PTSD Fact Sheet: Frequently Asked Questions

Hey weapon system replacement soldier in the 3rd ID. Desert Strom. I to was called up. Sent to the 7th corp and assigned to the 3AD to help spear head against the republican guard. Like you when it was over we were sent back to our units without orders for CIBS and our home unit could give we'll you know what. I got out about 2 years later. Came home and got married shortly afterwards my PTSD showed its ugly head. My wife held on for a while then we finally went our separate ways 10 years later we meet again and rekindle the fire I was so happy. But then she started to tell me about her relationships with other men in detail, I lost it. I did not want to hear these things about the woman that I had once put on a pedestal because of the things she led me to believe about herself and her family. Last seven years before we remarried I was doing great. Off the drugs working part time at a lawn service making ends meet and feeling good: now that I've been with her for 2 years my PTSD is back with vengeance and I'm now taking three different kinds of medication that I wasn't taking before we got back together please help me. Was I wrong in not wanting to hear about her relationships in detail or should I have let her talk no matter how much it hurt me inside. She said she told me these things because she wanted me to know in case I found out later and ran, but the one thing she did not tell me about was more than likely the most important. She gave me an STD that cannot be wash away and she did not tell me for roughly 3 months. A veteran lost in my mind. Please tell me was I wrong and not wanting to hear her stories or should I let her tell me about no matter how much it hurts me inside. Looking for an answer should I stay married or should I leave and try to find the happiness I had before alone although all this is happened to me I would gladly serve again anytime if I could. PS I also served in Iraqi freedom.

Hey..my name is Judy..first of all..I want to Thank You Sir for your service and for protecting us from harm Sir. Wow! Sounds like you need to just find a nice beautiful warm place to live away from all worries and stress. I hate that you guys have to go through this crap. Please be good to yourself. Ask God to guide you and protect you..and he will. I know things are hard but if I were in your shoes I would move where there is nature or move where there is ocean and beauty.

