Page 789 - Total War on PTSD

whole war, more or less. Well, he simply said that we all got home, people would have a lot of questions for us, and he said that the best thing we could do was just to not talk about it. That was the biggest mistake and the most terrible advice I ever took. It caused me years of pain and frustration. Now I'm a Pastor...not because of that experience...but what that Chaplain chose to advise us does still affect me to this day. I have been able to help other Veterans who wouldn't talk to anybody else...who kept refusing to get help...only because I had befriended them as a Pastor.
I have been dealing with PTSD for over 20 years and the first several years of that, not being diagnosed, not knowing what the problem was but knowing that there was some kind of problem...I'd say I had pretty much the same challenges that everybody else does with PTSD. I've been to the point of being suicidal but I've never attempted suicide...but I've been there. I've come to realize that PTSD doesn't have to define who you are. That is so important to know because if you let it define you then you let it control every action and every thought. Nothing should have that kind of power over you. Especially not something that you can't control or that you can't do a whole lot about. There's only so much control that you have and that's really frustrating, especially when you take into account the short-term memory loss, the depression and anxiety out of nowhere, etc. You just have to keep reminding yourself that it's available, and you are not afraid to seek counseling. It's helped me a lot. There are some who are good...and some who are not so good. You just have to take the time and find the right one. Every one of them had some kind of impact on me regardless...and helped me to get where I am today.
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