PTSD Quotes for Trauma Recovery & Healing

Explore some of the most powerful and relatable PTSD quotes and captions to remind you that healing is possible and you are not alone.

Living with PTSD isn’t easy—it requires immense strength, patience, and understanding. Whether you’re navigating trauma yourself or supporting someone who is, the right words can bring comfort, connection, and hope like a warm hug for the soul.

Each year on June 27, National PTSD Awareness Day recognizes the effects post-traumatic stress has on the lives of those impacted by it.

Top 10 PTSD Quotes

1. “PTSD is a part of you, but it doesn’t define you.” – Unknown

   
2. “What we change inwardly will change outer reality.” — Plutarch
3. “I wish my head could forget what my eyes have seen.” — Dave Parnell

   

4. “Trauma is hell on earth. Trauma resolved is a gift from the Gods.” — Peter A. Levine

   

5. “Hold yourself back, or heal yourself back together. You decide.” — Brittany Burgunder

   

6. “Post traumatic stress injury isn’t a disease. It’s a wound to the soul that never heals.” — Tom Glenn
7. “Delusional pain hurts just as much as pain from actual trauma. So what if it’s all in your head?” — Tracy Morgan
8. “It’s not the person refusing to let go of the past, but the past refusing to let go of the person.” – Sonawane Raj

   

9. “Trauma creates change you don’t choose. Healing is about creating change you do choose.” — Michelle Rosenthal

   

10. “Healing doesn’t mean the damage never existed. It means the damage no longer controls your life…….” ― Akshay Dubey

    

PTSD Captions for Awareness

1. Support makes healing stronger.
2. Let them feel seen, not judged.
3. Mental wounds are real wounds too.
4. Recovery is not linear and that’s okay.
5. Strength grows in the soil of struggle.
6. Honor your story, even the painful parts.
7. You’re not alone, and you never were.
8. Healing is messy but worth every moment.
9. You are more than what happened to you.
10. Breaking the silence around PTSD one story at a time.

    

PTSD Quotes to Help Survivors Cope with Trauma

1. “Recovery is an act of courage, not weakness.” – Unknown

   

2. “You are not broken. You are breaking through.” – Alex Myles

   

3. “Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls.” – Khalil Gibran

   

4. “Healing takes time and asking for help is a courageous step.” – Mariska Hargitay

   

5. “Breathe. You’re going to be okay. Maybe not today, but eventually.” – Unknown
6. “I survived because the fire inside me burned brighter than the fire around me.” – Joshua Graham
7. “It is only in sorrow bad weather masters us; in joy we face the storm and defy it.” — Amelia Barr
8. “Instead of saying ‘I’m damaged, I’m broken, I have trust issues.” I say “I’m healing, I’m rediscovering myself, I’m starting over.” — Horacio Jones
9. “What’s broken can still be mended. What hurts can be healed. And no matter how dark it gets, the sun will rise again.” – Unknown
10. “There is no timestamp on trauma. There isn’t a formula that you can insert yourself into to get from horror to healed. Be patient. Take up space. Let your journey be the balm.” — Dawn Serra

Short PTSD Quotes That Say A Lot

1. “Be gentle with yourself.” – Unknown
2. “Triggers are not your fault.” – Unknown
3. “Survival is your superpower.” – Unknown
4. “Trauma is personal.” – Bessel van der Kolk
5. “Hope is a muscle. Exercise it daily.” – Unknown
6. “Healing begins with acknowledgment.” – Unknown
7. “Resting is also part of recovery.” – Unknown
8. “You made it through 100% of your worst days.” – Unknown
9. “PTSD isn’t weakness—it’s a warrior’s battle.” – Unknown
10. “PTSD recovery isn’t a race—it’s a path.” – Unknown 

Quotes About Healing from Trauma (PTSD)

