Introduction!

[egrant81]

Diagnosed with PTSD 2015 May. Just made transition from active duty to active reserve one month before diagnoses. Deployed to Kuwait / Iraq for 11 months, left 01 Jan this year. Served with 30th Medical Battalion Command, 212th Combat Support Hospital, 160th Forward Surgical Team, and 67th Forward Surgical Team (airborne) . To begin with attributed my mood swings and outbursts to just transitioning to civilian life and or American life again (Europe for past four years), however as time has gone on I realized that it was more. I jumped into a job I really didn't want to take in an attempted to just keep my mind busy which helps but I just stay frustrated because its not all challenging personally or professionally. That being said however I'm not sure how challenging of a job I could take right now given my "mental state".

PTSD is something I have come to loathe saying I have to the extent the psychologist doesn't even use the term with me anymore. I am due to begin something called prolonged exposure therapy this week and we will see how it goes.

In advance I appreciate the support and here if anyone needs me.

 

[OldDoorGunner]

Nice intro Brother.......Since you and I have had a few PM's, I'll add something for you think about that most of us have learned.....Like us, you can never ever be a civilian again!!! And that Brother is a good thing, we are all Special!!! The Beast can and will be a pain the ass, but it's also part of who you are. At times it was my best friend, and in a way it still is!!!
As you learn all about the Beast......You will one day understand this......Take your time and read the forum, take baby steps one day at a time........You can learn how to live with it......

J R

 

[atilla]

Like Old Door Gunner said, we are special, different. We are, and always will be the warrior class Brother. PTS and all the shit that goes with it(the Beast) as we call it here, can be coped with. It takes time and effort though. I think we can use the beast to our advantage sometimes, we're more aware of our surroundings, for example. The main thing is to take advantage of each day, each opportunity to continue to walk this earth, babysteps on the road to putting a leash on the beast. This is the right place for beast handlers. Welcome Brother you're among friendlies here.

 

[Deleted member 43610]

i agree 100%. I am doing much, much better now that I accept "My New Normal" as OK. I just put one boot in front of the other every day and remember I'm OK. How I feel is a normal reaction to what I did/saw/experienced. I work on improvement as in lifting myself up. I also am doing much better as I work laterally also. I hope that makes sense. But in short, if I reach a day where I say, I'm never going to be "better" than today, I am going to expand that to make it as big and as awesome as possible? I have no idea if I'm making sense. Good luck with your path. I don't know if this helps, but a lot of us are simply calling it PTS. The "D" for disorder suggests there is something wrong with our reaction when it is totally human. Supposed to take away some of the stigma. Just a thought. If it makes you feel better, I have C-PTSD. Its just a label for doctors. Thats how they saw "we really, really have no idea what to do for him". Day by day.

I've grown to like it here. A lot of people make a lot of sense. I hope it helps you. You find where you fit in.

 

[dutchiedelta]

Welcome here, make yourself comfy, grab a brew and mind the cat. She's frisky tonight.

 

[Deleted member 43610]

As for the job front. Yea the job part is sad. You think they would do more to employ us. When I got out and lost "Task, Mission and Purpose" I was freaking out. I didn't have 56 guys needing something from me every 5.7 seconds! And I MISSED it! Free advice. Keep looking to advance into more challenging positions/jobs. I know a lot of my friends, once they got into "middle management " positions where they had to hold everyone's hand and treat them with "kid gloves", like they are kindergarteners, that they finally could stand work. Of course they thought civilian's work ethic was a joke but it made them feel like they were making people better employees and helping the company. Just a free thought. Don't stagnate. I did. It sucked. I'm always working on something even if it is me. That's one of the reasons I come here to help. Or get help when I need it.

 

[vikingr24]

Surg tech, and PJ. SEA. I know the feeling of doing something that starts out worthwhile and ends up being well, hard to describe.

Just remember, no more surgical lamps, or greens, or gloves, or alcohol or the shitty smell of cotton drabs. Or burning sponges. Or blood on the floor. You are out of it. Don't even think about going back 'cause it is always different going back.

We don't consider ourselves the bottom looking up. We are the top, not looking down, but straight ahead.

 

[Deleted member 43454]

Welcome.

 

[Spock]

Welcome home, make yourself comfy. Check out the Media section "you're no longer in the service" or sumthin like that...