Well I believe I've had anxiety PTSD since 1966 when I was going to school when I was in the Marines at Camp Pendleton that was my first anxiety attack had no idea why or what it was. Went to Vietnam October 1967 while I was over there in January of 68 I got knocked out for one more round I assumed it was a concussion one person died head blown off the other person eardrums gone and I got thrown into a B-52 crater. Had a headache for over a month all the corpsman would do for me was give me Darvin. For my headache since I was in combat after that till I left in 68 October off and on I would have startle response heart palpitations didn't know what it was when I was getting my physical to get out I told the physician I was giving me my out physical about how I felt what was going on and you wanted to keep me in the Marine Corps until they figured it out I begged him know please let me get out and he agreed. Put on my medical records palpitations and see the VA if it continues so I got out a temper was pretty bad my marriage wasn't working out too good never hit my wife or anything and I have one daughter. So after 6 months could get a job I decided to go into the army went to Germany I was still having the anxiety which I didn't know that's what it was called and palpitation rapid heartbeat startle response and very anxious at times. The stupid thing I did I decided to go back to Vietnam and I did not combat really there anymore I was in 1st Cav 3rd Brigade. Just a lot of heroin addicts and drunks that was about it 10 months later I came home stay in the Army for 2 more years got out but all the time while I was in the army every once in awhile I would get these really bad panic attack which they said was anxiety and I was scared a lot don't know why. At the time. Then I got out of the military got a job with the Marine Corps at MCRD San Diego and things were gradually getting worse as far as my panic attacks uncontrolled anxiety and I didn't know what to do the first doctor I saw about it said I would have the Vietnam syndrome I told him he was full of shit I didn't care about Vietnam and had to be something else. He told me to go to the VA and seek treatment I refused and got another doctor this was Kaiser Hospital and he told me the same thing all they asked me was have you been to Vietnam yes but that is not the problem. So I finally got another doctor and they started treating me of course they're giving me every drug in the world so I could psychotropic which made it even worse eventually I had to retire for a short. Time couple of years and I finally took it anxiety and what they now call PTSD I still for 20 years refuse to believe that's what it was PTSD even though it cost me my marriage few of them never reverted alcohol or drugs illegal drugs just was completely confused and hurting bad format anxiety Then I had returned to work felt a lot better for a while got married again this was my third marriage and my wife at the time showing the Navy she was a nurse and we had a daughter I had 30 years I was 47 and I retired all this time I'm still having problems my ex-wife got station in Washington I was seeing a Navy social worker retired corpsman hand Vietnam veteran he read my medical records and said I should go to the VA but go to the DAV first and have them give me some doctor appointment at the VA so I guess then they saw me 1 Hart Dr and a psychiatrist all the sudden 8 months later they said they were going to give me 40% I swear to God I did not care about the money but they were willing to treat so I let them treat me I quit seeing the Navy about it and I believe that was part of my downfall for all the medication they were giving me except I needed something they wanted to give me electric shock therapy which I would let them do I was in the hospital for about two-and-a-half months under all kinds of medications they were trying the head psychiatrist of that department said I had the worst case she has ever seen with PTSD that didn't make me feel too good for saying that. So they sent me home finally which didn't help my marriage out much now remember I never used illegal drugs and I did not drink I'm still that way I don't drink I've never used illegal drugs even marijuana. But my problem never left me I try to deal with it I wanted to kill myself few times I really wish I had because it drives me crazy every day I have to take a little Valium and few other medications not bad though. Well years of gone by now I've been divorced again I'm friends with my ex wives believe it or not and I love all my kids I have 5 my daughter is a first lieutenant in the Marines I don't know why she joined. And my other two sons are professionals police officer and fireman. I'm going through something now it's kind of strange. I'm sure some people have been treated the VA will understand this. With all my trouble have anxiety PTSD whatever you want to call it and I also have a social worker my son called me up in November of 2014 to help him on the roof of the house for splicing a cable in I went over there I did it and I fell 10 feet thought I was ok but decided to go to the VA and have them look at me they did and get over this and not go into detail about the whole thing they said I had two cracked ribs actually I had 12 broken scapula Nemo hemothorax and I was dying this was 10 days later after they said there was nothing wrong with me I was putting on my daughter's rank in Quantico and I felt like I was dying went to the hospital I said I was but they wouldn't let that happen and they cut me open and drain my lungs out 3000 cc's of blood and then I had all these tubes coming out of me and I had to come home back to California from Virginia. So I got a lawyer if I filed a claim and they sell it in the hospital while I was there I was having flashbacks which I didn't have for a long time I've ever really bad might have been the morphine I don't know. Anyways Got Back i7 with the VA 135000 then they did it to me again gave me the wrong medication didn't matter to me and I crashed into 7 cars all due to the medication they gave me all they say is I'm sorry and I'm going to file another claim against them but I'm not going to go there anymore I'll be really stupid to do that. But the whole reason I'm writing this out is they took my driver's license away which is understandable the police didn't know if I had a stroke or anything like that but when I was in Vietnam on my first part of this message I'm writing I told you I had a concussion up sometime well now they give me an MRI because of the accident because my doctor was not going to sign off on me until I had an MRI and a few other test to see if I was alright. Turned out no surprise to me that I had really bad frontal lobe damage do that concussion and they weren't going to give me my license back because of that so all those years later they find out I have frontal lobe do or what they call now TBI so finally they did give me my license back the neurologist said we'll keep an eye on you to see how you're doing and that's where I stand right now I still have the anxiety everyday now I know the traumatic brain injury didn't help me out and that's probably what caused a lot of my trouble even though being in Vietnam and seeing all that death and causing all that death didn't help me either I like I said I didn't drink I didn't use drugs and I did work and I did try to raise my kids the best I could even though I got divorced so here I sit again hopefully I won't think about killing myself but I just get so tired of it been a long time no hear I remember my first anxiety attack was not in Vietnam was at Camp Pendleton don't know why thank you I don't know if this will go through don't even know who's going to read it if I even got it all right spelling it I'm talking into my phone trying to correct it as I go thank you

The best solution for PTSD I have ever found is a service dog that also provides protection.  Once I had my protection dog in the house I could actually sleep better and that has helped me think more clearly each day and learn new techniques for managing PTSD.

