Page 240 - Total War on PTSD

that moment, there were some follow up appointments made at six month intervals for a two-year period to assess if there were any delayed manifestations of PTSD.
Additionally, I have discovered, it is the same process with intimacy, sexuality, and trust. As individuals, we do not lose our sexual drive because we have endured damage to our bodies. We may lose our self-esteem, self-worth, and our self-confidence thus preventing us from having romantic and sexual moments with our partners, or even worse, initiating any type of romantic engagement with our spouses, but the sexual drive is still within us. Unfortunately, I have seen it manifest in some individuals with PTSD in an unhealthy manner, from inappropriate interactions between hospital staff and caregivers, to solicitation, and an unhealthy amount of time spent pursuing sexual online activities, unfortunately whether married or not. Please do not misunderstand. I support a healthy self-image with healthy flirtation if proper respect for personal boundaries is maintained. And for those who are married or in a committed relationship, maintaining a proper acknowledgement of your loved ones emotions is included here. I have no moral objection to a healthy inclusion of creative sexual practices in one’s lifestyle if both partners find it exciting. What I am talking about are the unhealthy activities I have previously observed that end up damaging an otherwise healthy romantic relationship.
If our self-worth was secure before our accident, then it stayed secure after. We see this frequently in those who although now disabled, are still engaged in wonderful relationships, working in great careers, even conquering mountains and competing in sports events. Many others, however, suffer with healing, employment, substance abuse, and their relationships, romantic and otherwise. Where popular opinion is incorrect however, is that it is the injury that has damaged the relationship, and not that the relationship was not strong enough to cope with the injury. As I mentioned before, all we were before the injury is what we bring into the life after it. The same circumstance applies with our relationships, and the strength of our bond with our loved ones. As the late Dana Reeve, wife of the late Christopher Reeve, said to her husband after he suggested she divorce him, “Nonsense, you are still you!” My father said the same type
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