Anyone who can relate, advice will be helpful.
2007-04-01 15:34:00 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Anytime I am alone out here in the country (Iive in Texas) and see the open desert and hills in the sunset, I have these emotions of being in Iraq on patrol/guard duty. Getting shot at, various other things that happened to me over there. When I hear choppers or gunshots, I start tripping out hard. I mean, not so hard it's obvious, but I am on high alert. I get ready for "combat". I'm getting benefits from VA but I refuse to take the anti-depressants. I want to overcome this naturally. It's been almost 2 years ago.
2007-04-01 15:46:03 · update #1
I was in Grenada, Panama, Desert Storm and Somalia and numerous places I'm not to discuss. I lost 47 men to "training accidents" in a 2 1/2 year period. I worked Spec. Op.s -- take that for whatever it's worth. I began having problems immediately after D.S.. It took me several years (almost 10) to finally feel like I belong here and that I shouldn't still be "over there." My first wife divorced me a year after I returned from D.S.. It took me three years to get custody of my son. I used to suffer the most at night. I still don't like going places where there are going of be a lot of people. I'm remarried now and retired. I never registered with the VA, although I've been told by the DAV that I easily rate 100%. I now belong to a church filled with a lot of vets. The Pastor has had his problems, he was a Corpsman in Vietnam. He and a Marine were the only two to make it out of an ambush one night while on patrol. He called in a dust off, loaded all of the wounded on, and as the slick took off again, it came under fire, it crashed with no survivors. And, I have an old friend, Norm, he was in the Army, in the Pacific throughout WW II. Of his unit that landed on Saipan, he is the soul survivor. I know of five beach assaults that Norm survived. Norm is finally getting his peace, he's going senile. Still, his wife Katie tells me that he still has his moments. I and my friends never really discuss our experiences. We all know and I suppose that's enough. Me, I try and avoid things I've learned will trigger memories. I don't do alcohol, 4th of July celebrations, Memorial Day or funerals. I try and avoid sleeping. They put me on Effexor XR for about a year. That was a horrible experience. I drink lots and lots of coffee. I don't know what else to offer you. E-mail me if you like.
2007-04-01 16:20:10 · answer #1 · answered by Doc 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i too, have had PTSD. it is very common for war returnees to have your symptoms. i'm sure there are some veteran's groups (ie group thereapy) where you can vent or relate to others. or see a counselor. the meds DO help. I was always against meds too, but maybe you could give them a chance. if the meds dont help you can always quit. unfortunately, there is no timeline for PTSD. it's been two years and you are still on high alert. even if you can supress it, it will come out years from now with a vengence. PTSD is nasty. Please get help.
2007-04-01 23:15:07 · answer #2 · answered by jmprince01 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Stay busy, honestly. They usually happen from thinking too much about the past, they are a symptom of PTSD.
Try not to let your mind sit idle. They seem to get less and less profound over time.
If you care about someone who is having them get them around normal people. Get them to have fun around people. Get them out of the house and back into normal life. You would be suprised at what being around normal people will do to someone who has been in combat. Just being around normal people makes them start to feel ok about themselves and the environment.
Dont let them isolate from the world.
DO NOT let them use alcohol, or drugs to deal with the problem. Should they do that, they are in for a long long long period of bad times.
Your mind has been trained to assess the situation tactically, probley from training, and then practical application, and then real world application.
Its going to keep operating that way until it feels it doesnt have to.
Its been 3 years for me and I still size up the environment too.
2007-04-01 22:41:06 · answer #3 · answered by h h 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
1. Time helps.
2. Talking helps. If you can, seek professional help. Flashbacks usually occur because something is unresolved and a qualified professional can help bring it out and maybe get it resolved.
Good luck and Godspeed.
2007-04-01 22:44:27 · answer #4 · answered by Kevin C 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Take the drugs, some of them are almost specific for PTSD and do more to allieviate Flashbacks than you think.
ie Trazadone.
2007-04-01 23:15:05 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Realize that if someone wanted to turn you into hamburger they could do it in a second so accept your fate. Stop worrying about things that are beyond your control. In fact, this is the problem with these soldiers today. No guts and therefore they hesitate on the moment of truth.
2007-04-02 00:00:45 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
I feel sorry for you u must go to counseling or maybe have a invite of Veterans and talk about experiences thats helps.
2007-04-02 06:14:36 · answer #7 · answered by linkinicarus273 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not making much headway on your own, now are you. Take the pills, go to counseling, or suffer. Took me 20 years to figure that out. Pain is optional.
2007-04-01 23:00:04 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
there is special medication to prevent the flashbacks, ask your doctor about getting some
2007-04-01 23:12:37 · answer #9 · answered by True American 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Time and talking about it helps
2007-04-01 23:49:56 · answer #10 · answered by support our troops 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