Unlike physical abuse, psychological abuse is much harder to prove and harder to escape. Our bodies often respond to both emotional and physical trauma in similar ways. We begin to second-guess our thoughts about safety, trust, power, esteem and intimacy.

When you have (PTSD), your symptoms can come and go unexpectedly. You can feel fine one minute and then you hear a car backfire. Now you feel like you have been kicked in the stomach and are very afraid.

Certain triggers can set off your PTSD. They bring back strong memories. You may feel like you are living through the abuse all over again. Triggers can include sights, sounds, smells, or thoughts that remind you of a traumatic event in some way. No two triggers cause the same type of episode.

Some triggers are easy to recognize, such as watching a movie with an abusive scene. Others are less clear. If you were attacked in a certain neighborhood, revisiting that same area might make you upset. Knowing your triggers can help you better cope with your PTSD.

When faced with danger, your body gets ready to fight, flee, or freeze. Your heart beats faster. You start breathing heavy. Your senses go on high alert. Your brain stops functioning normally and prepares itself to deal with the threat.

With PTSD, your brain doesn’t file the memory of the event as being in the past which makes you feel stressed and frightened even when you know you’re safe. Even more than six years later, I still have triggers. The after-effects are not as traumatic as they once were, but they are still very real.