[ARCHIVED THREAD] - PTSD (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 12/30/2008 11:05:54 AM EDT
| Know anyone diagnosed with this? What did they do to help them? |
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Yes. I used to work with vets suffering from PTSD here in AR.
I was contracted through the VA, so the treatment was less than stellar (no funds, absolute travesty). Meds in most cases and counseling when available. Most had gone on for so long with the disorder without treatment or received such poor treatment that that it was almost pointless to try to turn them around, and it really makes me sad to say that. 
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No personal experience with it... but the link below would be a good place to start.
http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/index.jsp |
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There are a lot of different treatments out there. Most rely on some combination of counseling and meds. Afreind of mine tried a treatment called EMDR or EDMR. It basically involves focusing on the event that caused the trauma while the counselor provides a stimulus. My friend had to hold onto these two plastic balls that would vibrate alternately in his hands. It is supposed to rewire the pathways that have been formed in your brain. He said it worked, although it sounds wierd.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is used pretty often as well. |
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Worked with a guy that had/has it. Viet Nam vet. Bad bad stuff. Completely debilitated him. He tried everything he could; VA, private psychiatrist, company funded counselling, religion. At best he coped. Meds helped but had a lot of side effects.
Wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. It was painful to watch him go thru it. Worked with him for almost five years as he suffered. Never felt so bad for someone in my life. |
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Yes. Me. Time. Really loud noises will still set my nerves on fire. Sometimes people just don't get over it and I can now understand why.  That's me. My heart starts racing and I become hyper alert. I'm not sure time is going to fix it though. Of course I'm still working in Iraq. |
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Lots of folks who served with relatives had/have it. I have seen group therapy with the VA work startlingly well in combination with some meds, including with some older Vietnam vets who were "never quite right". I am not sure what the VA in the Houston area is doing with PTSD but I have actually seen it change people who seemed to have a lot of demons.
ETA: I just emailed a friend whose father was someone who changed a lot for the better to ask about specifics. ETA: That was quick –– he replied that it was a lot of group therapy and some anti-anxiety meds (but not that much). Mainly therapy that focused on the cause of the tension. He doesn't know anything else. |
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I am parnoid, jumpy, not trusting, angry, like to be alone, get panic attacks in crowds or when people stand behind me, headaches. Had a bad breakdown two weeks ago and didn't know what hit me.
Wife left me 3 weeks ago. Told her today what is going on, almost like she did not believe me. This sucks to put it mildly. |
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My understanding is that there is a way that you should finesse this if you are active duty so that you don't get flagged as a head case. Hopefully someone here can advise you on how to do that. You can still get the same treatment, but you don't get the stigma, you get to stay in, and so on. I am assuming that this is combat-related, of course.
Perhaps you want to post in the Vet Forum here http://www.ar15.com/forums/forum.html?b=1&f=77 and then get this thread trashed. I can only speak to the startling changed in behavior that I have seen –– PTSD can apparantly be beaten for some folks. The sooner you get on it the sooner you can beat it. That said –– don't get screwed by the Big Green Disfunctional Family –– get the right advice on how to approach this. |
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I am parnoid, jumpy, not trusting, angry, like to be alone, get panic attacks in crowds or when people stand behind me, headaches. Had a bad breakdown two weeks ago and didn't know what hit me. Wife left me 3 weeks ago. Told her today what is going on, almost like she did not believe me. This sucks to put it mildly. Get help. Go to VA. Go to private counseling. Go somewhere. But don't sit home thinking you can beat this by yourself. You've already made the first step by realizing there's a problem. Good luck. |
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I am parnoid, jumpy, not trusting, angry, like to be alone, get panic attacks in crowds or when people stand behind me, headaches. Had a bad breakdown two weeks ago and didn't know what hit me. Wife left me 3 weeks ago. Told her today what is going on, almost like she did not believe me. This sucks to put it mildly. Doing something is better than doing nothing. Get an appointment with a therapist or psychiatrist. Start discussing options. There is likely something out there that can help you. |
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I am parnoid, jumpy, not trusting, angry, like to be alone, get panic attacks in crowds or when people stand behind me, headaches. Had a bad breakdown two weeks ago and didn't know what hit me. Wife left me 3 weeks ago. Told her today what is going on, almost like she did not believe me. This sucks to put it mildly. Sorry to hear that. There are many here on this board that live with it every day. You'll make it, just stay strong. Mean while, please log out, and then back in and enjoy your new team membership on me. 
