War Veterans and PTSD

[Liquid Blue]

Do you know anyone that's come back from a war with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?

I was reading this article on CNN about a 23 year old Iraq veteran (who enlisted when he was 19), that came back with PTSD.

He remembers choking someone into unconsciousness at a party. "Without saying a word, without warning, I wrapped my arms around this kid's neck and I choked him until he stopped breathing....

"I was covered in my blood and his from rolling around in broken glass as I was strangling him. And I mean that's not who I was before I deployed." Goldsmith's personal life was spinning out of control.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/condi...gle/index.html

I have a few friends who went to Iraq, although I haven't been able to hang out with most of them after they got back from their tours of duty. One of them that I did hang out with, definitely seemed a bit different (he was Infantry), but I don't think he had PTSD. He definitely seemed quieter and didn't drink nearly as much as he used to.

This topic doesn't just have to deal with the Iraq war though, it can be someone you know from any war- gulf war, ww2, korean war, vietnam, any war. What did you notice off the bat? How do they act now, have they started to go in a positive direction, or are they still going in a downward spiral?

And if you don't know anyone that's come back with PTSD, how have the troops that you know acted once they got back? Any major differences?

[Izor]

I'm the same before and after. Everyone else in my shop and that ive met thus far in my career is the same before and after. Take those personal experiences with a grain of salt because im AF, and we're on 6 vs 15 month rotations. A lot of times people use PTSD in my opinion as a cop out for dumb shit that they do. I'm sure the slew of drugs that guy was on had an effect on what he did. I dont want to take away from the people who truly do have this disorder, but I think its overused seeing as how people tend to have a variety of other problems when they get back despite how little combat they may have seen.

[MirrorriM]

Hmm. I havent met anyone with PTSD, but I do know three people who have gone to war and come back.

1) Grandfather, but he wasnt directly involved in fighting. He was a morse code operator. He has good memories of his training and his stay in in the European countries.

2) Cousin, he dropped out of Notre Dame and joined the marines. He was a pretty rough-and-tumble kind of guy beforehand, but man he absolutely fucking LOVES fighting in the Iraq war. He has volunteered to go back 2 times and hopes to do it again. He is very proud and gung-ho about what he is doing.

3) Very close family friend, an uncle to me, was a gunboat operator in Vietnam. He generally has fond memories of his tour, some funny stories, but over the past few years, has gone from very far right to very far left, hates the war and hates the administration.

[Heroin Bob]

i agree with Izor


i also think that works for ADD

"kid is hyper? fuck, lets sell some drugs! tell the parents he/she has ADD!"

[Lizard Fuel]

I mean no disrespect to Izor or his unit, but you're not going to see a realistic case of PTSD or anything of the sort in the Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, etc. (Of Course there are exceptions, but unlikely) I will agree though that there is a lot of bullshit PTSD cases being brought to light in an attempt to rape the government of its disability benefits, but also plenty of very real cases. There's really no way to differentiate whether its real or not, because you can't prove what is or isn't in somebody else's head.

I won't speak for anybody else, but I'll use myself as an example. Pre-deployment I was a social butterfly and used to drink like a fish. I just loved being out and traveling, and was forever getting buzzed. Post deployment I kinda just chilled out and don't really do all the stuff I use to do as much, and I gave up drinking completely in fear of becoming dependent on it. Those that knew me before have described me as "Desensitized"...I'm sure I could elaborate in several different ways, but no need to really. Basically, once you've seen just 1 tiny bit of combat, one way or another, you're life will change, and your loved ones will realize it way before you do yourself.

Did I even answer the question or did I ramble?

[Exalt]

I won't speak for anybody else, but I'll use myself as an example. Pre-deployment I was a social butterfly and used to drink like a fish. I just loved being out and traveling, and was forever getting buzzed. Post deployment I kinda just chilled out and don't really do all the stuff I use to do as much, and I gave up drinking completely in fear of becoming dependent on it. Those that knew me before have described me as "Desensitized"...I'm sure I could elaborate in several different ways, but no need to really. Basically, once you've seen just 1 tiny bit of combat, one way or another, you're life will change, and your loved ones will realize it way before you do yourself.

Did I even answer the question or did I ramble?

the thing about it is, just because you've seen combat doesn't mean it's the reason you don't drink as much and reasoning your changed

the real reason is just the military and people in it in general. You are afraid of being dependant on alcohol because there are so many cases of alcoholism in the military. It's all over the navy for instance. I've seen so many "drunken sailors" running around its pathetic really...

and the people in the military generally are a lot of times just plain messed up... not all but a lot of the enlisted members are somewhat... socially inept per say. They are usually unable to hold a real job on the outside for some reason, be it unable to be social, friendly, think "outside of the box" or other things... and thus become "lifers" in the military... i'm talking about the E6-E9s that stay in multiple terms... usually they cheat or get cheated on with their wives, get divorced, become very angry at life, and drink a lot and treat others bad because that's how the military works, the "old" military was like that, you get shit when you enter, and by the time your high ranked you give it back because it happened to you... and shit always rolls downhill

just some thoughts, but its not necessarily combat that does it... sometimes its the people and the atmosphere they bring with them... lots of negativity

i guess it depends on your command too, and branch, but it is what it is, and i'm sure both you and izor have experienced this at least somewhat, or have seen it from the outside at least

[HateTheFake]

My neighbor was with the national guard, Before going to war he was a very comical guy and had a shit load of funny posters around. When he came back he seemed almost lifeless. Removed all his posters and was 300 percent more serious then ive ever seen him before. He served 3 years in iraq i believe.