Eastern Suburbs student being treated for PTSD after being forced to get the bus to school

FIRST WORLD PROBLEMS: A Vaucluse woman is undergoing therapy for post traumatic stress disorder after catching the bus to school last week.

“I’m having vivid flashbacks and nightmares,” says Valerie Kenwood-Small.

“The whole experience was so degrading, especially waiting at the bus stop. I saw some of my friends point and laugh at me as they drove past.”

The year 10 student at Kambala who normally gets driven to school by her parents in a luxury SVU, was forced to catch the 325 bus last Wednesday.

“Mum’s overseas and dad’s car was in service!” she told a therapist. “I wanted to take an Uber but dad said it wasn’t safe.”

She says the 18 minute bus ride has left her emotionally scarred.

“The seats were so dirty and uncomfortable. And the bus was full of weirdos. At one point someone even tried to sit next to me.”

Upon arriving at school, she rushed to the nurse’s office, where she was diagnosed with PTSD, a condition typically associated with traumatic events like war and natural disasters.

“Every time I see a bus now I’m reminded of my ordeal.”

The 15 year old is also taking medication to help treat her condition, but her therapist says she may never fully recover.