Former Marine, Iraq War Veteran, Recovering Alcoholic, Ptsd / Social Anxiety Survivor...

[JakeDennert]

Welcome mate.

Thanks Jimmy, I appreciate the welcome.

 

[JakeDennert]

Welcome. Glad you got that kick in the arse so many of us need!

Hey Raven, thanks for the welcome.

Funny that you put it like that, because I see it the same way. Just too bad that it took so many near-death experiences (the car wreck that changed it all certainly wasn't the first alcohol-related accident of mine) for me to finally clean up my act.

If you combine the events from my childhood with all the alcohol-related crap and every dangerous situation I found myself in while overseas, I'm not exaggerating at all when I say I've had more than 15 brushes with death.

It's nuts.

But yeah, that last accident was it. Figured I'd used up most of my nine lives at that point, and I've been walking a better path ever since.

Thanks again for your reply, see you around the site!

Jake D.

 

[JakeDennert]

Hi, Jake! Welcome. Recovering alcoholic myself. Drank from the time I was in Vietnam until a few years ago that I was able to taper down to one per day that I still allow myself. I have my own little morale booster by telling myself that "life is a lot clearer outside the Jack Daniels bottle".

Combat PTSD is a lot harder, IMHO, than kicking alcohol. It takes years of therapy, medication and constant vigilance to reach an equalibrium of some sort and that's not always steady state.

Social anxiety is just a side effect of the PTSD. We shun crowds, are uncomfortable speaking to strangers, especially about PTSD. It takes a long time to build up trust in a therapist.

Feel free to jump in on a convo, all views are welcome. Guys like me that have been fighting this battle for decades can learn from this board.

Sarg

Hey, nice to meet you Sarg!

Thank you for the welcome.

Wow. In my mind, it takes more self control to do what you're doing (having 1 drink per day) than not having any at all.

I've actually toyed with that notion myself -- had thoughts of "hey, you've been off it for quite a while, I bet you can control it now"... but at this point I'm too proud of my complete sobriety to risk it.

Maybe someday, but not now.

Love what you said about social anxiety... spot on. I'm much better than I was as far as being out in public, but I still look at the world from a survival perspective.

Haha, it's actually been fun at times... because when I'm out with my girlfriend, I'll notice a whole bunch of stuff that she's completely oblivious to. Other times it sucks, because I'll have those days where I tense up and she doesn't understand why -- you know, like I'm fine one minute and "not fine" the next -- but she wants to understand, and to me, that's priceless.

I've accepted the fact that I'll be dealing with these things in some way shape or form for the rest of my days... just know that you've got one more guy on your side in your ongoing battle.

Thanks for the reply, Sarg. See you around the site!

Jake D.

 

[JakeDennert]

Hello Jake.

Hey Ned.

Thanks for checking out my first post!

Jake D.

 

[JakeDennert]

Welcome Girene.

Hey Wagon, thanks for the welcome!

Glad to be here.

Jake D.

 

[JakeDennert]

Morning

Evening Zipperhead.

I like your photo! Too young to remember the movie, definitely Donald Sutherland though.

Jake D.

 

[JakeDennert]

With PTSD, the first step to getting it under control is the most difficult. No that you have made the first step, repeat as necessary...This is a long road, but it is worth the effort.

Made me think of all those hikes and forced marches carrying all that damn gear... just zone out and put one foot in front of the other... only way to make it up the hill sometimes!

Thanks Tim.

Jake D.

 

[JakeDennert]

Welcome Jake!

Hey, thanks! Happy to be here.

 

[JakeDennert]

Hey Jake

Welcome to the forums.

Semper Fi

JarHed

Hey JarHed,

Thanks for rolling out the welcome mat!

I'm already starting to feel "at home" around here.

Semper Fi

Jake D.

 

[Tim Cake]

Made me think of all those hikes and forced marches carrying all that damn gear... just zone out and put one foot in front of the other... only way to make it up the hill sometimes!

Thanks Tim.

Jake D.

I'm over 60 (well, way over) so they are a fuzzy, distant memory. As a 34 yr lifer of the US Army, I can say with assuredness, that many of my brain cells have gone the way of the Dodo.

 

[JakeDennert]

I'm over 60 (well, way over) so they are a fuzzy, distant memory. As a 34 yr lifer of the US Army, I can say with assuredness, that many of my brain cells have gone the way of the Dodo.

Oh c'mon now, Tim... you've got plenty of brain left!

34 years? My word, man... can't even imagine.

 

[tho9900]

hey Jake! former medic here.. who did you serve with? I see some Semper Fi's so if the Corps ya I was an FMF Corpsman, went out with 2 Expeditionary Units.. Gld to have you along!!!!! My near death car crash is what got me into psych and started my diagnosis being formed...