Eating disorder
PTSD

Helped by:
Self-Care

Therapy
Treatment

Aaron Burros Featured Image

Case studies

Surviving a Workplace Shooting and Navigating PTSD, Insomnia With Marathons and Prayers

“My symptoms began immediately following a workplace shooting on Saturday, November 28, 2015, and were exasperated due to the activity of the company, the criminals, and the cops. The company treated me as if I were a criminal, the criminals attempted to kill me three additional times, and the cops (Houston Police Department Organized Crime Unit) treated me as if I was a thorn in their flesh.”

Struggled with:
Depression
Insomnia
PTSD
Stress

Helped by:
Exercise
Religion
Treatment
Volunteering

Maggie Winzeler Featured Image

Case studies

Journaling and Therapy Helped Me After Surviving a Car Accident and a Late Pregnancy Loss

“I vividly remember one day a few months after getting hit by the car when I wondered if my life would ever feel peaceful, pain-free, or joyful again. I was simply getting in and out of the passenger seat of a vehicle, my whole body gripped with pain and stiffness when I experienced a flash of fear that my health would never improve.”

Struggled with:
Chronic pain
Depression
Grief
Physical trauma
PTSD

Helped by:
Journaling
Therapy

Summer Willis Featured Image

Case studies

Overcoming Grief and Assault With 29 Marathons and Now Helping Others Do the Same

“A man spiked my drink and assaulted me, leading to a diagnosis of PTSD and depression. This event fundamentally changed my life, leading me into a violent relationship and a period of repression and struggle. Despite these challenges, life moved on. I got married, and had two beautiful boys, but then faced another intense period of grief, losing seven loved ones in just a few months.”

Struggled with:
Abuse
Assault
Depression
Grief
PTSD

Helped by:
Exercise
Medication
Religion
Self-Care
Self-improvement

Susan Gold Featured Image

Case studies

Breaking Free from Abuse and a Toxic Family to find Self-Love and Authentic Happiness

“The abuse expanded over time. My mother could be incredibly kind and would have given Martha Stewart a run for her money. The problem came when her mood and personality would flip on a dime, her eyes in slits, and I would be beaten, almost to the point of blacking out, for what reason I couldn’t understand.”

Struggled with:
Abuse
Childhood
Depression
PTSD
Suicidal

Helped by:
Meditation
Self-acceptance
Self-improvement

Therapy

Tatyana Frost Featured Image

Case studies

Finding My Way Through Bipolar, BPD, and PTSD With Therapy and Medication

“Something that I wish I had known earlier in my mental health journey is that my mental illness does not need to define me. I stopped using the phrase ‘I am Bipolar/BPD’ and instead I say, ‘I have…’ I did this when I noticed how overidentifying with my diagnosis was hindering rather than helping me.”

Struggled with:
Assault
Bipolar Disorder
Borderline Personality Disorder
Childhood
Depression
PTSD

Helped by:
Exercise
Medication
Mindfulness
Self-improvement
Therapy