'PTSD is absolutely nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about'

Abigail Breslin speaks out about suffering with post traumatic stress disorder following domestic and sexual assault

From the editors of HelloGiggles

This week, sexual assault victims took to social media to share their stories of abuse and harassment with the hashtag #MeToo. Women - and men - opened up about all aspects of this critical topic. Adding her voice to the mix, Abigail Breslin opened up about her PTSD, from domestic abuse and sexual assault, which is a condition many assault survivors live with.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, so her post is even more timely. She posted a picture on Instagram of a cut and bruise on her ankle, captioning it:

'I'm a domestic violence and sexual assault survivor. While I now am no longer with my abuser, In the aftermath of what happened to me, I developed Complex PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). I took this pic of my ankle a few hours ago right after one of my 'episodes' as I call them.'

She added, 'I was so freaked out and disoriented I slipped and fell on a piece of glass. Usually they occur right after I’ve been triggered … problem is, triggers are often very hard to detect.'

Breslin wrote that she was afraid to share her story at first, but then remembered that there’s no reason to feel shame or stigma around domestic violence or PTSD.

‘While at first I felt this was very awkward and uncomfortable to post, I reminded myself of something I say often: PTSD is absolutely NOTHING to be ashamed or embarrassed about. PTSD is the result of an uncontrollable scenario. Never feel like you are less than because you have a condition that you didn’t cause.’

Upsetting memories, lack of sleep, and just a general feeling of being ‘on edge’ are also common symptoms of PTSD. Breslin is just one of many who have survived domestic violence — 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men have reported physical violence or sexual abuse in their relationships.

It can be hard to talk about domestic violence, which is why Breslin’s post is so important. Hopefully, other survivors will feel safer sharing their stories, and it will help put an end to the stigma surrounding these issues.