Same way I'd write about surviving a traumatic Shark Attack.
First there'd be a irrational focus on the event. Compulsory flashbacks, denial, disassociation, explosive emotional feedback, maybe some cognitive dissonance if I'm feeling really mean. Lol. Essentially, they'd fight constantly not to think about, that thing they are
always thinking about.
Second is coping habits. They'd start doing something ritualistically to keep themselves from ritualistically thinking about the event. Maybe pick up drinking or gambling or sex or something.
Third is life effects. They'd start irrationally doing things they normally wouldn't do. Like gambling instead of going to work. Spending money on "protections" they don't need. Avoiding water, or swimming pools, or group events. Avoiding imaginary Shark Attacks in the strangest of places. Eventually, depression sets in and maybe a little survivor's guilt too. Or they start forming a victim's complex and start blaming things in their environment that make them "feels things" they don't want to feel. Either way, their normal daily routine is broken up and reset basically around "avoiding" whatever it is they don't want to think about. Turning the person into a robot of avoiding the past.
Fourth is either one of two things. One, they get so mad and frustrated that they get help. And start recovering slowly. Or two. They get so mad and frustrated that they become unhinged. Sporadically violent and dip towards madness. Either way, at this point they realize that life is really bad for them, getting worse, and while conscious of the problem, they don't know how to stop "themselves" from making it worse.
The whole process could take weeks to months to years to play out. Depending on how fast or slow the character runs through the cycles. And, depending on their personality, lifestyle, culture, friend circles, mental health, and just plain bad luck. Everybodies different.
* * *
Recovery is similar. It's slow for some. Faster for others. Some people struggle with recovery their whole lives. Like people who quit smoking, the addiction is always an itch. Relapsing happens.
So you go in reverse for recovery.
First you give them. Acknowledgement. Acceptance. Understanding.
Second you give them better habits, physical health, and coping mechanisms. This give them back some control.
Third you overcome the event. Either by facing your fears or leaving them back in the past and moving on. Either way, now the character can actively think about or participate in the event in their own mind and "choose" to move on. Often by moving on mentally to some future goal, priority, or accomplishment.
Lastly, now they are refocused. Their life is back to good habits again. They accept the suffering, the scars, the emotions within themselves, and have moved on. They have even greater measures of control, self discipline, and things are getting better. They have hope, through work, which moves them forward.
* * *
This is just an opinion of the process I would put a character through for PTSD. It is not a medical opinion nor a textbook. It's just my 2 cents. RP as you will. Thanks!
