Rape survivor Lady Gaga says she still suffers from PTSD
What's the story
Singer and actor Lady Gaga has opened up about the effects of rape trauma, saying it took her "years" to come to terms with it.
In an interview with Vogue, the 'Poker Face' star, who has spoken in the past about being raped at the age of 19, said she still suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Here's more.
Quote
Gaga says no one else knew about the stress
"No one else knew. It was almost like I tried to erase it from my brain. And when it finally came out, it was like a big, ugly monster. And you have to face the monster to heal," Gaga said.
Opening up
Don't want to hide anymore, says Lady Gaga
"For me, with my mental health issues, half of the battle in the beginning was, I felt like I was lying to the world because I was feeling so much pain but nobody knew," Gaga said.
"So that's why I came out and said that I have PTSD because I don't want to hide, anymore than I already have to," she added.
Trauma
Gaga speaks about how trauma victims feel every day
Describing the effects, Gaga said she feels "stunned" or "stunted" all the time.
"You know that feeling when you're on a roller-coaster and... about to go down the really steep slope? My diaphragm seizes up. Then I have a hard time breathing, and my whole body goes into a spasm. I begin to cry. That's what it feels like for trauma victims," Gaga said.
Information
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