Get a protection dog, he always has your back!

My brother has been out of the marines going on four years after serving 4 years. He was diagnosed with a low percentage of PTSD about a year ago. He told me they were even hesitant on even diagnosing him with PTSD. He has a wife, children, and holds down a full time job. Honestly, I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this whole thing, and would like some input. Even if it is just backlash. My brother and his wife tend to get mad at us for not always doing what they want. If my mother won't send them money he lashes out and they both blame it on PTSD. He has recently verbally attacked my daughter for not finding time between college and work to drop a carseat to his wife. Now I did jump in on that one and asked why his wife couldn't pick it up. Again, we weren't being sensitive to his PTSD. I have now reached out and said I'll help him. I said I'll visit with his counselor if he has one. I'll do anything. His response is he doesn't need my help. His wife's, she has her vet wives and doesn't need help from his family. I would like to hear from those who has dealt with people with low percentage PTSD. Should I walk away or force help. Am I wrong in feeling he and his wife are using PTSD to act out. I'm opening to any comments even the backlash, lol.

I'm 25 years old I have night terrors as early as I can remember. I wake up every day burning with rage and I feel like I want to cry. my father abused me my mother and my sister. My mother was (still is) a drunk, my sister a drug addict who's been playing with death for years now. I've watched my friends be gunned down. I've lost family and friends due to a very cold world. I was neglected and abused and left to fend for myself. as early as 12 I was kicked out of my home or running away I went to prison at 17 for a fight at school the kid was hitting his girlfriend and I just snapped in that instant I just remember My dad hurting my mom and I lost it...I have 2 little girls now and I don't know what to do..there always asking me why I'm so mad but I just can't answer that. I get mad when there nothing to get mad about. I feel like there nothing I can do and I cant control my rage.it could be something as little as not eating her diner and I snap...I see people bullying others i snap...I'll wake and go to the bathroom and I see myself in the mirror and I'm filled with rage. this is my cry for help and I feel like it's getting worse and worse. Please all I want is to go through life and enjoy it. I want my girls to understand life doesn't have to be bad.

Hi all I have written a booklet to try and reach out and share my experience regarding being married to an ex soldier with PTSD it is on Amazon titled Living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Married to a soldier by R L Nicholson please have a read as it may be helpful. Take care R L Nicholson

I don't have ptsd but my husband who is a marine veteran is darkened by this horrible nightmare daily. Overall he has handled it well in comparison to other individuals/stories I have read and studied. I've only known him after the duty he served....in the beginning of our relationship it was like a secret he didn't want to share...I'm assuming b/c it was so fresh. Little things gradually surfaced that I admit were too big for me to accept and understand so I suggested(begged) him to try other avenues/outlets to release this info that I could not understand. HE DID IT!!! He dove into the local Vfw and now is the Commander and also started a VA club at our local community college. Hes also paid it forward numerous times helping other veterans secure benefits because it's so hard to accomplish but also because of his superior writing skills he knows what to write to get attention. However- I need help now because I feel like I've lost my true love because I sent him in a direction that I couldn't handle and now he's so busy helping others that he's lost focus to help me/us. Any suggestions or words of wisdom????

I have PTSD from combat in Vietnam. I rode an M48A3 for approx. 16 months. My tank commander was KIA by an RPG, and my other 2 crew mates have since passed. After 46 yrs. of marriage, the love of my life wants a divorce. Why? Since returning from Vietnam and after discharge, I faced quite a bit of rejection from my peers and society in general. Consequently, I practiced avoidance and isolation for decades...that's the reason for the divorce. Although the VA provided me a 30% disability rating, I want a re-appraisal. I'm losing all I worked for during the last 46 yrs.

YES SIR, IT IS COMMON. HE LOVES YOU. GET HELP AT THE V.A.

