- Admin
- #1
anthony
Founder
My name is Anthony Parsons, 39 years of age and I am the founder and administrator of PTSD Forum. My wife’s name is Nicolette. We live in Melbourne, Australia. I have three sons, one teenager to my first wife and two little ones to my second wife, Kerrie-Ann. My two little ones live with their mother over 3000 kilometres away, and my eldest I no longer have anything to do with, as he is quite an abusive person towards females, which neither of us tolerate well.
I am an electrician by trade; I am educated and experienced within advanced industrial electronics, technician and microprocessor control. This was before joining the Australian Army, in which I served for 10 years. Whilst in the military I also developed myself into the world of marketing, primarily online, or as some will know as Search Engine Optimisation specialist. I developed into a leading expert on this topic as my skills and education grew. I then educated myself into the general niche of marketing, as online proved a strategic place only when tailored with offline marketing.
Due to my military career I was fortunate to deploy many times to multiple countries for various operations. I have deployed for humanitarian reasons, peace keeping and to declared war zone. I say fortunate because the life experience I gained from these deployments was invaluable. Yes, this is why I have PTSD, from what I have done and seen upon operations with the military. If I wasn’t ill with PTSD I would still be in the Army. Absolutely loved the job, the atmosphere, and was happy to remain within it until I retired. Obviously that route just wasn’t meant for me though, and I do not dwell upon it.
When I look back at my operations, I can actually pick the moment when my life really changed. It was February 2000, two months after I came home from a declared war zone, East Timor. My drinking was pretty much out of control after all operations, as was my behaviour, though this one I flipped out pretty hard. I got home and within two days was on a plane to my next posting location as an instructor. I drunk my way through it, I did my job well as always, though my attitude was certainly changing and being noted.
I kicked my wife out a month into being within the new location. I drunk myself stupid for six months after that, though still attending work daily. I did things definitely against military law during that time and against ethics of being within an instructional position. My boss knew it, though he protected me because he knew it was not my typical behaviour. Neither of us knew why, but he protected me nonetheless. This is what I admired most about the military, in that I was normally an outstanding soldier and excelled in everything I did, but some periods were just way out of my own character. That is team work, and I like it. That was what I now know, the beginning to PTSD.
Nearing the end of 2000 I got my life back together, started thinking about where I was and what I overcame to get off the alcohol and begin looking forward to life. Well, when I say I got off the alcohol, that was more like I simply stopped drinking a full bottle per day of spirits, instead only a couple a week maybe. I requested to be moved back to Townsville the end of that year as that is where my ex-wife had returned with my son, Logan. I wanted to see him, so that is where I ended.
I remained single for near two years, girlfriend here and there, sex out of control, pretty much just drank, worked and partied. I was at a point where I just didn’t know what was up anymore and thought that the type of woman I wanted was the wrong type, so I met the opposite type to me, Kerrie-Ann. This is simply the truth how I now feel it to be. I thought everything was just wrong because my relationships failed, so I must be wrong and require the opposite in order to succeed within a relationship. How wrong I was. The only good thing to come from that one was my two young ones, which I absolutely adore and love, though cannot see these days due to issues created by my ex-wife.
I was discharged from the military at the end of 2004 after being home from pretty much a year already on full pay. I was not allowed to work due to the severity of my symptoms at that stage and pending medical discharge. I would have killed someone; I knew it and so did they.
Whilst in Townsville I attended a PTSD course in 2005, Cohort 18. That course put me on the road to this forum. It was what I learnt about myself at that stage that had me thinking, “If others in the world feel what I feel with PTSD, then this type of learning can help them too.” And that was how the forum was born. The therapists and specialists who ran that course tried to talk me out of this forum, as they said it was not beneficial for sufferers. At the end of the day, I am a sufferer which means I have more an idea than they do of what is and is not good for what I felt. If I felt it, then others would, and so I proceeded.
End of 2005, we moved to Melbourne, as Kerrie had a posting here. I needed to leave Townsville, and one way or another I was. This just helped the process along. So here I am in Melbourne and the relationship issues only worsened. Kerrie ended up leaving for her mother’s in Dec ’06 with the kids, to only return to collect her goods. We separated sometime in January ’07 officially.
After this event I swore I was off women forever. I just didn’t believe the person existed who was right for me, so I had succumbed to simply going through life single and enjoying that lifestyle. Well, once again I was wrong. My son played cricket with the next door neighbour’s son, and at the end of February ’07 we happened to meet one anther. All else was just history after that point in my life. I had successfully accomplished this forum’s foothold within the world to help PTSD and had finally taken a turn in the most positive direction of my life.
To sumate my current relationship; Nicolette is like the best bits of all my dating and relationship experience in life to date. Seriously, it is just uncanny how much we like the same things, approach life the same way, talk about issues and just want peace within a relationship, not control, dominance, betrayal and the rest of the issues.
Nicolette and I have been together happily since meeting, happily married and enjoying each other as much as possible.
