I have nightmares
Mental Health and Sexual Health Are Closely Connected. Your mental health plays a big role in your sexual health. To feel good about yourself and build healthy relationships, you need to feel mentally well overall. However, if you’ve experienced frightening or traumatic events — like war, violence, or having to flee your home — it can have a lasting impact on your mental health. This can lead to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), where painful memories won’t leave you alone and start to affect your daily life.
Common Symptoms of PTSD
• Nightmares
• Anxiety
• Trouble sleeping
• Difficulty concentrating
• Avoiding things that remind you of the trauma
• Flashbacks, where memories feel so real that it’s like you’re reliving the event
• Physical reactions, like a racing heartbeat or feeling shaky
PTSD can make you feel numb, worthless, or disconnected from the world. You might avoid people or places that remind you of what happened, isolate yourself, or struggle with bursts of anger or fear. If the trauma was long-term — for example, from war or torture — you might also feel shame, guilt, or have difficulty forming healthy relationships.
There are treatments that can help you process what happened and feel better:
• Trauma-Focused Therapy (TF-CBT) helps you work through painful memories
and reduce fear.
• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) uses guided eye movements to help your brain process traumatic memories in a healthier way.
• Medication (antidepressants) can reduce symptoms if therapy alone isn’t enough.
What You Can Do to Take Care of Yourself
• Talk to someone you trust. Sharing your thoughts and feelings can be a big first step.
• Be patient with yourself. Healing takes time.
• Avoid alcohol and drugs. They may seem like a way to escape, but they can make your symptoms worse.
If your symptoms last more than a month, if you feel like you can’t cope anymore, or if you’re having thoughts about hurting yourself, please seek help immediately. Contact a health clinic, a doctor, or emergency services.
You’re not alone, and support is out there.