I Can't Make New Friends

[Jimmy1]

Trust, I trust everyone to a certain degree, mainly because I know they are afraid to get themselves hurt, so that's on a primal level. I've never trusted my battle buddies with every fiber of my being like you claim, not all were capable to the right/left of me, some needed some serious looking after. They may have had my back but, I didn't rely on it even though that's what I was trained to do.

I have some serious trust issues, so it's not going to be so easy for me to just lower my standards, i wish i could and have also tried, but I have the strong tendency to put my guard back up when i wake up in the morning.

So, do you trust people or not trust people, that is the question.

Mate, your new to the forum and very welcome so I will tell you this. The members of the forum that have been around a while have trust issues with new people joining. You see, we have had all types of people on here from university graduates, to reporters, to trolls, trying to disrupt our forum, so it takes a while for us to trust new people 100%. We listen to you and give you advice, but you will find that some of the guys and gals on here might dissect your post's like I have done.

I still have trouble meeting new people, and most of my friends go way back. I really don't think that will ever change now. I like to keep by myself and keep people at arms length, or in the next room.
I do want to meet the guys on this forum one day, one day. Maybe you will be one in the end.

The biggest problem we all face is the fact that PTSD is a very, very lonely disorder. You can walk past a person in the street and they have no idea you are plagued with it. They might say hello and you will not hear.
You could be in a room full of friends and family, but you will still feel very alone.

Keep asking questions mate, it helps.

 

[Marine/w/PTSD]

Jimmy, I want to thank you for the encouragement first of all, I trust people on a primal level, because just about everyone reacts in a similar way. So i can expect certain reactions from people and they usually deliver a set of behavior that I can expect. Aside from those reactions, I can't trust them past that, like being able to have some sensitivity, or showing some basic respect, and even thinking before you speak. Those things factor into whether or not I'll even engage in conversation with them or not. I take plenty of risks with males, because I generally trust them more, and if they are vets or are in some kind of service I take it a step further. If they are military my book is almost completely open. Bottom line is that it's not simply a matter of just trusting or not because sometimes regular civis do win me over and i can tell them just about anything.

If you need my military credentials, I suppose I can give them, like my name suggests I was in the Marines 1st light armored reconnasance (LAR) battalion 1st MARDIV and my mos was 0341(mortar man infantry). I have done 2 tours in Iraq both of them mostly near the Syrian border. I promise you I am no troll, I would really like to reach out and get to know other veterans. I'll admit I joined the other forum for ptsd for non-combat ptsd and well I did what I pleased and came off as some what of a troll even though I had meaningful things to say as well, but as far as this forum, I have too much respect for veterans who have served in direct combat to do such a thing.

I agree ptsd is a very, very, (very) lonely disorder and that it is pretty much invisible, which is one of the reasons I'm here. At least when I'm here, I'm opening some kind of a line of communication.

 

[Jimmy1]

Mate, we don't need credentials, anonymity is the best thing in a way. I did not say you were a troll or any of the others, I was merely stating that other members on the forum won't trust you 100% until they get to know you, shit, it's like joining a new unit.

I agree ptsd is a very, very, (very) lonely disorder and that it is pretty much invisible, which is one of the reasons I'm here. At least when I'm here, I'm opening some kind of a line of communication.

The first step in recovery is admitting you have a problem. Your here and that's the main point.

 

[Ned]

I agree ptsd is a very, very, (very) lonely disorder and that it is pretty much invisible, which is one of the reasons I'm here. At least when I'm here, I'm opening some kind of a line of communication.

Yep. That can only help. And it is what this site is all about. As a fairly uncommunicative bastard I can vouch for it working. Keep building the trust, both ways.

 

[Marine/w/PTSD]

Ned, totally off topic, but I love that cat's expression u got on your avatar.

 

[JarHed]

Trust is hard. But like a lot of things you've got to give it a chance. If you give it a try you can either be right or wrong about the person you give it to. If you don't try you'll never have a chance of the reward of a good mate either.

Kinda' like being at a dance and seeing that girl you like. You want to ask her to dance but you're afraid that she'll say no. Better to take the chance and possibly hearing a no than not to and possibly hearing yes and having a good time.

Old habit die hard, but it's worth giving it a try.