A veteran describes his experience with post traumatic stress disorder.
69I served in the US Marines for four years as an infantryman in the fleet marine force. I was deployed all across the world and was one of the first Marines to land in Afghanistan at the start of Operation Enduring Freedom. I was also one of the first to come home and experience post traumatic stress disorder first hand. I have been in therapy over an eight year period and continue to struggle with anxiety, fear, panic, nightmares, and ocassionally flashbacks.
I have described some of my symptoms and experiences with ptsd on my veterans blog that I created last year. I will describe some of my symptoms that I experience.
Hypervigilance
I always feel like I am on patrol and on guard. I constantly look over my shoulder when in public and have a fear of impending doom. I feel like a bomb could go off at any minute. When I hear noises outside, I have to investigate the source of the noise because if I don't I will get all worked up over it.
Panic Attacks
I often experience panic attacks connected with PTSD. Last year I was riding on a city bus. The bus drove over a large metal plate and producing a clanging percussive sound that reminded me of the explosion that I survived. A few days later I was hospitalized for PTSD. I often have panic attacks that feel like i am out of breath. Sometimes it can be very difficult to breathe as if I were drowning.
Intrusive Memories/ Nightmares
I have intrusive memories that pop up daily. I will often have random disturbing or distressing memories appear in my thoughts throughout the day. These affect my focus and mood greatly. At night I also experience night terrors and nightmares. I have also sleep walked. The nightmares are usually a recurring theme involving combat, explosions and violence.
Depression
I am also diagnosed with severe depressive disorder. My mood is continually low and I don't experience mania but just a constant depression. I have tried medicine and therapy for this and it was helpful to a point. I am now trying to go medication free and focus on healthy living.
You can read more about my experience with veteran related issues such as post traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury on my website.
http://veteransguide.blogspot.com/2011/10/what-is-it-like-to-have-ptsd.html
I invite you to join in the discussion and share your experiences and recovery stories. These encouraging stories will inspire the current generation of returning veterans that are in need of mental healthcare for PTSD and TBI. These injuries and symptoms are very common amongst veterans and the individual should not feel stigmatized or weak.
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Thanks for very frankly and bluntly telling us all how it is to live with PTSD from the war in Afghanistan...or any war for that matter. Good hub!
I am a Vietnam Vet diagnosed and living with PTSD. During the war I was a medical corpsmen attached with a Marine Division near Da Nang. Without going into finer details of my experience, I will talk briefly of my life after coming home. If the war wasn't enough, I like so many of my returning comrades were met by a public of war protestors who had no inclination of what we true Americans endured.
Instead of welcoming us home, we were scolded, called baby killers, and physically abused and worst spit upon. We did our duty for our country, didn't run off to Canada or Mexico, or hid under the covers of some liberal university, but answered the call when our country needed us the most.
Forty years ago I was just a 20 year old boy, who followed instructions. Now at age 60 years old, I continue to have nightmares. The sad part is my spouse wakes me up, when I start screaming, but I have no inkling of what was dreamth. It's like waking up and wondering why she woke me up. Sort of like getting involved into something important that needs to be done, but never succeeding in getting it finished.
I also notice during the day when someone screams out something, I am reminded of the screams of soldiers, and me running out to give them aid and comfort or ducking for cover. Since there are no soldiers anymore in my life. I still duck for cover when someone scream out. What is not a natural instinct, it never-the-less still is for me. When I relized what has transpired, I have to laugh at myself, but it is frusterating because it still goes on.
I receive medical help from the Veterans Hospital as well as from private doctors, we talk, but I clam up, and tell them I am fine when in reality I'm not.
The reason being is because I don't trust the government personnel. For the past 33 years, I worked for the US Postal Service. In all that time, I got to know just a handful of Supervisors that were honorable men, who gave you the facts as they were, without playing games with you. The others and especially most of the women were notorious liars, who were looking for a reason to get you fired. It's no wonder the Postal Service is on its way out like the milkman and he iceman.
Anyway, as I said I don't trust government managers. I am retired and thought life would be a lot easier because I would be my own boss; but for me that was only a dream. 40 years of being ordered what to do, it's just plain hard to adjust not being able to take orders anymore. Oh I could go out and work some more, but finding a job today is an almost impossible task.
I have seen hypnotherist to resolve my sleeping disorder, but that was a joke. The pills that have been prescribe don't work whatsoever, and I get depressed because nothing seems to work for me. I'm not sucidal, have no intentions of hurting anybody or myself, but do have thoughts about Heaven and what the Bible teaches us. I look forward to that day when our Lord and Savior returns to rule this world. It's the only thing that keeps me going, despite the pain.
my girlfriend suffers PTSD, from rape. Not from war. But I must thank you greatly for being so brave and speaking about this. it has helped me put myself into her shoes and give me idea of how to help her. and you really did do what was right when fighting for your country.
Enlydia Listener Level 6 Commenter 5 months ago
Hi, thanks for sharing...have you heard of the guided imagery CDs by Belleruth Naparstek. According to her (she is a psychotherapist) they are the best tool to use for PTSD. She has been using them for vets.