O.i.f 3 Veteran, Needs Advice

[Red Hood Joker]

I need help and wish to learn more to feel better. ever since i got home from the war i have a overwhelming fear of death or ones that i love getting hurt. or sick,ect. i am even scared i might see a bright flash from a nuke one day. i know everyone has fears but mine are to the point that it is ruining my life. I just now got back on my medication and feel way better but know that i will build up an immunity and be right back with my problems. I hope i will find a way to relax the fears away. also, i was a light wheel mechanic and stayed in base most time but we received incoming mortar attacks regularly. I feel guilty that i got ptsd but did not see the combat the infantry soldiers have seen. In my mind i see a combat soldier poking me in the chest saying "you are weak, just imagine what i had to go through!!!" Please help.

 

[Jimmy1]

Hey Joker,

Never put yourself down. PTSD is indiscriminate. It does not matter whether you were driving a keyboard or on the front line. If you were exposed to death or near death, mortars coming close, you can have PTSD.
Guilt is the big killer, not feeling like you have done enough. Don't worry about medication, most of the psych drugs you won't build a tollerance to. It's only the things like Antivan, Xanax etc, they you do.

 

[JarHed]

Hey Joker

Welcome to the forums. Good people and info here. Glad you made it back.

We're all in this boat together, so grab a paddle.

JarHed

 

[Tim Cake]

Welcome.
There are no "rear areas" in the GWOT. I knew some soldiers who were killed and / or injured in the "supposedly safe" Baghdad Green Zone. It can happen to anybody, anytime, anywhere.

 

[Zipperhead]

Every day I went out, I was in 46 tons of steel. I drove through those areas constantly waiting for the big boom. And behind me? A bunch of Mecs riding in an M113. And truck drivers riding in "armoured" 10 tons. I'll take my Leopard over that any day.

 

[Red Hood Joker]

Thank you guys. I feel heaps better.

 

[Ned]

Welcome Joker. Yep, no need for guilt. Not your fault the twats stonked you, is it?

 

[Marc St-Louis]

Welcome to the fold Joker,
Do me a favour and take deep down inside you what JIMMY WROTE. Having PTSD is by no means a sign of weakness, you stood your ground and did your job, you did what you had to do to come back. BZ Bro! :)