I still have my down days at times, but for the most part, no medication and most days are quite good as my stressor intake is well managed. If things go vastly wrong, yes, I do still get ill, but I also recover usually within a day or two. I try to manage my overall stressor intake quite well though, which allows me to function to atleast participate in life more than I ever could when initially diagnosed. I am at the severe spectrum, but manage quite well most days.
Administration Anthony vs. Just Anthony
It is very easy to read some things I say as someone who doesn't care about your trauma, or you become easily offended as I quickly flick some comment onto your thread about rules, or such, including even staff. It is easy to build an opinion that I don't care, only see one way, etc.
The actual truth is far from this. I am a quite an easy going person, very assertive, yes, and I do border arrogant at times with subjects I am extremely knowledgable upon, PTSD being one of them. I think most people do become a little arrogant when they are very subject knowledge heavy. I am also extremely confident about my own abilities, though also recognise when I don't have an ability or knowledge, and instead listen and learn from others. I don't know everything about PTSD, nor claim such, but I do know a lot. I do change when empirical research proves something has changed. I don't change because of reading one isolated study, journal or website, which is far from empirical data.
If I didn't care about trauma, then I would simply close this site down and wipe my hands with it, its really that simple. It costs me money and usually stress to keep it open.
I will give a recent example of change, even though it creates backlash for me as the administrator, this is member change, yet I am happy to change with the industry. Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD). We all thought it would get picked up, as it has been used unofficially for 20 years and trying to get into the DSM & ICD. The simple facts, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) have outright stated it will not be a diagnosis, as they are not willing to change their entire classification system for one diagnosis. Do I continue to perpetuate something that will not be, or do I perpetuate it even though I know its false?
This is evidence of change, even though I thought CPTSD would get in, I must change. So as a result, I have implemented change upon this forum and changed CPTSD to what it actually is, complex trauma. Staff will change CPTSD to complex trauma. Complex trauma is valid, but CPTSD is not an official diagnosis, never will be. I have changed, some members choose to hang onto the label nonetheless. This is a direct example of how the forum changes. People don't like change though, so I as the administrator still get targeted even doing the right thing, by keeping the forum current to industry official practices.
What I do as an administrative capacity does not define who I am when helping people with actual trauma. I'm not a cold, insensitive prick, as some could conclude, but I am direct and to the point as my time is limited. I don't have the time to get extensive with every member who contacts me, nor wants my attention or help. I also have PTSD and must manage my own exposure to stressors. I must draw a line for my own time, and do so.
My point... members should separate me into administrative duties vs. traumatic discussion. As I tend to literally put on my administrative hat to administer, then remove it to be myself when working with trauma itself. They also mix together at times. Bluntness though... that is me. I am very direct, I try to be honest at all times, though sometimes saying nothing is also the best policy, as constant honesty is an indirect method of abuse, passive / aggressive behaviour, which is not who I am.
That is me in a nutshell, current as at: Apr 2011. Is this my entire life? No.
I am an electrician by trade; I am educated and experienced within advanced industrial electronics, technician and microprocessor control. This was before joining the Australian Army, in which I served for 10 years. Whilst in the military I also developed myself into the world of marketing, primarily online, or as some will know as Search Engine Optimisation specialist. I developed into a leading expert on this topic as my skills and education grew. I then educated myself into the general niche of marketing, as online proved a strategic place only when tailored with offline marketing.
Due to my military career I was fortunate to deploy many times to multiple countries for various operations. I have deployed for humanitarian reasons, peace keeping and to declared war zone. I say fortunate because the life experience I gained from these deployments was invaluable. Yes, this is why I have PTSD, from what I have done and seen upon operations with the military. If I wasn’t ill with PTSD I would still be in the Army. Absolutely loved the job, the atmosphere, and was happy to remain within it until I retired. Obviously that route just wasn’t meant for me though, and I do not dwell upon it.
When I look back at my operations, I can actually pick the moment when my life really changed. It was February 2000, two months after I came home from a declared war zone, East Timor. My drinking was pretty much out of control after all operations, as was my behaviour, though this one I flipped out pretty hard. I got home and within two days was on a plane to my next posting location as an instructor. I drunk my way through it, I did my job well as always, though my attitude was certainly changing and being noted.
I kicked my wife out a month into being within the new location. I drunk myself stupid for six months after that, though still attending work daily. I did things definitely against military law during that time and against ethics of being within an instructional position. My boss knew it, though he protected me because he knew it was not my typical behaviour. Neither of us knew why, but he protected me nonetheless. This is what I admired most about the military, in that I was normally an outstanding soldier and excelled in everything I did, but some periods were just way out of my own character. That is team work, and I like it. That was what I now know, the beginning to PTSD.
Nearing the end of 2000 I got my life back together, started thinking about where I was and what I overcame to get off the alcohol and begin looking forward to life. Well, when I say I got off the alcohol, that was more like I simply stopped drinking a full bottle per day of spirits, instead only a couple a week maybe. I requested to be moved back to Townsville the end of that year as that is where my ex-wife had returned with my son, Logan. I wanted to see him, so that is where I ended.
