Abigail Breslin opened up about having PTSD from past domestic and sexual assault

Karen Fratti
Updated
Abigail Breslin opened up about having PTSD from past domestic and sexual assault
Abigail Breslin opened up about having PTSD from past domestic and sexual assault

This week, sexual assault victims took to social media to share their stories of abuse and harassment with the hashtag #MeToo. Women — and men — opened up about all aspects of this critical topic. Adding her voice to the mix, Abigail Breslin opened up about her PTSD from domestic abuse and sexual assault, which is a condition many assault survivors live with.

October is also Domestic Violence Awareness Month, so her post was even more timely. She posted a picture on Instagram of a cut and bruise on her ankle, captioning it,

“I’m a domestic violence and sexual assault survivor. While I now am no longer with my abuser, In the aftermath of what happened to me, I developed Complex PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). I took this pic of my ankle a few hours ago right after one of my ‘episodes’ as I call them.”

#TRIGGERWARNING It’s #domesticviolenceawarenessmonth. I’m a domestic violence and sexual assault survivor. While I now am no longer with my abuser, In the aftermath of what happened to me, I developed Complex PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) . I took this pic of my ankle a few hours ago right after one of my “episodes” as I call them. I was so freaked out and disoriented I slipped and fell on a piece of glass. Usually they occur right after I’ve been triggered... problem is, triggers are often very hard to detect. Which is exactly why #domesticviolenceawarenessmonth is so important. We must keep the discussion open. While at first i felt this was very awkward and uncomfortable to post, I reminded myself of something I say often: PTSD is absolutely NOTHING to be ashamed or embarrassed about. PTSD is the result of an uncontrollable scenario. Never feel like you are less than because you have a condition that you didn’t cause. You are still beautiful, you are still important, you are still WORTHY.

A post shared by Abigail Breslin (@abbienormal9) on Oct 14, 2017 at 9:08pm PDT

She added, “I was so freaked out and disoriented I slipped and fell on a piece of glass. Usually they occur right after I’ve been triggered… problem is, triggers are often very hard to detect.”

Breslin wrote that she was afraid to share her story at first, but then remembered that there’s no reason to feel shame or stigma around domestic violence or PTSD.

“While at first i felt this was very awkward and uncomfortable to post, I reminded myself of something I say often: PTSD is absolutely NOTHING to be ashamed or embarrassed about. PTSD is the result of an uncontrollable scenario. Never feel like you are less than because you have a condition that you didn’t cause.”

#DVFacts are telling us something -- but are we listening?

A post shared by NCADV (@ncadv) on Sep 26, 2017 at 1:49pm PDT

Upsetting memories, lack of sleep, and just a general feeling of being “on edge” are also common symptoms of PTSD according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. Breslin is just one of many who’ve survived domestic violence — 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men have reported physical violence or sexual abuse in their relationships.

It can be hard to talk about domestic violence, which is why Breslin’s post is so important. Hopefully, other survivors will feel safer sharing their stories, and it will help put an end to the stigma surrounding these issues. If you or someone you know are in an abusive relationship, know that you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE.