
.
With all my being I wish to answer no, PTSD does not define me, but that is not accurate.
For a decade-plus I have battled PTSD, seeking freedom and wellbeing.
It has been the dominant influence on my personality, and my day-to-day survival.
For five years PTSD had almost total control, my fight or flight mechanism would fire over and over and over and over and over during the day.
It wore me out physically and emotionally, I was a zombie for a while.
.

.
Life was painful, disconnected, rigid, and isolated, suffering seemed constant.
PTSD defined me back then completely.
Nowadays PTSD dominates much less, there is hope, not to heal but to gain the upper hand.
Fight or flight firing has stopped, intrusive thoughts bring more depression than terror.
Small victories heal us incrementally, never giving up is a necessity.
If your expectations are for a calm, drama-free life, then disappointment will be your companion.
PTSD defining us is all a matter of percentages, how much time does PTSD steal from your life?
.
.