So, I’m going to be writing a oneshot that has one of the main characters suffering PTSD. The story takes place on Sweet Apple Achors, in a violent storm, and he’s babysitting the CMC.

Now, what’s the best, and most accurate portrayal of the condition with this setting?

I don’t want to sound like a complete idiot and make it extremely disrespectful when I wright this.

PTSD can manifest differently for different people (or ponies in this case). TV and Movies like to generally portray it as the person being unstable and the wrong trigger could send that person into a murderous rampage or a full blown flashback. The reality is a lot more varied than that. Some people may just fall into a depression and withdraw from family, friends or society. Others might become alcoholics or turn to drugs to try and forget what they saw, did, or were a part of.

Flashbacks can occur, and when they do the most common triggers are generally smell, sound or sight. I wrote a story you can find here https://www.fimfiction.net/story/83726/when-the-field-becomes-fallow that dealt with something similar to what you are describing.

Emotional triggers aren't always going to lead to a full blown flashback, or complete break from reality, however. Sometimes the person could just retreat into their own head, and it will appear to everyone else that they're just spacing out. It takes a lot of different forms, and is a pretty tricky thing to treat, if that person even opts to get it treated. Many do, but some still just try to live with it.

6964722 *Acres

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Hey, I listened to an audio reading of that story a while back, and I loved it.

Also, thanks for the advice.