Posted on Jun 21, 2021
Men's Mental Health Week Part 1: I have PTSD and Mental Health Issues: So What?
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I have PTSD and Mental Health Issues “So What”
Everyone at some point in their life goes through struggles that will impact their mental health, it’s inevitable. Although some will have harder battles than others, it’s a shared experience across the board. I am not immune to this shared experience. When I was dealing with my own mental health struggles, the hardest thing for me was admitting to myself “it’s okay to not be okay”
I refused to admit this truth, even to myself, for a long time. I convinced myself that asking for help was a sign of weakness and that I was a soldier. Of course it is easy for me to say now that asking for help is actually a sign of strength and resiliency. However, prior to my suicide attempt, I kept the shame inside me letting it slowly eat away at my resilience. If you have read my past postings you know my story (https://rly.pt/3vqd9oV , I felt it was important to talk about things I do to keep my PTSD in check when my day suddenly turns wrong and things seem lost again.
There are many facets of life, but the ones that I focus on to continue my healing journey are physical, mental and random (yes, there are many things I do to help that don’t fall into any specific category which I don’t think is talked about enough!) The next three days I will be posting an article on each component of health that has helped me stay on my recovery track. Please remember, everyone is different and everyone’s healing looks different. You may need to focus more on your emotional health while others need to focus on their physical health. It is all about having a balanced plan and reliable techniques that while ultimately help you achieve overall health. It is an everyday battle for me, but one that I will continue to fight. I hope this helps keep folks in their path or encourages them to start. Be kind to yourself and know that you are worth the fight.
If you or someone you know is struggling, please get help now. Tell a loved one. Tell a friend. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: [login to see] . If you prefer to talk online, visit the veteran crisis line here: https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/get-help/military-crisis-line
Everyone at some point in their life goes through struggles that will impact their mental health, it’s inevitable. Although some will have harder battles than others, it’s a shared experience across the board. I am not immune to this shared experience. When I was dealing with my own mental health struggles, the hardest thing for me was admitting to myself “it’s okay to not be okay”
I refused to admit this truth, even to myself, for a long time. I convinced myself that asking for help was a sign of weakness and that I was a soldier. Of course it is easy for me to say now that asking for help is actually a sign of strength and resiliency. However, prior to my suicide attempt, I kept the shame inside me letting it slowly eat away at my resilience. If you have read my past postings you know my story (https://rly.pt/3vqd9oV , I felt it was important to talk about things I do to keep my PTSD in check when my day suddenly turns wrong and things seem lost again.
There are many facets of life, but the ones that I focus on to continue my healing journey are physical, mental and random (yes, there are many things I do to help that don’t fall into any specific category which I don’t think is talked about enough!) The next three days I will be posting an article on each component of health that has helped me stay on my recovery track. Please remember, everyone is different and everyone’s healing looks different. You may need to focus more on your emotional health while others need to focus on their physical health. It is all about having a balanced plan and reliable techniques that while ultimately help you achieve overall health. It is an everyday battle for me, but one that I will continue to fight. I hope this helps keep folks in their path or encourages them to start. Be kind to yourself and know that you are worth the fight.
If you or someone you know is struggling, please get help now. Tell a loved one. Tell a friend. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: [login to see] . If you prefer to talk online, visit the veteran crisis line here: https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/get-help/military-crisis-line
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Posted 3 y ago
Responses: 6
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My friend let me tell you about a magical process. Identify all the symptoms. The symptoms are the threats to you. Identify realistic coping skills to kill the symptoms or the threat. That my friend represents a lot of healing.
In GI terms: Kill the symptoms and win the battle.
In GI terms: Kill the symptoms and win the battle.
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No it is not OK to not be OK. The military could decide that diagnosed
PTSD should require an RE4 and a lot of people will be out. It is a mental Disorder and it is not OK
PTSD should require an RE4 and a lot of people will be out. It is a mental Disorder and it is not OK
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MAJ Byron Oyler
SSgt Addy R. - Mental health will never be as concrete as heart or lung problems and largely the reason I stayed out of Neuro ICU. Whether you have medical training or not, in your current job you can every bit form an opinion who is real, who is BS, and 90% of time you will be right.
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SGT David Schrader
SSG Edward Tilton - I was told by a VFW Service Officer that if a soldier didn’t have a CIB , he or she wouldn’t be eligible for PTSD Claims. I was calling him out on this because if you didn’t serve in combat with an infantry unit, you don’t get a CIB.
Thankfully nowadays, there is a Combat Action Badge for the combat veterans that weren’t affiliated with an Infantry Unit.
Please correct me if I am wrong. I’ve been out since 2000’
Either way, I think that it was B.S. for this VFW Service Officer to discourage Veterans from making a claim for P.T.S.D.
P.T.S.D. is real and regardless of what medals and ribbons you may have.Veterans should be entitled to a VA rating review and get the help needed to help the Veteran illness.
I thought that I have seen some things that I will never forget, but it’s nothing compared to what our fellow veterans in the past twenty years have gone through. They have gone through hell and back, just like our Vietnam Veterans and veterans from previous wars.
Thankfully nowadays, there is a Combat Action Badge for the combat veterans that weren’t affiliated with an Infantry Unit.
Please correct me if I am wrong. I’ve been out since 2000’
Either way, I think that it was B.S. for this VFW Service Officer to discourage Veterans from making a claim for P.T.S.D.
P.T.S.D. is real and regardless of what medals and ribbons you may have.Veterans should be entitled to a VA rating review and get the help needed to help the Veteran illness.
I thought that I have seen some things that I will never forget, but it’s nothing compared to what our fellow veterans in the past twenty years have gone through. They have gone through hell and back, just like our Vietnam Veterans and veterans from previous wars.
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CW4 (Join to see)
SGT David Schrader - That makes little sense to me I would reach out to his supervisor or consult another VSO. Having a CIB has nothing to do with PTSD, it is how the event the occurred affected you.
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