Ep. 56 Invisible Scars: PTSD, Grief and Life After a Dog Attack
- Neil Parekh
- 6 hours ago
- 4 min read
Surviving a traumatic event does not mean its effects simply disappear once the physical scars heal. Understanding and learning to live with the invisible scars—including PTSD, anxiety, disrupted sleep and grief—can take much longer.
At 19, Marina Perry was a college athlete when she was violently attacked by a dog belonging to a family she knew well. The attack lasted only seconds, but the consequences did not. Marina suffered serious injuries and eventually learned that some of the physical damage would be permanent.
Marina joins me and Dawn Neuburg to talk candidly about the attack and the long-term mental health impact of trauma on Episode 56 of Shining Light on Shadows: A Candid Conversation About Mental Health, “Invisible Scars: PTSD, Grief and Life After a Dog Attack,” Thursday, September 10 at 7pm ET / 6pm CT / 4pm PT.
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About this Episode
In the months that followed her attack, Marina found herself dealing with wounds that were much harder to see. She experienced panic attacks, struggled to sleep and became consumed by thoughts about how differently the attack could have ended. As she worked through the trauma in therapy, the immediate symptoms of PTSD eventually gave way to something else: grief over what had happened to her, what had changed and what she feared she had lost.
The attack caused permanent physical damage that changed the course of her college track career and forced her to confront what those injuries might mean for the rest of her life.
Dawn Neuburg also understands firsthand how trauma can continue long after an attack. She experienced many of the same long-term effects Marina describes after surviving a violent sexual assault more than three decades ago. We explored Dawn’s story in detail, including her account of the attack and her recovery, The Blue Flower Curtain, on Episode 27.
Marina’s story immediately resonated with Dawn, particularly the dissociation, panic, disrupted sleep and the difficulty of simply being told to “get over it.”
I’ve known Marina and her family for years. Her mom and my wife, Pam, have been close friends since kindergarten.
I remember seeing Marina’s posts and pictures as she pursued her dream of competing in college track.
A few weeks ago, she came down from Connecticut to spend a few days with our family and take our daughter, Emily, to a My Chemical Romance concert.
Programming Notes
Sree Sreenivasan joined me and Dawn Neuburg for Episode 55, “The Mental Health Impacts of Social Media on Teens AND Adults.”
We talked about the Meta settlement, social media’s impact on adults and teens, the challenges of modeling healthy behavior, practical ways to curb phone and social media use, and the positive ways these platforms can also be used.
Paige Goble will be our guest on Ep. 57 of Shining Light on Shadows: A Candid Conversation About Mental Health, “Managing the Transition from High School to College.”
She returns to Shining Light on Shadows a year after joining us as a senior at Lake Braddock Secondary School senior; she is now as a freshman at William & Mary. We’ll catch up on her senior year, the transition to college and how she is taking care of her mental health while adjusting to this new chapter.
September is Suicide Prevention Month. Paige, Dawn and I have all experienced suicidal ideation, and we’ll touch on that as well.
Background
Dawn and I launched this twice a month show (the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month) in order to help reduce the stigma associated with mental health. Thank you for being part of our community.
We are proud to be in Year 3 of the show. (It's hard to believe we are already starting to play Year 4!) If you are interested in being a guest on the show or know someone who might be interested, please let us know. We’re looking for people who would be willing to share their story, advocates and people who work in the field of mental health.
We hope you can watch the show and share your own thoughts in the comments.
Resources / Relevant Links
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Helpline
800-950-6264 Or text "HelpLine" to 6264; nami.org
Mental Health America Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org; mhanational.org Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) National Sexual Assault Hotline 800-656-HOPE (4673); rainn.org
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