Writing PTSD: Advice on how to show a problem without ruining the character

I tend to suffer from frequent bouts of Writer's Block. I've tried everything from music/TV, quiet, to even "not forcing it" (not trying that again. Went a month without touching digital paper). However, my most recent attempt is to write in a different story all together. While I don't know if it will work in the long term, it did let me finish a 13k chapter in 3 days, so I'm going to see if it works out.

So I started on a new fanfiction (one that had been slowly brewing in the back of my mind for some time) when I realized something important: I have no idea how to write PTSD that is serious but not crippling. Given that I have a tendency to accidentally turn things Up to Eleven, I'm worried that either readers won't identify with the MC or possibly have him come off as too angsty.

So I'm turning to you awesome guys for feedback or ideas. I have some basic ideas on how to write his PTSD (nightmares, reliving the memories, and emotional suppression) but the main issue is how exactly I can convey the secondary issue with the MC when it intersects with the PTSD. Due to his status as a Stoic Woobie, and due to some of the only people he cared about calling him a monster, he firmly believes in that he is a monster. This all culminates in him sacrificing himself to stop the end of the world, but he doesn't die. Instead he is transported to a new universe where the main story takes place.

So how do you portray someone who has memories of some very horrific times without making the character over the top angsty? I can provide a more detailed explanation/summary of the character's past if you guys would like.

edited 22nd Mar '16 2:59:00 AM by MachFarcon

I don't have much ideas for you, sadly, but one of the most important things you can do is be informed.

Go research what PTSD is, how it's caused, it's symptoms, and how people deal with it. I suggest focusing on the veteran and civil service communities since that seems to be more in line with who your protagonist is/does, rather than focus on victims of rape, for example.

It should be noted that while people can go through large amounts of stress and trauma, it doesn't necessarily result in full-blown PTSD. A veteran friend of mine from the Iraq war has commented to me that he's surprised and really lucky that he doesn't have anything more than mild PTSD (Used to get a bit edgy around loud popping noises like firecrackers.). This doesn't mean he's some psychopath who doesn't give a fuck, it's just that some people are more capable of dealing with large amounts of stress and trauma without breaking down.

As for suggestions, think about the ways your protagonist copes with high amounts of stress and fear, during and after. Their defense mechanisms. (One good method of character development would be the development of more healthier defense mechanisms. As you can see on the list, a lot of the 'mature' defense mechanisms are considered virtues.) How do they deal with what happened to them, especially in the context of a whole new world? Would they try to move on, put the past behind them?

If you're trying to write your character as a stoic woobie, think about why is he stoic. Why doesn't he show his emotions? Personality is one thing, but I personally think that people also model and change their behavior based on the situation. For example, a captain who otherwise is relatively laid-back, becoming taciturn and cold, because of a high-stress situation and The Chains of Commanding weighing down on him.

If you want to explore how people cope and heal from PTSD, I recommend researching it as it's a topic that I don't know too much of. However, I can input in something that my EMT instructor told me and the class on the topic of stress in the EMS profession: That it's very important to have some hobby or something you enjoy completely unrelated to EMS, because it helps keep you sane.

This. PTSD doesn't always manifest into the full-blown cliché of recurring nightmares, freak-outs, and sociopathic behavior. Sometimes it's just an aversion to loud noises or other triggers, or a tendency to be irritable for no real reason.

Speaking for myself, I have PTSD from growing up in a dysfunctional family where my parents were always fighting and screaming at each other. So I can't stand it when people shout; it sets my teeth on edge. However, I have no problems with other types of loud noise, like gunfire or heavy machinery.

I once knew a guy who was a Vietnam veteran. He couldn't stand the sight of blood, even in miniscule amounts like when somebody has a minor cut on their finger.

Since you indicated that you often take things too far, I would recommend that you make a serious effort to curb the PTSD traits in your protagonist. Too much will make him an unsympathetic character. You're aiming for Good but Flawed, not a Total Monster.

My fiancee has PTSD from her car-crash. It manifests as a heightened sense of anxiety, and an inability to bear the sound of glass breaking—or anything that might resemble glass breaking.

Sorry for the late reply. Work has been rather hectic with the hospital census being high, so I haven't had the chance to check this until now.

I want to thank you guys for all of the help. Researching PTSD has proved both enlightening and kinda horrifying. I'm currently attempting to find the line between what I need to tell the readers, "I.E. the MC has technically died twice" and showing the readers that he didn't come out of those experiences completely fine.

Tehpillowstar: Thanks for the link on the defense mechanisms. They really actually helped me out with fleshing out his current, if tenuous, hold he has on his PTSD and his emotional state in general.

So a quick question for you guys: Since the MC is still currently suffering from frequent nightmares, and thus suffering from sleep deprivation to a certain extent, do highschool teachers normally pick up on someone suffering from sleep deprivation?

I think they would, but the teachers of the highschool I went to back in the day didn't really notice much of anything, so I figured that I would see if I could gather some real world data if possible.

Once again, thank you so much for all of the help.

Depends on the teachers, whether they're attentive to the student in question, or aren't observant.

It's reasonable to have a particularly caring teacher spot a problem, while the other teachers don't notice because they're too busy with other students.