Wednesday, September 19, 2007

PTSD-103 part 1

I am a Recovering Alcoholic ( A Functional Alcoholic).
I am a 61 year young diabetic, hypertensive, disabled Vietnam Veteran with PTSD-
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
For ME, it's a 3D Instant Video Playback in my mind, with Cranial Surround Sound...I have been reliving and revisiting my tour of duty in South East Asia daily since 1967.

Through my writings, I hope to bring a measure of ‘healing’, or some degree of peace of mind to Any and ALL Veterans who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, also known as PTSD. World wide there are thousands upon thousands of former combatants still struggling with personal demons.

They are struggling with vivid nightmares, recurring flashbacks with intrusive thoughts, which ultimately produce lengthy periods of depression and suicidal feelings. Forty plus years later, I’m still struggling with spontaneous mood swings, and confrontational outburst of anger.

We struggle because we are still fighting the mental battles; we’re still trying to wrap our mind around what occurred during our tour of duty in the combat zone. It’s hard sometimes, trying to deal with the memories of those events that have darkened our past. Either we give in (give up) and succumb to those suicidal thoughts, or we find another device / vice as an avenue of escape. Most Veterans, myself included, turned to drugs and or alcohol in an attempt to quiet or drown out the memories and feelings of what we saw, what we actively participated in, or had knowledge of. That is why "I Can Still Hear Their Cries, Even In My Sleep."
....it's late & I'm going to try to get some shut-eye......


Spacial Thanks to Peter Anthony Holder, CJAD 800AM Montreal
http://peteranthonyholder.blogspot.com