Beads of Water equips you to better understand PTSD whether you are a victim or you interact with a victim as a therapy provider, family member, or friend. The author, a retired college professor, acquired severe PTSD in early childhood, around 1941, when the disorder was unknown. Throughout his life he struggled to function normally despite what are now called flashbacks of emotions like anxiety, dread, fear, and depression that seemed to strike him out of nowhere. With no understanding of why he was visited by these sometimes powerful emotions, he believed his only course of action was to resist and stand strong. His internal struggles and suffering exacted a high cost, however, because they placed intense strains on his relationships with the people he loved. At age 65 he was finally diagnosed with PTSD, and using the research skills acquired during his PhD training, he began a journey of learning, understanding, and healing. This book is his effort to help others cope more effectively with PTSD using simple techniques he found in numerous sources ranging from ancient wisdom to the latest concepts in psychotherapy and brain science. The narrative is heartfelt and frequently moving. The material is unusual in blending candid and sometimes deeply intimate details of his personal life with important philosophical and scientific insights. The text sometimes introduces advanced ideas, but the presentation and language are always clear and easy to understand by the average reader.
About the Author: Born in 1939, Frank Troy developed severe PTSD from early childhood trauma. At that time the concept of PTSD did not exist, and without knowing why, he struggled through childhood, adolescence, and adulthood with flashbacks of anxiety, dread, fear, and depression. Struggling against great internal stresses, he earned a PhD degree and pursued a college teaching career. Only after he retired and sank into suicidal depression was his severe condition correctly diagnosed in 2004. The diagnosis opened the way for him to use his research skills to learn about the nature, causes, and cures of PTSD. He investigated the latest discoveries in neuroscience and brain function. He tried out various modalities of therapy including psychotherapy, counseling, medications, relaxation techniques, and meditation. He searched for insights in the literary and philosophical texts that were his academic specialties. Gradually he found ways of managing his PTSD symptoms and gained significant relief. He wrote this book with the hope that what he has learned might be of help to others who struggle with, or know someone who struggles with, this crippling disorder. The author or co-author of six previous books, Troy lives in Lynchburg, VA, and currently writes full time.