Part One

Post traumatic slavery disorder derives from the official american psychiatric associations manual diagnosis of post traumatic stress disorder. its a condition which comes from exposure to a traumatic stress incident such as police brutality, rape, a car crash and, yes, slavery.
Originally this disorder was characterised by symptoms of anxiety, depression, flashbacks, anger, parania, nightmares sleep and appetite disturbance. these were symptoms american servicemen also developed shortly after a tour of duty in vietnam. these soldiers developed coping behaviours such as drug and alcohol abuse, promiscious sex and other anti-social activities to deal with micro alienation, seperation from loved ones, fear of death and the experience of killing.
These functional activities helped ease our pain in the shortrun. over time though, these coping mechanisms proved harmful, because the signs of post traumatic stress because worse when they returned to the states. thats how the disorder works. if symptoms arent treated, they become corrisive, since there's no longer a need for these survival behaviours.
A similar pattern is still playing out with ordinary black folk, you see, many of the bahaviours that we criticize in one another results directly from defense machanism we adopted in order to cope with the trauma of slavery. during slavery, the black man and woman could not ctreate lasting partnerships and families. instead, our forefathers and mothers were bred like prize animals, according to the whims and requirements of the slave master. some slaves did manage to form family units, only to see them torn apart as children, mothers and fathers were sold off to distant plantations. they had no hope of ever meeting again.
Infact, from the moment the very first slave stepped unto the auction block, black men understand that commitment to a woman would likely bring them heartache and trouble .
Why? several reasons. first, slave master could sleep with his woman - the mother of his children -anytime he pleased. Also, a black couples love for each other bound both of them to the plantation for life, defeating any motivation to escape. Remaining staunchly uncommitted to love was the only psychological defense against that certain prospect of pain.
As for the black woman she soon learned that her man could not protect her or her children. Infact, her surest means of survival was through her sexual alliance with the slave master.
No wonder black men are still reluctant to make long term commitments, and black women have so little faith in them! These defensive behaviour may/and has always caused inappropriate and untold heartaches in relationship.
And because we are either unaware or in denial of our post Traumatic Slavery Disorder our mental health/and our day to day lives are suffering. I have news for you: it wont yet better untill we got help. Our PTSD is like an open sore that’s left untreated and continues to fester. Our harmful actions within our relationships increase our isolation and anger, exercerbating our post traumatic slavery disorder. This creates even more anxiety, depression and parrania: sheesh, its as ugly as those plaid polyester bellbotloms and platforms we used to wear in the seventies!
With all this disease runing though our hearts and mind, where can we find mental energy and stability to form hearty relationships? How can we make love connections without first loving ourselves and
Seeing the good in each other? We simply cant embrace these restive virtues if we lack the mantal flexibility to deal with the emotions and conflicts that are a part of every day life.
Can we rid ourselves of this mental disease so we can stop the insanity and find true love? Can our men pull up to the bumper of a honey and stay hitched? Can our women find a good black man who values a healhty relationship more than his ego?
The answer is yes! But yet still lies in silence how can we heal our post traumatic slavery disorder?

Watch out for the second and concluding episode.