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Always Looking At Deaths Door

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H8nthis

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No matter what I do or how I think, death's door is always there inviting me. I can be laughing and having a good time with my grand-daughters, but still the thought of just turning and walking right through is still there. Death is always there just inside my peripheral, the door slightly ajar inviting me to enter. I cant explain it to which my shrink fully understands.(he thinks I am suicidal, and locked me up for a week ) I am not suicidal, nor do I just want to give up, it is just that it seems like the option of death is always there for me. A little background first.
I am over 50 yrs old. Had a good life as a child, with no problems or abuse. (although my mother did beat the hell out of me from time to time, I was a bad kid lol) My problems didn't come about until 2012. I was employed as a police officer and also served in the reserves. I have had 3 tours to the desert and came back a little messed up. I did not serve in the desert in a combat position but I did get shot at and mortar attacks were very frequent. ( 3-4 times a week) I also saw a lot of the "damage" that war does. Part of my job was to help the wounded and deceased of the helos and into the ambulance, as well as loading the caskets of our fallen brethren on to the aircraft to be sent home. I got ill while I was there and it took about 2 months to recover from a virus. The doc says that it how my fibromyalgia started. With the fibro I constantly hurt all over and feel tired all the time. I know and understand the cycle about pain and depression. ( pain makes you depressed and depression makes you hurt ) A part of me is still there and I still long to return I had cheated death on several occasions both in Iraq and as a police officer. When I got sick I was retired by the military and the police department fired me. Now I live on my disability. I am a Christian and my faith is strong.
So, now that all of that is out of the way. I understand that some of my problems is guilt. For feeling like I didn't "do" enough. Even though my job was not combat, I feel guilty that it wasn't and should have been there in the "fight" and maybe I could have saved some of those young men that were there.
Or is it that I hurt so much and I am just tired of the pain, all the meds that I have to take. The constant feeling of being less of a man 'cause I can no longer support my family. Or can it be that there is always the thought of being able to walk through that door to go to a better place.
I know that this had been a long post and I appreciate yall for taking the time to read it. I did try to shorten it. I just would like to know if any one else has this same problem.
Thank you and God bless.
 
@H8nthis, yes I understand. I think death is an option for all of us. Even those that do not have PTSD. I have the thoughts also, and it's when I don't know what else to do, don't know how to ask for help, and couldn't explain what I was feeling if someone asked....
I too am in chronic pain.. and some days, I just can't deal with it... but somehow I do.. as I am here to share with you. Do you have a therapist? We always ask this first, and if not, then we encourage you to find one... We just can not do this alone. On here you will read and learn many techniques to relax, to meditate, to do self care. We are not the only ones in chronic pain, and I do believe, because of my own experience with pain, that it does contribute to our over all outlook on life...
I can't do the things I used to do... it was bad enough having to push thru all the healing pain for the traumas... now I have to push thru the pain to be a functioning member of society... and it just gets old.... I really do understand.
But I also have to look at it and say, this is the life I have.... guilt is not one of my issues, but a lot of feeling worthless... but I'm really not worthless, and you did the best you could under the circumstances. I feel any one who has experienced what you have is going to feel they simply did not do enough... if you could have done anymore, you would have...
Have you tried reading anything on Survivor Guilt? I have no references for you, but would think a Google search will turn up something.. And others will come on and have things to add...
I think if there was a door we could all walk thru, get some blessed relief, then come back and try again. But no such door... so we learn ways to take care of our self...ways to relax, ways to help ease the physical pain...
I feel I am rambling, so just want you to know you are not alone.... but try staying here awhile, reading different articles, threads with topics you can relate to or are interested in. This place has a wealth of experience and knowledge.... you might just come across a person with similar life experiences and learn how they have coped and grown... I do encourage you to get a T if you don't have one...
Sending gentle hugs if you accept...
 
H8n. Hello. I am a Christian, too, but my faith is terribly weak.

I know what you mean about being less than. I can't do much and it is very hard. I already had a disability and PTSD from hideous abuse AND THEN I had a terrible wreck so it is all hell and you know? I think of death all the time. I AM suicidal but I do not think I will do it, but I am keenly aware of the feeling you mention.....having a good time and then BAM. Like "Oh, you thought you were going to ENJOY something? Think again."

I am reading Augustine right now. City of God. It puts a lot of what I have lost into perspective. Also why good people suffer and what to do about it.

My faith is too weak to appropriate a lot of it but if your faith is strong it may really help you. It is so beautiful and he is so "here" . I feel a strong connection to Augustine. I am working on my faith but I am alone in this and I have been too beaten down without one suffering resolving before the other hits.

I am glad you wrote and shared and I hope your faith with stay strong! You are brave to have been where you were and you give me encouragement by posting that your faith is strong. A lot of people like me can't quite keep it but we try!!!
 
I don't see knowing that death is always there as a problem. Because death IS always there. Personally, I see not knowing that as more of a problem. It's just a fact that on any given day, you, or someone you care about, could die. Your path through life has left you in a position to be more aware of that than a lot of people are. But the people who aren't aware of it are in danger of taking something very precious for granted. At least that's the way I see it.
The constant feeling of being less of a man 'cause I can no longer support my family.
There are a lot of ways you can support a family. Bringing in money is only one of them and maybe not even the most important one.
I had cheated death on several occasions both in Iraq and as a police officer.
I've been in a couple situations where "I could have died". I don't look at it as cheating death, and didn't at the time. It just wasn't my time. No idea why. Maybe God's not done with me yet? But it's not cheating, it's just a mystery.
I understand that some of my problems is guilt.
My T says the deal with guilt is, if you can blame yourself, it gives you a sense of control. If I was "wrong" and I "do better the next time", if I "get it right", etc then everything would have been ok. Would BE ok. Oh that it was that simple!

I didn't think that post was all that long. It was easy to read and interesting. There's a path through all this and things can get better again. Really. Meanwhile, glad to have you aboard!
 
What do we say to death? Not today, old friend. Not today.

Yes. Death is always there. In the suicidal moments, in the happy moments, in the moments I just want to feel alive again / go back, in the moments I think that whole line of go back - go back - go back reasoning is insane, in the moments I feel f*cking useless. And just on the other side of pride. And in the moments that are pure unrelenting pain. Just too damn stubborn to die. I refuse to die this f*cked up. I refuse to leave my loved ones unprotected & unavenged. So it's back to the same line that has gotten me through the dark, before.

Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.
 
I always keep one foot in the door of death, just in case I decide to check out early. Aside for caring about my animals, I have really no other reason to be here. You, on the other hand, have close family and such, I gather. So, you might want to give it a little more thought before you go and pinch your pulse.
 
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