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| Drawing by Scott Lee 1991 |
Anonymous said...
I fight my monster every day....sometimes it gets the upper hand and I add to the problems I already have. I fight every day to keep sane, to be "normal", to keep my job and keep my family intact. I fought well in Iraq...and won. I am still fighting, but feel I am destined to loose this fight. God, how I want this monster to go away.My Response,
Anony, Go the VA, yes they can suck big time sometimes. But, if you read in these sections under Resources for Soldiers, Veterans, Families and Loved Ones you will be able to get the hep you need:
You might be able to find some help along the way in reading here, if nothing else you will understand yourself better (Beware - Understanding why we do what we do will not change any of this...).
- Veteran Benefits, VA Policy and Directives
- Veteran Reintegration and Barriers to Care
- Suggested Guide to PTSD Management
I have been where you are...you can make it home if you keep working at coming home everyday. We say 'Welcome Home' to our brothers and sisters in arms because the battle never leaves us, as we return home from combat everyday of our lives.
Your monster is not just your monster...it is the monster of all Warriors, we should carry it together. You are not meant to carry this burden alone, come home to your brothers and sisters. Seek us out in your community, we are there waiting for you.
The guilt and shame we carry we can share in and begin to heal.
You're in our prayers! Thank you so much for your service. We cannot begin to thank you enough.
ReplyDeleteMy vet is my son, Adam, who is currently incarcerated due to actions he took while in his PTSD mind set. I seek help for him but he just does not comprehend that his experiences are not normal and that his resulting thought processes/behavior are not normal. I am seeking a recovery program for him that does not involve drugs. He cannot tolerate drugs (he has tried).
ReplyDeleteI am truly sorry to hear about your sons incarceration, a prayer for your family.
ReplyDeleteI must say that chronic PTSD sufferers can achieve a great amount of stress and anxiety relief from medication. The problem with medication is finding the right ones that work for the individual, as most people have tolerance issues with them. It took me 9 different antidepressants before I could find the one I could take with minimal side effects. But, I did find relief with the meds enough so that I could begin to comprehend what I was going through. Without them I would not have been able to complete the programs I went through.
I wound up in a homeless shelter for veterans for 22 months after 15 years of insanity, during that time I was afforded a stable environment where I could have the support to complete intensive therapy, counseling and receive my PTSD diagnosis.
Below you will find some links to a blueprint and support, educate yourself and find support from people in your situation,
Incarcerated Veterans Resources
Sue Lamoureux - Husband Combat Decorated Veteran Incarcerated"
The best route to take would be one of the VA's inpatient PTSD programs, the one in Memphis TN is a great one. The best program in the country are Menlo Park in California, waiting list times are long for these programs. Research the programs first before going to one, programs with Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) are the best ones I have researched and attended.