Military Pts Rage And Violence

[Lukie]

I hear you on the intimacy @Gunsmith. Nothing to be embarrassed about, but I know how frustrating it is. My sex drive is gone as well. I think scout86 got it right. How can you think about sex when you're constantly in distress?

 

[Sighs]

@Gunsmith - could you get some pretty intensive physiotherapy? Exercise that you might have considered mild in the past can make you sweat out some aggression when it is pushing you to your limit both mentally and physically. I'm no expert and obviously don't know the nature of your back injury but building core strength is vital to help a weakened back - obviously has to be done the right way or risk re-injury. Back problems do tend to mess with male sex drive as it can cause pain during sex - which puts anyone off.

I wish I could suggest something concrete to help, but the best I can do is reassure you that you are not alone and with the professional help you are getting it will improve over time.

 

[tude]

Semper Fi brother. I hear ya. I've had to resist and not act on moments of anger. It surprises me because it's not in my nature to be quick to anger or want to punch someone in the throat. Sometimes, for me, the best action is no action. I've noticed I'm usually a little bit more on edge those days. Guess I need to work on relaxation techniques.

 

[Gunsmith]

I've mentioned previously I build rifles, load my own ammo and play Xbox. All three activities require concentration and provide relief. However two are expensive and I don't really have time for any of them. My job eats up so much time I don't have enough for my family let alone myself

 

[scout86]

A lot of times, I use "work" as a place to hide. I know a lot of people who don't have PTSD do that too. Even my T admits to being something of a workaholic.

"Balance", I think, is something to be sought after,. I don't know what all the demands of your job are. I'm sure it DOES eat up a lot of your time, and that you're not just using that as a place to hide. (I also think, sometimes, "hiding" isn't such a bad idea.) YOU are important, though. You deserve the time it takes for you to relax and regroup in a healthy way. You can get caught up in a cycle of work and pushing yourself, and sort of punishing yourself, without calling it that (and setting it up so you can call it something else and get away with it.....)

I'm not always all that good at working this stuff out. Part of the reason for the therapy. I'm also alone, so I don't have anyone to feel like my job is more important than they are or any of that. You have WAY more stuff to try to juggle than I do. I wouldn't know what to tell you, even if I wanted to tell you what to do (which I don't). I just think that, sometimes, we have to give ourselves a break, before we actually DO break. Think about that "blue/not blue" thing. I still haven't quite gotten past being amazed that there actually ARE more than 2 options most of the time.

 

[Gunsmith]

I really like that analogy too. Wish me luck today.

 

[scout86]

Absolutely! Good luck!!!!

 

[Gunsmith]

Looks like they're going to pcs me to the wounded warrior battalion. I don't know how to feel about that...

 

[scout86]

I guess there are lots of ways to feel.

(I'll be honest. I'm now, officially, over my head. My T says I have problems recognizing and identifying "feelings" so I don't feel qualified to offer advice in anything like that area. )

For right now, it sounds like you ARE wounded. Your back, obviously, but I think it's legitimate to look at PTSD as a wound too. There is a member here, from the UK, who has participated in a Wounded Warrior program there and found it to be challenging but extremely helpful. He may not be the only one.

It's going to depend somewhat on what this program is like, I guess, but my advice would be to apply yourself with the same level of determination that you would take to ANY important training program.

Resist the temptation to think of yourself as "damaged beyond repair" or anything like that. You're not. You're still a valuable individual and can come out the other side of this with a lot to contribute.

So,how do YOU think you feel about it right now?

 

[Friday]

No experience with that here, man. They didn't have WoundedWarrior when I was in. PTSD diagnosis meant either stepping up our rotation frequency, so we were kept off base/ out in the field (and therefore out of trouble) as much as possible... Or an OTH or big chicken dinner depending on how badly we were getting into it on base. More often, both. Eventually, at any rate.

 

[Gunsmith]

I know it's a great program and it helps lots of vets, but at the same time I kinda feel like I'm being committed, at least in the professional sense. All I can do is keep an open mind and accept the help offered right? Thanks guys and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone

 

[scout86]

I don't know that that's ALL you can do, but it's probably the BEST you can do. (Temper tantrums, stubborn resistance, sulking, all those things are options too. :confused:)

Hoping it goes well for you! And a Happy Thanksgiving to you too! (Be sure to keep us posted on how things go, if you don't mind. I'll be thinking of you & I'm sure others will too.)