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I have an Uncle that has/had it. My Aunt said the washing machine would get out of balance and I guess it sounded like something that triggered a memory and he would flip out and go diving under tables.
She also said just a couple years after he came back a Vietnamese family moved in across the street a couple nights during the week she would get up in the middle of the night and catch him lying in the living room floor with the front door open and his rifle with a bead on there house. After all these years he's alot better. He's about the only reason I go to family get-togethers so we can sit and talk about the time he spent over there , I think its kind of a therapy now to talk about it. |
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I am parnoid, jumpy, not trusting, angry, like to be alone, get panic attacks in crowds or when people stand behind me, headaches. Had a bad breakdown two weeks ago and didn't know what hit me. Wife left me 3 weeks ago. Told her today what is going on, almost like she did not believe me. This sucks to put it mildly. If she's the kind to not believe it's happening to you or doesn't want to help you work through it you're better off without her. Ask me how I know.... |
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I have an Uncle that has/had it. My Aunt said the washing machine would get out of balance and I guess it sounded like something that triggered a memory and he would flip out and go diving under tables. She also said just a couple years after he came back a Vietnamese family moved in across the street a couple nights during the week she would get up in the middle of the night and catch him lying in the living room floor with the front door open and his rifle with a bead on there house. After all these years he's alot better. He's about the only reason I go to family get-togethers so we can sit and talk about the time he spent over there , I think its kind of a therapy now to talk about it. It's not just talking about it, it's talking about it with someone you know understands. Trying to explain it and talk about to someone who doesn't know is just frustrating. I think old-timers kinda figured that out, and that's why we have the VFW where you can go and have a beer and talk. |
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Getting help through base, got a good doc so I hope to beat this. This is a mind F**k when you don't know what is going on. I can't believe how long this has been going on. Have good coworkers that saw me fall and took action. I see you got the membership. Now go out a find a good avatar to use. Remember, we are here for you brother. |
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Getting help through base, got a good doc so I hope to beat this. This is a mind F**k when you don't know what is going on. I can't believe how long this has been going on. Have good coworkers that saw me fall and took action. That is a very productive bit of understanding right there. Best of luck to you. |
| depends on how severe too. I was just a flightline worker and loaded cargo and such. I had issues when I got back with loud noises, and also having issues with watching movies involving convoys being attacked because I loaded post amputation medical patients onto aircraft to Germany and seeing the one leg or the look in their eyes haunted me a bit. |
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I am parnoid, jumpy, not trusting, angry, like to be alone, get panic attacks in crowds or when people stand behind me, headaches. Had a bad breakdown two weeks ago and didn't know what hit me. Wife left me 3 weeks ago. Told her today what is going on, almost like she did not believe me. This sucks to put it mildly. I'm the same way. I had an appt with the VA shrink, but the VA cancelled it, and have not yet rescheduled. More than anything, I cannot go anywhere unless I am armed. i cannot function outside my home without a firearm on my person. |
I'm pretty sure that my grandfather had it. He did a tour in Korea and 3 tours in Vietnam. He would never talk about any of it. Us grandsons were instructed to not ever ask him questions. He would jump a little if you popped your gum. He would give you a stern look and ask you to stop...once. He was old school and they didn't even offer anything for that sort of thing back then..I don't think.. He just drank.....a lot He got better as time went by though. He stopped being an alcoholic before my brother was born in 79
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| I'm seeing a therapist for some non-mil PTSD, it crept up on me, and is one factor in why my wife and I are currently separated (the rest is because she's bipolar and her meds are off and she refuses to believe it). Talking over the triggering event with friends who understand helps, just recognizing what was going on, and taking positive steps to overcome the depression that it caused, is doing a lot. A friend who had more severe problems is a real advocate of EMDR, hers was triggered by some stuff in the Navy, she stayed in through treatment, went back to full duty, and only recently retired. |
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I've had excellent treatment at the Dallas VA for what had become a life of hyper vigilance and sensitivity to PTSD triggers.
