Living with PTSD

At the end of the day, it’s all about your mindset. I know plenty of people dealing with various forms of PTSD who are out there grinding and trying to move forward. I know this guy—my friend's dad—who basically snatched away our Motorola walkie-talkies while we were just kids playing around the neighborhood and headed off to serve in the US Army... he saw some heavy stuff. What keeps him from spiraling into PTSD? Work. Family. He went over there to protect his people, and now he’s back, working his tail off, building things, providing, making sure their future is solid, whatever. Personally, I’ve dealt with my own version of trauma; certain experiences during the war triggered a serious illness that kept me stuck in hospitals for years... but that’s hardly an excuse to sit around hating the world. If anything, I’m just glad that ugly chapter is closed so I can look ahead, set new goals, and focus on actually living instead of obsessing over injustice, evil, or how broken the system is. Obviously, what soldiers go through is beyond words... I can't speak to that. For me, just seeing a few seconds of footage from a news report showing sniper fire hitting a crowd of fleeing people somewhere in Canada was enough to make me sick of everything and want to lose my mind.
PTSD isn't exclusive to combat; a woman can develop it after a traumatic birth, or a spouse after losing a partner, and so on... we really need to stop using the label as a free pass to live on the edge.
When things get messy, the best way through is to face them head-on. You have to talk about it, honestly and openly. You might not be able to erase or forget certain things, but you can build something better to counter them.

Hey, does anyone know why the thread about PTSD was taken down? thanks🙏

Is it just me, or are there no actual PTSD sufferers around here? It’s like either they don't want to speak up, or they're totally fine and just playing the system to score some benefits...

So, what’s the deal with that figure of 560,000 veterans from the war... you think that number is actually legit, or is it just more political spin and manipulation?

Maybe look into this more from a psychological perspective...

560,000?
If we actually had that many people, we would've made it all the way to Chicago by now.

Donna Sullivan7 said:Is it just me, or are there no actual PTSD sufferers around here? It’s like either they don't want to speak up, or they're totally fine and just playing the system to score some benefits...

Oh, they definitely exist...

Donna Sullivan7 said:So, what’s the deal with that figure of 560,000 veterans from the war... you think that number is actually legit, or is it just more political spin and manipulation?

I honestly don't know. What do you think?

Donna Sullivan7 said:Hey, does anyone know why the thread about PTSD was taken down? thanks🙏

Google is honestly my best friend! I can't imagine life without it.

If you want to get rid of it, you just have to go out there and look—you'll find it!

Kyle Nelson2 said:Maybe look into this more from a psychological perspective...

560,000?
If we actually had that many people, we would've made it all the way to Chicago by now.

-well, that’s just a straight-up official report from the US Department of Defense. A legit document, for sure.🤷

Donna Sullivan7 said:Hey, does anyone know why the thread about PTSD was taken down? thanks🙏

Donna Sullivan7, here is the thread. Everything is fine. 😉

I am truly sorry to hear about what you are going through. It sounds incredibly difficult. Please stay strong.

I know someone who I suspect might be struggling with PTSD, but I’m honestly not sure what the actual symptoms look like or how to spot them in person... I’d really love to hear about your own experiences and maybe learn a bit more about what this disorder is actually like.
Thanks!

So, here’s how it went for me...

I had to have my spleen removed due to a rupture, and honestly, the whole ordeal—the surgery itself, the fear, all of it—left me dealing with some intense anxiety. It feels like I can't catch my breath; I struggle to take a full, deep breath, and then the panic sets in because I feel like I'm suffocating. My heart starts racing, and I turn pale (though, looking back, most of it was happening in my head). At first, I was convinced something was wrong with my lungs. I actually went to see some top-tier specialists who ran scans on my lungs, did blood work, checked my blood pressure, and everything came back perfectly clear. They told me straight up that everything is physically fine and that what I'm experiencing is just the lingering fear following such a major surgery—basically PTSD—and that it should pass with time. They suggested seeing a psychologist, but I think I'll hold off for a bit and see if it settles down on its own first.
It’s been a few days since that doctor's visit, and I'm actually feeling a little better every day. The panic attacks aren't hitting as hard, and I've been trying to stay busy with other things to keep my mind from spiraling.

The bottom line is, if you're feeling symptoms like this, it's very possible you're dealing with PTSD. I'd strongly suggest that anyone going through this goes to see a doctor.

True, but you see those exact same symptoms with anxiety too. It doesn't automatically mean it's PTSD.
Basically, I'd love to figure out what actually sets anxiety apart from PTSD.

Beyond just the anxiety and panic attacks:

1. Reliving past traumas through intense flashbacks.

2. Emotional detachment from family and friends. This one is actually pretty tough to spot because it’s usually an internal battle for the individual living with PTSD. You have to look closely for a lack of emotion—especially positive feelings—and a tendency to pull away from social outings or daily activities. It’s very similar to how depression manifests.

3. Constant tension. A person might jump at every sudden noise or react sharply to loud sounds. They often struggle with sleep and focus, feeling like they are perpetually on high alert or constantly "on guard."

So, I was diagnosed with PTSD after my time in the service... honestly, I was pretty skeptical about the whole diagnosis at first, mostly because of how much people try to game the system for benefits.
-Here’s what I’m dealing with: this total numbness that feels a lot like depression.
-Insomnia, being super irritable, having zero patience even when I'm on meds, flashbacks, waking up drenched in sweat from nightmares... I have to stay far away from alcohol because it makes me aggressive. Just constant exhaustion and chronic fatigue too. I tend to just shut down and withdraw... I barely even make it out to visit my mom or my own family anymore.

plus there’s the chronic depression... just this constant sense of hopelessness, pulling away from everyone, feeling totally numb and letting everything just slide...