Did you develop PTSD after experiencing an earthquake or other natural disaster?

Question

What were the circumstances? The symptoms? What kind of treatment did you seek? What worked and what didn't? I'm writing a book in which a character is trapped under rubble for a day following an earthquake and afterward develops PTSD, and I'm trying to understand what that would be like.

Answer 1

My ex-husband thinks I had PTSD for a bit, but I don't think so.  I was in a bad car accident and broke my neck.

Answer 2

I had this problem after my first strong earthquake that totally freaked me out. We were fine and our house survived just fine too. About a week later it was very early in the morning and my mom was digging in her bedroom closet. the sound of the doors rolling triggered a "waking dream" in me. I thought it was another earthquake. I jumped out of bed and ran into the hallway screaming. I then collapsed while hyperventilating and crying. My mom nearly called 911 because she thought I was going into shock. For the next six months or so every time anything would rumble or rattle I would jump or cry. it took a long time to slowly come out of this and even today(12 years later) I still jump a little if something rumbles. I have been through several earthquakes since then but no longer feel the same terror. I got through the recent shaker near LA ok.

I would imagine your character would develop issues with total darkness and would become claustraphobic or afraid of being alone.

Answer 3

I've been through several earthquakes, even slept right through one (to my then-co-workers' shock and awe). No PTSD. No falling buildings either, although one was while I was on an artificial man-made island in Tokyo Bay.

Answer 4

A HUGE earthquake hit when I was around 5. Fortunately I was so young I couldn't recollect what exactly happened.

But my heart goes out to the ones who have. it is sad to see them traumatized as I have been traumatized before, just not by natural disasters.