Get help. For me, Trazodone, Zoloft and a medical professional who can read and appreciate my history has been very helpful. At the very least I can get a few hours of sleep now. |
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My Pop was diagnosed earlier this year. He came back from Nam in 68, and being the hardass that he is, has just dealt with it. I saw him cry for the first time in my life this year. He said the older he is getting the worse it is making him feel. And the VA has yet to do anything to help him at all.
When I was a kid I always wondered why he kinda freaked out when I would hide and try to scare him. Or why he slept really fuckin light. Back then I hadn't a clue what war was all about. Man it makes me sad just thinking about what he went through. |
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Getting help through base, got a good doc so I hope to beat this. This is a mind F**k when you don't know what is going on. I can't believe how long this has been going on. Have good coworkers that saw me fall and took action. That is awesome. Be sure to thank your co-workers. 99% of the people in this world would have climbed over your carcass as you blew your job. I sometimes wonder if I don't have it. I'm not a combat vet, but I ran over and killed someone at work back in 94 (I was a trainman). I became very withdrawn, threw away a perfectly good relationship, and have been up and down since. Have had a couple other incidents over the years that seem to put me back in that state. Most recently, someone to whom I am close to physically attacked me a few times. 6 months later, they came up behind me and stuck a finger in my ear - I knew who it was but the action prompted me to whirl around and put them down completely automatically without even thinking about it. NOT my usual reaction. Thankfully, I set them down instead of slamming them down, it was as I had the person headed for the floor that my conscious mind caught up to what I was doing. I really don't want to go claiming I have it - there are a lot of people, mostly veterans, who have it much worse than I. I don't even want to try and put myself in their category or their boots. Thanks for your service and I hope you can get the right help. You can get through it. Thank your co-workers again, they deserve it. |
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EMDR.
http://www.emdr.com/ My wife has been an LCSW for 20 years, and she's taking the training on this now. She says it's the most amazing thing she's seen in her career. It's strange, but it works very well. Do some research and find someone good at it. Shane |
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My brother and my father both have it. Father grew up in the Philipines during WW2 and the Japanese occupation. He remembers alot of the stuff those people did to his people. He saw beheadings, torture and murder of his neighbors and people in his town. My grandmother used to hide him under mattresses when the Japs came through the town. They w ould throw babies and children in the air and catch them with their bayonets. Fuckin bastards. He still has dreams and wakes up yelling. But he talks about it more now, and I think that helped him.
My brother got it from fighting in Iraq, watching his buddies get wounded or killed, and having to pick up body parts after IED explosions. He was a Squad Leader in an Infantry unit. He hasn't said much about his experiences. I just picked up bits and pieces. He was the same as my dad, waking up in the middle of the night screaming and sweating. Then he'd go out in back and smoke up a pack of cigarettes, then try to go back to sleep. He went to Fort Sam Houston to talk to some people about it, they counseled him for a bit. Then he quit going, got married, had a son, and I think he's doing alot better now. Still Active Army. So I suppose that was his key to dealing with it. I know some don't have it that easy...... |
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Yes. Me. Time. Really loud noises will still set my nerves on fire. Sometimes people just don't get over it and I can now understand why. +1 it seems like an attention whore thing until you experience it first hand. It gets easier the second time around. |
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I am parnoid, jumpy, not trusting, angry, like to be alone, get panic attacks in crowds or when people stand behind me, headaches. Had a bad breakdown two weeks ago and didn't know what hit me. Wife left me 3 weeks ago. Told her today what is going on, almost like she did not believe me. This sucks to put it mildly. You sound alot like my brother when he came back in 2006. Paranoid, jumpy, not trusting, angry, staying alone, panic attacks in crowds, all that. He had to be armed everywhere he went. He slept with 2 loaded handguns because 'he felt he needed them, just in case'. When we went for rides in the car, he'd ask me not to run over speed bumps or holes in the road, and when I did, he'd raise up off the seat. Like he was waiting for an explosion. He got REAL angry once, in traffic. He started yelling at the people saying he had a war to fight, get the fuck outta the way. When he started to get out of the car, I had to grab him and tell him he couldn't do that here. He had stopped shaving, getting haircuts. Be strong with yourself. Don't let it break you down. Talk to people, that's the best thing. People that will listen. Find other vets to talk to. That works for my brother, he likes to hear from others that were there. They can relate. I had to push him to talk, he would just shut down. Its important to talk..... |
