Side Effects of a Disturbing Past It's 11:10 am at Columbine High School. Two seniors get out of the cars, each with a bulky black duffel bag on their shoulders. One of the guys with spiky hair innocently greets a group of beautiful blonde girls. Nine minutes later a shot pierces the air. A young girl, while having lunch with her friend, dies instantly when one of the assassins' bullets enters her skull. A teacher, after saving as many students as possible, is reunited with his family and friends. With tears in their eyes, they ask him how he could have survived, but it's as if the questions bounce off him. He cannot respond and feels numb to the world around him. He is a victim of post-traumatic stress disorder. This scene in Denver, Colorado occurred on April 20, 1999, the day Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris shot 12 students and a teacher at Columbine High School. Post-traumatic stress disorder claimed the lives of hundreds of students and even some parents after that tragic day. PTSD is different from normal trauma and can have a huge impact on the health of the victim, their family and friends. Unfortunately, adults and teenagers are not the only victims. “PTSD affects approximately 7.7 million American adults, but can occur at any age, including childhood” (NIMH). Children who survived the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting showed the results of post-traumatic stress disorder at an early age. Thankfully, those children are expected to recover and return to their normal lives with the support of their families. However, if a child repeatedly experiences PTSD symptoms, they are very likely to carry these emotions and feelings with them into adulthood. In the future, this could potentially influence the… depressant medications used to treat their symptoms. Family members and friends of a victim diagnosed with PTSD should be cautious that the victim may behave irrationally at times. “Family can have a positive or negative impact on a loved one's PTSD symptoms” (Coping with PTSD in Family Members). A PTSD victim can sometimes come close to destroying the family emotionally, due to the family's lack of understanding of the victim's unusual symptoms. Therapy can help relieve the victim's stress and pain. “Several types of psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, can be used to treat children and adults with PTSD” (Mayo Clinic). Support groups not only provide the PTSD victim with a way to heal physically and emotionally, but they also provide a way to educate the victim's family. PTSD is not permanent and can be resolved with the help and support of loved ones.