1. “The best way out is always through.” – Robert Frost
2. “You can’t patch a wounded soul with a bandaid.” — Michael Connelly
3. “One of the hardest things was learning that I was worth recovery.” ― Demi Lovato
4. “Trauma is a fact of life. It does not, however, have to be a life sentence.” — Peter A. Levine
5. “To heal is to touch with love that which we previously touched with fear.” – Stephen Levine
6. “Healing doesn’t mean forgetting. It means choosing peace over chaos.” – Unknown
7. “Scars remind us where we’ve been. They don’t dictate where we’re going.” – David Rossi
8. “You are not the darkness you endured. You are the light that refused to surrender.” – John Mark Green
9. “PTSD is the constant battle of reminding my body and mind that the past, present, and future are not one in the same, and despite what I’m feeling I am safe and in control of my body.” — Shantae Griffin
10. “Healing is not an overnight process. It is a daily cleansing of pain, it is a daily healing of your life.” – Leon Brown

PTSD Recovery Quotes

1. “People start to heal the moment they feel heard.” — Cheryl Richardson
2. “There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds.” — Laurell K. Hamilton
3. “To live in the body of a survivor is to never be able to leave the scene of the crime. I cannot ignore the fact that I live here.” — Blythe Baird
4. “Trauma is perhaps the most avoided, ignored, belittled, denied, misunderstood, and untreated cause of human suffering.” — Peter Levine
5. “When you notice someone does something toxic the first time, don’t wait for the second time before you address it or cut them off.” — Shahida Arabi
6. “I did not ask for the things I’ve been through. And I certainly didn’t ask my mind to paint and repaint the pictures back in flashback form.” – Michelle Groth
7. “A lot of people who have experienced trauma at the hands of people they’ve trusted take responsibility, and that is what’s toxic.” — Hannah Gadsby
8. “When you’re going through these difficult times of chaos and trauma, the most important thing is to keep those who are closest to you together.” — Michael Imperioli
9. “Always remember, if you have been diagnosed with PTSD, it is not a sign of weakness; rather, it is proof of your strength, because you have survived!” — Michel Templet
10. “PTSD nightmares aren’t always exact replays of the event. Sometimes they replay the emotions you felt during the event, such as fear, helplessness, and sadness.” — Alice Cariv

Inspirational PTSD Quotes

1. “It doesn’t matter how slow you go, as long as you don’t stop.” — Confucius
2. “Dont ask the question ‘why the addiction’ but ‘why the pain?’” — Dr. Gabor Mate
3. “I’m not lazy. I’m just exhausted from fighting my way through every single day.” — Mimi Love
4. “Wounds won’t heal the way you want them to, they heal the way they need to.” — Dele Olanubi
5. “Some people survive and talk about it. Some people survive and go silent. Some people survive and create.” — Nikita Gill
6. “My past is an armor I cannot take off, no Matter how many times you tell me the war is over.” — Jessica Katoff
7. “PTSD affects the mind, body, and relationships. There is no silver bullet approach.” — Nicole French
8. “You wake up every morning to fight the same demons that left you so tired the night before, and that, my love, is bravery.” — Unknown
9. “Perhaps the butterfly is proof that you can go through a great deal of darkness yet become something beautiful.” — Unknown
10. “Healing happens when you’re triggered and you’re able to move through the pain, the pattern, the story and walk your way to a different ending.” — Vienna Pharaon
11. “Someone once asked me, “Why do you always insist on taking the hard road?” I replied, “Why do you assume I see two roads?” — Unknown
12. “Over time, as most people fail the survivor’s exacting test of trustworthiness, she tends to withdraw from relationships. The isolation of the survivor, thus persists even after she is free.” — Judith Lewis Herman
13. “Bad things do happen how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my loss, or I can choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have – life itself.” — Walter Anderson

What is PTSD?

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition triggered by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Symptoms can include flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, and emotional numbness. Healing from PTSD is not linear—but it is possible, and every step forward matters.

These quotations are carefully curated for those who are looking for strength in difficult times, designed to be relatable, shareable, and deeply meaningful. They’re also ideal for mental health advocates, social media posts, awareness campaigns, or anyone wanting to raise awareness about PTSD.

Coping with trauma is a challenging process, but it is possible to heal and move forward with life.

Conclusion: You Are Not Alone

PTSD is real, but so is healing. Whether you’re navigating trauma, supporting a loved one, or raising awareness, these quotes and captions serve as a gentle reminder that every step forward is a victory.

Remember: Recovery doesn’t look the same for everyone, and that’s okay. Be kind to yourself. You are doing better than you think.