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My brother and my father both have it. Father grew up in the Philipines during WW2 and the Japanese occupation. He remembers alot of the stuff those people did to his people. He saw beheadings, torture and murder of his neighbors and people in his town. My grandmother used to hide him under mattresses when the Japs came through the town. They w ould throw babies and children in the air and catch them with their bayonets. Fuckin bastards. He still has dreams and wakes up yelling. But he talks about it more now, and I think that helped him. My brother got it from fighting in Iraq, watching his buddies get wounded or killed, and having to pick up body parts after IED explosions. He was a Squad Leader in an Infantry unit. He hasn't said much about his experiences. I just picked up bits and pieces. He was the same as my dad, waking up in the middle of the night screaming and sweating. Then he'd go out in back and smoke up a pack of cigarettes, then try to go back to sleep. He went to Fort Sam Houston to talk to some people about it, they counseled him for a bit. Then he quit going, got married, had a son, and I think he's doing alot better now. Still Active Army. So I suppose that was his key to dealing with it. I know some don't have it that easy...... My wife's Grandmother was in Manila during the occupation, She got married at 16 IIRC to keep from becoming a "comfort woman"... her Grandfather drew maps for the Guerillas. |
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My brother and my father both have it. Father grew up in the Philipines during WW2 and the Japanese occupation. He remembers alot of the stuff those people did to his people. He saw beheadings, torture and murder of his neighbors and people in his town. My grandmother used to hide him under mattresses when the Japs came through the town. They w ould throw babies and children in the air and catch them with their bayonets. Fuckin bastards. He still has dreams and wakes up yelling. But he talks about it more now, and I think that helped him. My brother got it from fighting in Iraq, watching his buddies get wounded or killed, and having to pick up body parts after IED explosions. He was a Squad Leader in an Infantry unit. He hasn't said much about his experiences. I just picked up bits and pieces. He was the same as my dad, waking up in the middle of the night screaming and sweating. Then he'd go out in back and smoke up a pack of cigarettes, then try to go back to sleep. He went to Fort Sam Houston to talk to some people about it, they counseled him for a bit. Then he quit going, got married, had a son, and I think he's doing alot better now. Still Active Army. So I suppose that was his key to dealing with it. I know some don't have it that easy...... My wife's Grandmother was in Manila during the occupation, She got married at 16 IIRC to keep from becoming a "comfort woman"... her Grandfather drew maps for the Guerillas. My dad is from a little town right outside of Manila. The majority of his family is from that area. My dad's father died when he was young, but he has told me he was a Guerilla during the war. And that several relatives were also. I know my Grandfather was inducted into the US Army when they returned, was made a Major and attached to the 11th Airborne. My dad's got lots of stories... |
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My brother and my father both have it. Father grew up in the Philipines during WW2 and the Japanese occupation. He remembers alot of the stuff those people did to his people. He saw beheadings, torture and murder of his neighbors and people in his town. My grandmother used to hide him under mattresses when the Japs came through the town. They w ould throw babies and children in the air and catch them with their bayonets. Fuckin bastards. He still has dreams and wakes up yelling. But he talks about it more now, and I think that helped him. My brother got it from fighting in Iraq, watching his buddies get wounded or killed, and having to pick up body parts after IED explosions. He was a Squad Leader in an Infantry unit. He hasn't said much about his experiences. I just picked up bits and pieces. He was the same as my dad, waking up in the middle of the night screaming and sweating. Then he'd go out in back and smoke up a pack of cigarettes, then try to go back to sleep. He went to Fort Sam Houston to talk to some people about it, they counseled him for a bit. Then he quit going, got married, had a son, and I think he's doing alot better now. Still Active Army. So I suppose that was his key to dealing with it. I know some don't have it that easy...... My wife's Grandmother was in Manila during the occupation, She got married at 16 IIRC to keep from becoming a "comfort woman"... her Grandfather drew maps for the Guerillas. My dad is from a little town right outside of Manila. The majority of his family is from that area. My dad's father died when he was young, but he has told me he was a Guerilla during the war. And that several relatives were also. I know my Grandfather was inducted into the US Army when they returned, was made a Major and attached to the 11th Airborne. My dad's got lots of stories... that's awesome! 
