New In Tn

[nomedic1]

Welcome there are some incredible people on here, I hope they can help as much as they have helped me

 

[Kaelobo]

First timer here.
69./70 rvn vet I have been in the ptsd system long time.
Thank all the vets for your service.
The more I learn about me and ptsd
The less I know.
Been involved in Emdr have to say all the therapist. Groups ...inpatient 7wks ,programs for 8yrs..Emdr has really got my brain attention.
But it is still along way there.
S/f

 

[BaMuoiBa]

Welcome Home brother!
And welcome to the forum there are a few of us old Nam shits that hang our hats here. You are among friendlies here.

Ba (Danang 65/66 USN - FMF)

 

[Rick1]

Thanks. I have an appointment with an actual provider on Friday. Hopefully I can get started on a path to getting better. I fear that this could potentially be a career ender for me, given my current position. If I am pulled out from my current position, I will have no way to move forward in my career. I am not going to let that fear stop me from getting the help I need.

 

[CyclePath]

I understand how you feel. I was at 14yrs when I did my first pushes through OEF/OIF and did a few others right after that. By the time I hit 16 or 17 yrs I knew I needed some help, but mental health for active folks was kind of in its infancy at that point ~ 2006. I didnt want to lose my career, so I didn't risk it, learned some coping methods in confidence, and ended up doing a few more pushes after that. Anyway, I managed to hold out until early this year, it only got worse over time, and my coping methods were not cutting it anymore. In fact they had evolved to all the bad ones. I'm well over 20yrs now and when I went in I didn't care because I could retire - which might have been why I crashed over the last year. I just knew that I needed some help or I was probably going to lose my family. What I have learned over the last six months is that I am still fit for full duty "mentally" and I wouldn't have been hurt by going in sooner. Hopefully the Army is the same and they have taken up a more treatment related mentality over a throw them out stance.

Realize that you/I were still functioning okay at the point we went in, at least according to our commands, or we would have been getting reffered or counseled/repremands/DUI's/domestic & substance abuse/article 15 etc... = discharge. That in mind there may be hope for your career with treatment. When I first went in I was in a 90 eval window and they determined my duty status during that period. Maybe they do it that way for you too - I dont know. I did not get pulled from my position. I'm not in the Army, but to give you a rough idea I am a chief warrant officer in a field very similar to a 12D. Think amphibious & engineer recon/waterfront construction/wet gaps/bridges/precision demo/etc... My main concern was loosing my special duty quals (dive & demo) which would have effectively pushed me out of my "closed loop" community making me a regular combat engineer. I didn't lose my quals either, but I would have retired before I went back to a battalion, regiment, or division type of command. No matter - I'm retiring anyway now.

I'm glad your getting some help, but I really hope you can get to 20yrs too. That would be a freaking shame if you lose that 16yr investment, but chances are that things will only get worse if dont get help.

 

[OldDoorGunner]

Welcome to the forum....One of the old Nam vets.........:)

 

[Deleted member 33437]

The breathing techniques definitely help, as long as the anxiety doesn't escalate too far.
As for sleep, I don't sleep well. I am getting that checked out. My wife has told me several times that I yell in my sleep and walk around the room. Sometimes I do this 3-4 times a night. I never remember any of it but I always wake up exhausted.

Are you living in my head or something... same damn thing for me.

I fear that this could potentially be a career ender for me, given my current position. If I am pulled out from my current position, I will have no way to move forward in my career. I am not going to let that fear stop me from getting the help I need.

Currently still serving as well (12yrs in), took that step Jan 2015 with MH. I was doing ok until fall and then shit hit the fan and everything went downhill from there. I was pulled out of my position last April from a mental breakdown if you call it like that. It surely look like I'm on my way out but at least I'm actively trying to keep my head above water. I was denying this from myself since 2009, my med docs all show I should've been Dx with it then when flags went up on my post deployment medical. Oh well, dealing with it now, no point for me to dwell on it.

So that makes 3 of us in here that are still serving, cool... thought I was the only mentally broken :cautious: in uniform. Oh and welcome into the group

 

[Chin Strapped]

Afternoon Rick.