I'm also a Vietnam combat Vet, served 1967 thru 1968 Nam unit A Troop 1st. Squadron 10th Cav. 4th Infantry Div, one platoon search and destroy missions in the Central Highlands and 6 man recon. I was in plenty of fire fights and death was all around me. While I was in Nam we never showerd ate sea rations everyday, stayed in the jungle for months unless medivac out by gun ship. Sleep was so precious because breaking jungle all day and set up clay moore mines and trip flares every night. The constant death I lost myself I didn't care if I was killed because my best buddy was killed and I became angry and full of rage at the enemy VC or NVA. I no longer had the fear when like I had when I first arrived in country. Came home to and got married that didn't last I had no sensitivity or feeling of love just anger and sleepless nights, did take shit from anyone. My marriages didn't last, relationships came and left I felt numb inside no feeling just the rage and jobs came and left due to my violence behavior. In 2008 I filed a claim for PTSD, malaria, hearing loss, skin rash my claim was denied stating my records were in a fire denied. I feel sorry for the families who have to deal with a Vet with PTSD our government estimates 22 Vet's a day are committing suicide. It's crazy but when we come forward someone will say that's what combats about, they don't understand because they have never experienced it. After twice being denied and seeking one on one counseling and filing again after the session with the Doctor I was granted 30% servicce connected. I've destroyed so many lives because of the anger, rage, and detached emotionally to my own brothers and sisters and Dad and Mom, I just felt this was not my home and everything about me changed. I attend meeting every week with other vets and sometimes it helps but it will never go away. After all said and done I wish I would have never came home, I'm not afraid of death and living is difficult with the horrors we go through. For anyone who dealing with a Vet I can only say get help from someone who has been through it, so you also can understand what we go through. Manuel Jacques

It's happening again, it's the anniversary of my Father's death and the same day I was raped 4 years later. I can't sleep, I begin to barricade myself in my apartment, I don't want to be alone, but I won't go anywhere to be around people, how messed up is that? I told my Dr today that I can't sleep and she prescribes me sleeping pills, fortunately they won't be in until tomorrow, because today I really want to sleep for along long time. I call my boyfriend that tells me he understands, but if he did he would be here at my side. I don't trust anyone right now. And I can't stop crying, even though there are no tears. And then I get a knock on the door from a young boy at my Church, who I happen to know has PTSD too, inviting me to movie night. I told him I needed rest, but also told him I would go. I find this site and read the words of my heart that others have written and realize... The PTSD is no longer just about me, there is a little boy at Church waiting to see my face, perhaps he needs a word of encouragement of how special he is, and that if it weren't for him, I wouldn't be going to Church tonight late for movie night. Instead I would be hopelessly barricading myself in my apartment. Bottom line we are all important to someone, even if we can't feel or see it at the time and all need each other and are interconnected in humanity as a Whole and now ask myself, how would I feel if that little boy just wanted to sleep tonight for a long, long time.

I have never served in the military. I have had 4 deaths in my family of very close family members in a short period of time. I have been a part of actions that severely hurt others. I am not that person anymore, but I have terrible nightmares and don't like to go to sleep because of this. I have at times, and they are becoming much more frequent, what I call mental breaks. What can start out as the smallest of annoyances, turn into the likes of an atom bomb explosion. I feel like I'm outside of my body without any control over it. I black out and become a very very dangerous person, with no regard for human life.I don't want to be like this and I', afraid of what I will do. I don't know what to do about it, and it just seems to be getting worse. Any comments or ideas for help would be greatly appreciated. Thank You

It would be nice to see a big section on what a spouse, child, family member has night terrors and has tried to bash my head in and last night had a death clench on my are, screaming, I got hurt. So why is this all about the Night terrorist and nothing to help those of us that get ambushed when we are asleep. The Vet Center could not understand why I don't want guns or baseball bats by his side of the bed, you know, "put yourself in his shoes". I have such bad secondary PTSD, father Pearl and a Purple Heart, husband Vietnam Medic and then a total of 40years as Paramedic/chief/ and son twice deployed and then they messed with him for a year, arrested him and took over a year to get his Honorable Discharge and his dd214. I have be through the ringer, am very physically sick with pancreatic disease and now am very afraid to sleep. This has damaged my family - you know the one we are fighting for - and you never mention help for the family that has been through sometimes years of abuse. We desperately need help with this also. The Military tends to forget all the "families who give so much" and that PTSD is spread thickly over WHOLE families. I am terrorized by war now, just like the Vets who have care and we are left to fend or not for ourselves. If a 16 year old can't access help for their father or brother, where do you think they should get help? Thanks for what work you have done. Sorry if you don't like my email, but let's tell the whole truth please.

