I talked about it some in my welcome post, but I'm a Navy veteran. I never saw combat. I wasn't assaulted or abused. I wasn't exposed to anything everyone else wasn't. Nothing that's abnormal or outside normal life experience. I was closeted transgender, I performed miserably, I was yelled at almost every day for screwing up, I found the DC equipment horrifying to wear, especially the OBAs which cut off your ability to breath when you're running between air stations. But nothing unusual. I just couldn't take it. But other than criterion A, I arguably have at least one item in every other criterion (not necessarily the minimum number for all of them, though). I have major anxiety that keeps me stuck in the house. I miss school over it. I've avoided finding a job because I'm scared of being trapped around people and unable to go hide. I want to curl up into a ball around screaming. I'm suicidal off and on. I was definitely suicidal while in the Navy. But I shouldn't be this messed up from being around, at worst, a few bullies, and having to run a few ship drills. No real emergencies, ever. I did have a friend crushed to death in machinery, but I wasn't' even on the boat at the time. Another friend committed suicide a few months after I got out. But I wasn't a responder, wasn't around for either one.
I hate being like this, and nothing happened! My ability to cope with stressors is horrible. I shut down. I avoid going to the VA just because I don't want to be reminded about the military. I don't even want to track down friends from the Navy because it has to do with my time there. It's been seven years since I got out and I can't function. And nothing happened. At least, I feel like that all the time.
I hate being like this, and nothing happened! My ability to cope with stressors is horrible. I shut down. I avoid going to the VA just because I don't want to be reminded about the military. I don't even want to track down friends from the Navy because it has to do with my time there. It's been seven years since I got out and I can't function. And nothing happened. At least, I feel like that all the time.