What's it like explaining life with PTSD to others? Was it hard for them to understand?

Mine is not service related, it's from 24 yrs as a firefighter/paramedic and not readily recognized yet. And naturally the things I've seen come out very graphically which makes talking to other very hard, most get sick. Hard to treat when you can't talk to someone if they ain't been there or done that!

There are many whom I have tried to explain it to, and they still do not understand. One marrage went down the crapper because I had no idea what I had and no one else did either, my wife at the time did not wanna listen and when I asked her to go to counseling with me, I was told, Its your problem. Hell I did not even know what the problem was. But I do now and still some do not fully comprehend. Now I am fighting the VA, they say I do not have enough symptoms to be considered PTSD. Its a game show to them. If you have all 5 symptoms you win! if you only have 1 or 2 you go home with the consolation prize. A pat on the back, a kick in the ass and a copy of the home game that you can play with your family when you wake up at 3AM crying because you remembered something that happened 45 years ago.

its' Not Just hard or difficult It Still is ...
Unless you've been there and done it... they have No Grasp of what you or your friends are going thru...