I see several spouses feeling like they are alone with their spouse who suffers from PTSD. Please know that you are NOT alone!!! If you are on facebook, I have created a facebook page called I am the wife of a Veteran with PTSD. We are there to support one another and help each other through the ups and downs of PTSD. Also veterans are welcome as well...

My exhusband and I divorced in 2011, but remained close and worked together everyday. We basically raised our kids together and have a 6 year old we share. He went thru atleast 4 deployments in our marriage and then some. He retired after 21 years in service. We divorced due to his anger issues and he refused to seek help. After the divorce he started counseling and was diagnosed with PTSD. He only went to a few sessions (while lying to me that he was still going). He recently moved in with a lady and after drinking and arguing he took his life. PTSD is real, no amount of alcohol or drugs can fix it and bringing new people in your life and them not knowing what to expect is wrong. I am left in shock because he appeared to be happier than ever and even in a better place, but that is when we should be more concerned! I honestly believe that our service members should be required to more counseling and family counseling so that family members can make it known. I regret not calling someone to let them know when I noticed signs at first. Don't make the same mistake.

Hello, I am veteran of the Iraq war. I suffer from PTSD as well as my family. Remember it affects everyone. I remember joining the service. You put that uniform on, wear it so proudly. YOU are a professional, that's your business suit. People look at you with a sense of awe and wonder how they do it. You load up on the plane leaving everything behind. Soldiers are herded and rushed to the unknown, but one thing is a constant in every war or conflict...some are goining to make the ultimate sacrafice for all of us. Then guys come home, dazed and confused, lost, depressed and enraged. They have been rode hard and put away wet. The military is not for the weak. You run missions throughout the night, sometimes for days straight. There isn't overtime with pay in the service. You endure the roughest conditions. Places so hot or cold most would not go. You battle the rain, duststorms and yes fatigue. You can't call in sick. After what they've seen, done or experience... they often wonder " why do people fear death?", is it that they feel death will be unkind. "How do people love and cherish life?". "Why does someone come home only to feel an emptiness that they can't fill?". It's sad not because I served, but for all that have. If a vet stood up in a crowd and put a gun to his head, how many would come to his/her rescue. Would you reassure that person that its okay and you are not alone. They are this way because they leaped so proudly into the service to serve you. The only way to cure PTSD is for the world to change, I feel. Its okay to talk about a back injury or cancer but somehow not mental illness. People tend to avoid you, why is that? Why not listen and help someone break those shackles and chains that hold them captive. Are we that immature and selfish? Maybe we're not the one's in need after all. Cherish and honor your vets, the life you live is because of them. One thing I learned is that any day can be Veteran's day. For those who are suffering from PTSD, you are not the only one's that need change. They say you are afraid but what are they soooo afraid of perhaps. Hmmmm...there's a thought. We need to help the ones that are afraid to come forward. Sorry guys I know that this isn't a vent blot but it needed to be said. Thanks to all soldiers and vets, be safe and Godspeed.

PTSD is real..i was diagnosid in 2008 my wife and kids and family brought it to my attention,,they said i was not the same after IRAQ. i have been hospitalized and sent to a treatment center..the meds and counslers and physcologist's is what helps me maintain. but i still have very bad days,sleep walk,nightmares and outburst of anger. but it would be alot worse if my family and friends had not talked me into seeking help...if you know ANTONE you think might have PTSD talk them into getting help and understand them when wierd things happen..mostly be there for them...