I remained single for near two years, girlfriend here and there, sex out of control, pretty much just drank, worked and partied. I was at a point where I just didn’t know what was up anymore and thought that the type of woman I wanted was the wrong type, so I met the opposite type to me, Kerrie-Ann. This is simply the truth how I now feel it to be. I thought everything was just wrong because my relationships failed, so I must be wrong and require the opposite in order to succeed within a relationship. How wrong I was. The only good thing to come from that one was my two young ones, which I absolutely adore and love, though cannot see these days due to issues created by my ex-wife.
I was discharged from the military at the end of 2004 after being home from pretty much a year already on full pay. I was not allowed to work due to the severity of my symptoms at that stage and pending medical discharge. I would have killed someone; I knew it and so did they.
Whilst in Townsville I attended a PTSD course in 2005, Cohort 18. That course put me on the road to this forum. It was what I learnt about myself at that stage that had me thinking, “If others in the world feel what I feel with PTSD, then this type of learning can help them too.” And that was how the forum was born. The therapists and specialists who ran that course tried to talk me out of this forum, as they said it was not beneficial for sufferers. At the end of the day, I am a sufferer which means I have more an idea than they do of what is and is not good for what I felt. If I felt it, then others would, and so I proceeded.
End of 2005, we moved to Melbourne, as Kerrie had a posting here. I needed to leave Townsville, and one way or another I was. This just helped the process along. So here I am in Melbourne and the relationship issues only worsened. Kerrie ended up leaving for her mother’s in Dec ’06 with the kids, to only return to collect her goods. We separated sometime in January ’07 officially.
After this event I swore I was off women forever. I just didn’t believe the person existed who was right for me, so I had succumbed to simply going through life single and enjoying that lifestyle. Well, once again I was wrong. My son played cricket with the next door neighbour’s son, and at the end of February ’07 we happened to meet one anther. All else was just history after that point in my life. I had successfully accomplished this forum’s foothold within the world to help PTSD and had finally taken a turn in the most positive direction of my life.
To sumate my current relationship; Nicolette is like the best bits of all my dating and relationship experience in life to date. Seriously, it is just uncanny how much we like the same things, approach life the same way, talk about issues and just want peace within a relationship, not control, dominance, betrayal and the rest of the issues.
Nicolette and I have been together happily since meeting, happily married and enjoying each other as much as possible.
I still have my down days at times, but for the most part, no medication and most days are quite good as my stressor intake is well managed. If things go vastly wrong, yes, I do still get ill, but I also recover usually within a day or two. I try to manage my overall stressor intake quite well though, which allows me to function to atleast participate in life more than I ever could when initially diagnosed. I am at the severe spectrum, but manage quite well most days.
Administration Anthony vs. Just Anthony
It is very easy to read some things I say as someone who doesn't care about your trauma, or you become easily offended as I quickly flick some comment onto your thread about rules, or such, including even staff. It is easy to build an opinion that I don't care, only see one way, etc.
The actual truth is far from this. I am a quite an easy going person, very assertive, yes, and I do border arrogant at times with subjects I am extremely knowledgable upon, PTSD being one of them. I think most people do become a little arrogant when they are very subject knowledge heavy. I am also extremely confident about my own abilities, though also recognise when I don't have an ability or knowledge, and instead listen and learn from others. I don't know everything about PTSD, nor claim such, but I do know a lot. I do change when empirical research proves something has changed. I don't change because of reading one isolated study, journal or website, which is far from empirical data.
If I didn't care about trauma, then I would simply close this site down and wipe my hands with it, its really that simple. It costs me money and usually stress to keep it open.
I will give a recent example of change, even though it creates backlash for me as the administrator, this is member change, yet I am happy to change with the industry. Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD). We all thought it would get picked up, as it has been used unofficially for 20 years and trying to get into the DSM & ICD. The simple facts, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) have outright stated it will not be a diagnosis, as they are not willing to change their entire classification system for one diagnosis. Do I continue to perpetuate something that will not be, or do I perpetuate it even though I know its false?
This is evidence of change, even though I thought CPTSD would get in, I must change. So as a result, I have implemented change upon this forum and changed CPTSD to what it actually is, complex trauma. Staff will change CPTSD to complex trauma. Complex trauma is valid, but CPTSD is not an official diagnosis, never will be. I have changed, some members choose to hang onto the label nonetheless. This is a direct example of how the forum changes. People don't like change though, so I as the administrator still get targeted even doing the right thing, by keeping the forum current to industry official practices.
What I do as an administrative capacity does not define who I am when helping people with actual trauma. I'm not a cold, insensitive prick, as some could conclude, but I am direct and to the point as my time is limited. I don't have the time to get extensive with every member who contacts me, nor wants my attention or help. I also have PTSD and must manage my own exposure to stressors. I must draw a line for my own time, and do so.
My point... members should separate me into administrative duties vs. traumatic discussion. As I tend to literally put on my administrative hat to administer, then remove it to be myself when working with trauma itself. They also mix together at times. Bluntness though... that is me. I am very direct, I try to be honest at all times, though sometimes saying nothing is also the best policy, as constant honesty is an indirect method of abuse, passive / aggressive behaviour, which is not who I am.
That is me in a nutshell, current as at: Apr 2011. Is this my entire life? No.
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