PTSD From Vietnam

[cia672001]

I'm a decorated Vietnam Combat Veteran, 9th Infantry Division, 60 years old. After attempting to assess where my life went wrong and why, with out success, I approached the Veterans Administration for assistance three years ago. I was initially given a 30% disability for PTSD and have since been re-evaluated at 60%.
I have had years of unemployment (social phobia) and seven months ago, quit my most recent job.
I see a psyciatrist once every three months, for 15 minutes, to see how my medications are working for me. My meds are 4 Prozak a day, a very heavy sleeping medication for nightmares, and 1-3 anti-anxiety pills per day as needed. I have been on Abilify in the past but took myself off because of the "the fog".
I asked to see another doctor who told me I was fine and should perhaps seek group therapy for PTSD. When I mentioned the medications I am on, which would seem to indicate a more serious problem than group, he said the meds are to help me cope with situations like being in group.
I feel like the VA is just keeping me medicated and giving me a few hundred bucks a month to just go away. They don't seem interested in providing therapy and I can't afford a private doctor.
Any suggestions? Bill

 

[cyndi]

I'd try the group therapy. I'm not aware of any specific to PTSD in my area, so if there are ones where you are, I'd jump on it, especially if they are moderated by a therapist. Taking meds may help your symptoms but the real help that sticks is in learning to live differently, adapt your life to functioning with the PTSD and honestly some of the best help I've gotten is from reading books about it and APPLYing the tools they recommend. It's like learning how to live again, not an easy task and you have to be open to new ideas and ways of thinking. I find the more open I am to ideas that have helped others no matter how cheesy or strange they seem at first, the more doable the whole living thing becomes. There is a lot of great info. gathered in the info section on here that is beyond what most doctors tell you or most websites beyong the symptom description.

 

[cia672001]

When I mentioned the medications I am on, which would seem to indicate a more serious problem than group, he said the meds are to help me cope with situations like being in group.
I feel like the VA is just keeping me medicated and giving me a few hundred bucks a month to just go away. They don't seem interested in providing therapy and I can't afford a private doctor.
Any suggestions? Bill

"Does a man swimming in a typhoon, know that it's raining"?

 

[skyp56]

Welcome to the forum! I'd also say to go for the groups. You won't know what help that might give until you try, right? But do keep asking about private counseling; sounds like you need it.

Hang in there!
skyp

 

[Deleted member 541]

HI Bill,

While the group therapy may help you in some respects, such as learning to socialize again, share like experiences, and hopefully make a bond with a few of the group members, it probably won't deal with your issues.

You have probably been ( like so many others) coping as best as you can, in whatever way that you could. Including stuffing your trauma, not thinking about what you went through and saw in Nam, possibly drinking, or doing drugs. I didn't say that you did, just possibly!!!!

The point I am trying to make is that you CAN'T run from your trauma, you have to turn around and face it....Talk about it, write about it, tell all of it, all of the feelings you had then and now. It's the only way, to get better, and in doing so, you will be able to get off a lot of the meds that you are on.

This is a wonderful site, with TONS of information. Please read as much as you can here in the information sections, and then start asking questions, posting things that you need to get off your chest, and just know that we understand......

 

[midi]

I have to repeat the talk talk talk advice here. I remember going up to a base for training and wearing my combats (Cadn reserves, not reg force). I took the train. At the station, I ran into a decorated Vietnam vet from the states. We only had a few minutes to talk, but in doing so, he shared with me what it was like to bag bodies during the war. Although it was a very short conversation, it meant quite a lot to both of us.

Don't be afraid of talking about your experiences here - we'll listen.

 

[Mercy]

I'm so sorry you have had to suffer so long from the trauma in Nam. My therapist ran groups at the VA for about ten years. He said that the men were really helped by sharing their stories with Vets who really understood them.

As I understand the meds you are taking (very like mine)their purpose is to allow you to be present in group, to listen and speak the unspeakable. Without the meds, that just might not be possible at all. You might just be too triggered to stay and receive the comfort you really need. You are not alone.

Acts of war are the war's fault not yours personally-even if you did things you don't want to admit or talk about. There is no horror or hell do deep that God cannot go there with you and stay with you. Remember, You do not have the sins or the power that could ever make God stop loving you.

 

[anthony]

Hi Bill, welcome to the forum.

I believe the American VA is doing exactly what you are saying... they just want to bury the problem like they often do many things. All countries are now having to adopt this principle to a point though, as the world is deploying more as a whole now with higher numbers globally... this means all countries veteran administrations are now overwhelmed with soldiers suffering combat stressors and anxieties.... PTSD and PTS (acute anxiety).

I simply believe they just never thought it would impact this many soldiers.... they never seen it coming. All the soldiers injured mentally could bankrupt near every country presently with claims if allowed. Ignorance is not helping though either.... not sure what the ideal solution is. I agree with you though... it is piss poor what is going on with treatment of us all....

 

[blue_eyed_angel]

Welcome to the forum Bill :) My boyfriends father is a Vietnam Vet who actually suffers from PTSD. I have sat and talked to him on numerous occasions and the stories that he has told me. Wow.. I can't even begin to imagine. The fact that soldier's returning home were spit on and all the other things that happened, I just can't even fathom. My boyfriend who is an Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran who is also a PTSD sufferer has shared stories about what he went through. He deals with the VA as well. See's a therapist once a week. I will agree with you. The VA is very quick to medicate someone. I just don't really understand that at all. I would try the group therapy. It can't hurt to try. I am going to go for now. Take care. And I hope that you can find some sort of help.