The First Post…

What is this blog going to be about?

For starters, I would like to get a dialog going more than me spewing crap at the screen.  I will most likely approach my struggles with PTSD from a chronological perspective to start (I think it will  help the longer this blog runs).  I will field questions and tell stories or both war, and therapy.  I have been going to therapy steady for 6 years now and things that only sort of worked in the beginning, are now sharpened and refined.  I want to share what works and what doesn’t, as well as inform people (probably my family and friends to start) what the struggles were and are with PTSD.

Now for some disclosure.

I am going to be as brutally honest as I can be.  I am not a Saint, and I do not plan on applying for the holy order anytime soon, so please do not get on me for mistakes that I share. There are many. I am sharing them because the are mistakes and I would like others to know they are not alone and learn from them.  But, if someone does ask for advice or guidance, my honest opinion is what they are going to get, not sugar coated, but as straight as I can be with them. I may use examples of people I met, or talk with, but their names will be changed for privacy purposes unless otherwise stated.

My goal for this site is simple: to educate and support the Veterans and their families who are dealing with PTSD.

Why do I feel I am qualified (and how)? 

I feel there are a lot of similarities between coping with PTSD and twelve step programs.  Through this blog, I am putting myself out there as a sponsor for whomever wants to be sponsored.  I am not a health professional, but I have been in our boots.   In our Veteran community, experience and trust are major issues at the starting blocks.  If I can write and help someone out of the gate, I am more than happy to do it.  In fact, I feel at this point, it is my responsibility.

A little more about me…

As I stated earlier I have been dealing with PTSD in therapy for 6 years.  I probably had PTSD after my first Iraq tour from 2004.  I went back from 05 to 06 and finally reached a point where I was pretty much so burnt out that a change of profession was a must.  As this journey of healing progressed I have been on many different drugs, stopped drinking entirely (though I did have a shot of Jack for OBLs death) and have successfully completed both Cognitive Processing and Prolonged Exposure Therapy.  Each of these major milestones, along with many other family and professional challenges along the way give me a unique perspective on dealing with PTSD.  Also, I am married, have two kid and have had to refine a lot of my tricks to cope with sleepless nights compounded by babies and new anxiety.

For all new readers I will part here with these words as  my first “lesson” I had to learn the hard way:  There is no magic pill or Super Therapist.  Time will help, but it moves so slow it will feel like no change.  The only way things will get better is if you work at collecting and sharpening the mental tools necessary to survive and eventually flourish. It requires hard work and discipline.