Social Media and PTSD
A friend just posted a request on Facebook that I feel is worth discussing. He asked that people refrain from posting horrific pictures of abuse, war and other horrors because these images as well as words used in the discriptions can trigger serious symptoms in people who have suffered from PTSD.
I agree. Why do we need to, for lack of a better word, terrorize others with such images or abusive, hateful language? To be honest, I have blocked people who constantly show such horror on social media.
My belief is we reap what we sow. Therefore, let's sow seeds of love, understanding and acceptance.
My dear, dear teacher/writer friend, Maryam Dilakian Passley wrote on her blog what she called the, Resistance Anthem. I would like to share it with you all:
May my pen draw its ink from an ocean rising in fierce waves of collective resistance.
May these waves come crashing down on everything and anything that threatens peace and justice.
May we all roar until our voices come together into waves so fierce that they will sweep bigotry and tyranny out of all the spaces where they reside.
May the fruits of our resistance be worthy of the righteousness of our struggle.
May we see our country settle into a place that belongs to the people, even if all that is likely to be left at the end of a catastrophic storm are ruins and rubble.
May we then build up, brick by brick, cementing together a home with walls resilient enough to keep away all beasts and monsters born of hate, and doors open wide enough to welcome all who come in peace and solidarity.
I echo these thoughts. We must join together and call others to stop acting mindlessly. We must think about our actions and what ripples they send out into the world, for when they return, we don't want them to be tidal waves of hate!
Let us send out Love, so that what returns to us are the soothing waves of Peace and Unity. Let us be fearless!
Namasté!
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