Five blogging activists who have never met launched a social media campaign, almost spontaneously that is giving women with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) visibility and support - and is getting support as well.
I'm overwhelmed by the response.
We simply wanted people to know women get PTSD and that this reality should be reflected in popular images shown on Google (or Bing or Yahoo) searches.
The support has been incredible.
People have posted pictures on Twitter, written blog posts and reached out privately.
There's the singer and writer Jewel who Tweeted out this support. 
There's the person I went to high school with who wrote the powerful poem - Do You Remember Me? - and allowed me to share it while remaining anonymous.
There are the editors of the Trigger Points who have already done so much for survivor parents. Joyelle Brandt wrote a haunting original song, "Not Over Yet" which Dawn Daum played in a video. Daum also wrote a column for the Huffington Post.
Then, there's Jodie Ortega who has done a Ted Talk Breaking My Silence. She's been spreading the word on social media which will continue for the month of may which happens to be mental health awareness month.
Arwen Faulkener, the one who spearheaded the entire campaign, wrote about it as well.
I'm amazed that five women from the U.S. and Canada who never met each other came together to try to make a change.
Even though we are all busy mothers.
We felt compelled to do something to help make others feel less alone than we have felt.
And we did.
It's an entirely volunteer and not one of us could have done it alone or without help. And we didn't have to.
We even discovered a website with the name Faces of PTSD for non-combat PTSD awareness. It's launched by one woman who had already been bringing attention to the fact that there is non-combat PTSD. It's a fantastic website and resource.
The creator didn't yell at us when she found out our campaign was named the same as her website. She joined forces and supported us.
We didn't need funding campaigns or to ask people for money. We simply wanted to make social change by sharing.
Sharing images.
Sharing reality.
Sharing hope.
If someone is diagnosed with or learning about PTSD and searches in Google, Yahoo or Bing, someday they will find images of women. Like this. 
Not yet. There's still this:
But someday.
Social media can be a powerful tool for gathering, connecting and grassroots organizing. It can be a powerful way for peer support and activism as well.
We know not everyone will want, need or choose to self-identify with a medical issue.
But those of us who are - we do so without shame.
Women get PTSD.
We aren't minimizing the fact that there are many men who have PTSD as a result of combat, service and war. They do and often have woefully inadequate services and support.
We are their allies.
We relate.
We have a large community and are simply insisting that women be included and reflected.
And making that happen. 
Want to Help?
- Put images of women on blogs or websites when writing about PTSD.
- Tag writing about trauma with PTSD when relevant.
- Share your image with the hashtag #FacesOfPTSD and / or share that of another woman.
- Go to the www.facesofptsd.com website.
- Share an article, song, TedTalk or blog to help other women with PTSD know they are not alone:
Comments (3)