Like many PTSD sufferers,
I have the mental symptoms and a number of physical, secondary symptoms of PTSD, especially chronic pain. However, my chronic pain is also associated with a terrorist bomb blast I took in my village in May 1970.
When I get stressed out, it acerbates my chronic pain.
At times, I feel like
I’m the ping pong ball in a battle between catastrophic thoughts and hyper-vigilance.
It’s exhausting.
Suggestions to help ease
some of the crap at times:
- Get yourself a good therapist. (And
take your meds, if needed.)
- Get yourself in a good PTSD veterans group.
(This is where you will learn that you are not alone.)
- Try to pick up a safe, therapeutic hobby.
(Writing, chess, painting, crafts, computers/internet, etc.)
- Try to trust...
- Try to release anger properly.
- Try to pick up on helping others more… It’s nice to
hear a sincere thank you, when you are
feeling like crap.
- Try to get behind a legal and positive cause.
Something that you really believe in.
- Get A Computer And Hook Up To The Internet.
- Try to live a life outside
your PTSD.
- TRY NOT
TO ISOLATE FROM OTHERS…
There are many different
things you can do to make your days easier. But at the foundation of all
these things, pray and ask for guidance from God.
Some days will be tougher than others.
On these tougher days, pray more…
Everyone has an
opinion about PTSD. Many people still call it "Milking the System..."
Already, 98,000 War on Terror veterans are suffering from PTSD according to the VA. The VA is not
known to give away benefits, without at least a year of fighting and all types of medical documentation.
I can't answer why John McCain doesn't have PTSD. I can't explain why I have it.
Eighteen years ago,
I was making $63,000 a year working as a project manager in the data processing department for a major health insurance company.
At that point, I had one job and one wife. But I had moved my family about 10 times in 15 years. A buddy
of mine went back to visit my CAP village in 1989, and I went out for the count.
Jack Cunningham ProudCapMarine
CAP stands for Combined Action Program (CAP). I was a proud, Lance Corporal in
the United
States Marines and served in CAP. You can read some of my CAP experiences
at: http://www.CapVeterans.com