Nanay recognized my M1 Garand and .30 carbine, and has a scar on her shoulder she got when a Japanese fighter was shot down by a US one while dog fighting over the city. My wife says they should have been in the states generations ago but her grandfather burned all proof of his involvement with the Guerillas because people near him where getting smoked out or ratted on, then executed. My wife's family has only been stateside for the last 7 years and I met her in the USAF when we got stationed together at Travis AFB. |
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A good friend of mine... Still dealing with some pretty rough issues... I've been trying to reach him since Saturday, and still haven't heard from him... Getting worried.  That's when you go pay them a visit, my friend. They get like turtles, they go inside a shell and its tough as hell getting them out. They withdraw and won't talk to anybody. Those guys, you gotta be there for them even though they close up. Not saying badger them, but just be around. Talk about everyday shit. There was a guy in my brother's Company, got withdrawn when they came home. His girlfriend broke up with him and he committed suicide. Probably PTSD induced depression. Not saying they all think like that, but thats another reason why its important to 'be around'. |
| Talk to people bro. It sucks but you gotta do it. Other than that you just learn to live, the nightmares the hyper-vigilance (or what my doc called it anyways, you may know it as ready to tear the first thing to fuck with you apart and checking over your shoulder while you scope out the entrances with your ass plopped in the corner table, not the booth because the booth would hinder your movements trying to engage the threat) will probably stay for awhile, but it gets better. Hard to see the light with so much darkness but it's there, and you'll find a woman like I did that understands that there are black spots on your soul that will never go away but she'll know when to let you sit and stare and smoke your cigarette. Chin up and find someone, anyone you can trust and talk to. |
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A good friend of mine... Still dealing with some pretty rough issues... I've been trying to reach him since Saturday, and still haven't heard from him... Getting worried. That's when you go pay them a visit, my friend. They get like turtles, they go inside a shell and its tough as hell getting them out. They withdraw and won't talk to anybody. Those guys, you gotta be there for them even though they close up. Not saying badger them, but just be around. Talk about everyday shit. There was a guy in my brother's Company, got withdrawn when they came home. His girlfriend broke up with him and he committed suicide. Probably PTSD induced depression. Not saying they all think like that, but thats another reason why its important to 'be around'. Yes, please check on him. I can relate to this last paragraph. |
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I work with a guy who has it. He sees the VA frequently and is on a lot of medication. He's quick to anger and hates the cold. He has no problems talking about his experiences in Iraq when he as in the Army. He was in a couple of IED attacks and I have seen his Purple Heart. It sounds like he has killed many men. |
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. Hey, thanks for pointing that out. Maybe these guys can stop faking it for attention and get some sleep now. 
There is a sound unique to incoming rockets, mortars, and arty. Each one of those has their own sounds, of course, but I am talking about the woosh. Every time they got too close for comfort they have the woosh. A broomstick slid along a wall as it fell once. It made the sound. I was on the ground before the broom. Someone put a similar sound in their radio song or commercial. I nearly crashed off of the damn road. PTST = pansy? Perhaps. But if every time you saw a red truck (random example) you had to lay on the ground or you may suddenly find yourself bleeding, red trucks would start to fuck with you after a bit. After you go home, where there are no red trucks, sometimes the orange ones in your home state would set you off too. That is the bet explanation I can give. Well, aside from shooting at you. -Jdude |
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A good friend of mine... Still dealing with some pretty rough issues... I've been trying to reach him since Saturday, and still haven't heard from him... Getting worried. That's when you go pay them a visit, my friend. They get like turtles, they go inside a shell and its tough as hell getting them out. They withdraw and won't talk to anybody. Those guys, you gotta be there for them even though they close up. Not saying badger them, but just be around. Talk about everyday shit. There was a guy in my brother's Company, got withdrawn when they came home. His girlfriend broke up with him and he committed suicide. Probably PTSD induced depression. Not saying they all think like that, but thats another reason why its important to 'be around'. Yes, please check on him. I can relate to this last paragraph. I'm telling you, if you've got it, keep up with people. Don't drop off the earth. Even if you don't wanna see anybodys face, force yourself. Beat it, don't let it drag you down. If you're tough enough to survive Lord knows what in a combat zone, you can survive this. It breaks my heart to hear of guys doing themselves in after surviving that fuckin mess. |
     
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Thank You! |