Hey everyone,
I am new to this site and spent most of last night reading over it and found better insight than any therapist has ever gave me.
I am a OIF retired veteran I joined as a corpsman for the marines in 2003 and was medically retired in 2011 from combat injuries from an IED in the end of 2007 it caused a traumatic brain injury two fractured vertebrae in my c spine and numerous shrapnel wounds one of them causing me to have my right knee reconstructed. I served in haditha and the outskirts of that city most of the time I was in Iraq. I lost 5 of my marines all to IED attacks. I spent all my time with grunt battalions so most of my experience was house to house "security" patrols. Playing the role of a rifleman one minute then caregiver as soon as the situation needed medical help was the most difficult thing to me. Having to go from being cold enough so I could do what I needed to with my rifle then having to show compassion towards a family whose kid got hit next door was a soul tearing experience.
I have been fighting since Ive been back with severe ptsd, a partially functioning arm, memory loss, chronic pain and horrible sleep but more than all I've lost my identity.
I have went down hill bad in the recent months its the second lowest point I have been since combat and the lowest got me locked up for what could have been a long time. I was very lucky and was put in a psychiatric hospital for a mandatory stay. I am very involved in my treatment I see a psychiatrist, a talk therapist and a emdr specialist. Lately they haven't been at all effective in my life and I hope it's just a bad point for me that I will pull out of.
I struggle daily with my relationship, being in public, guilt, sleep.... And the list goes on. I joined this site after reading a lot of the no bullshit advice on these forums and I think it's great. I really could use all the insight I can get and needed to find somewhere I can get advice from someone who has been in these similar situations. Sorry if I caused any offense by jumping into forums before introducing myself.
I am new to this site and spent most of last night reading over it and found better insight than any therapist has ever gave me.
I am a OIF retired veteran I joined as a corpsman for the marines in 2003 and was medically retired in 2011 from combat injuries from an IED in the end of 2007 it caused a traumatic brain injury two fractured vertebrae in my c spine and numerous shrapnel wounds one of them causing me to have my right knee reconstructed. I served in haditha and the outskirts of that city most of the time I was in Iraq. I lost 5 of my marines all to IED attacks. I spent all my time with grunt battalions so most of my experience was house to house "security" patrols. Playing the role of a rifleman one minute then caregiver as soon as the situation needed medical help was the most difficult thing to me. Having to go from being cold enough so I could do what I needed to with my rifle then having to show compassion towards a family whose kid got hit next door was a soul tearing experience.
I have been fighting since Ive been back with severe ptsd, a partially functioning arm, memory loss, chronic pain and horrible sleep but more than all I've lost my identity.
I have went down hill bad in the recent months its the second lowest point I have been since combat and the lowest got me locked up for what could have been a long time. I was very lucky and was put in a psychiatric hospital for a mandatory stay. I am very involved in my treatment I see a psychiatrist, a talk therapist and a emdr specialist. Lately they haven't been at all effective in my life and I hope it's just a bad point for me that I will pull out of.
I struggle daily with my relationship, being in public, guilt, sleep.... And the list goes on. I joined this site after reading a lot of the no bullshit advice on these forums and I think it's great. I really could use all the insight I can get and needed to find somewhere I can get advice from someone who has been in these similar situations. Sorry if I caused any offense by jumping into forums before introducing myself.
