PTSD

[1STMP]

I'm a very patient being and tend to be almost
OCD when it comes to keeping things
organized and in their place.
I suffered a catastrophic accident at a young
age, and thru the grace of God, managed
some assemblage with a normal relationship
for 46 years.
My son served three tours in Iraq (combat).
He was discharged 100% disabled with PTSD
and a TBI from an RPG blast to the Humvee
he was in.
When confronted with the utter chaos of
multiple projects, (he has difficulty
concentrating on completing the task at hand),
the garage becomes so cluttered that it's
impossible to work in.
It's also a strange reaction from him, if there's
any wind blowing at all, he won't get engaged
in anything, and wants to stay indoors.
His MOS in the military was that of a fabricator,
and as such, tends to blast thru tasks that
require a a little finesse and forethought.
All the while,
This remains first and foremost in my
interactions in trying to cope with my
son as I'll not give up...

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things
I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference."

My pain is on par with what he suffers.
Thanks to all here that begin to understand.

 

[451Mopar]

Tell your son we are grateful for his service to the country, and we wish him well.
I hope he is getting help.
Link you likely already have:
https://www.ptsd.va.gov/appvid/video/index.asp

As for the clutter and staying on task, I am bad about that too, and was diagnosed as having ADHD (and Dyslexia.)

 

[1STMP]

Tell your son we are grateful for his service to the country, and we wish him well.
I hope he is getting help.
Link you likely already have:
https://www.ptsd.va.gov/appvid/video/index.asp

As for the clutter and staying on task, I am bad about that too, and was diagnosed as having ADHD (and Dyslexia.)

Thanks 451Mopar.
I have the link you've attached.
It just pains me so to see him like this.
This may be a strange place to seek an
answer, but the commraderity here is
steadfast.

 

[451Mopar]

The people here have been great letting me vent / de-stress.

If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.
-Woody Allen-

 

[1STMP]

The people here have been great letting me vent / de-stress.

If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.
-Woody Allen-

As for your Dyslexia....
As a friend who suffered the same
once explained....
"It's all about "E's and 3's"

 

[451Mopar]

I don't suffer Dyslexia, I experience it
b's & d's, p's & q's, 6's & 9's, M's & W's, and more...
Lets me read those jumbled up messages people post on facebook.
Sort of a built in cypher decoder.

 

[Hey-O]

My heart goes out to you and your son and God bless him for his service!!! My family and I suffer through PTSD everyday, I get it! Stay strong!

 

[ckessel]

God bless you both. I hope that he'll eventually get through the trauma's and be whole or as whole as possible.

 

[Burnout68]

Hopefully he is getting some help at the VA
It’s a PITA to navigate but can help

 

[MoparHusker]

I pray for his recovery.

I would just make sure he gets all of the help he needs. There may be times when he is in a place where he is not able to advocate for himself, so you may have to jump in.

Not sure what types of recovery groups may be available, but seems like being able to share with others that are suffering from it as well or that have overcome it, may be therapeutic for him.

God Bless and stay strong!
Allan

 

[5.7 hemi]

This is the time for you to not only play DAD, but be DAD. He needs to get to the VA and they can provide help. I know, been there, done that.

 

[ord27]

so sorry. Thank him for his service.
I have done a ton of reading and have several investments in companies that are psilocybin based. Psilocybin is mostly still in the clinical trial stages, but promising signs are emerging. The hope is micro dosing will revolutionize the mental health industry. Canada has approved therapy. It might be worth yall looking into...

 

[440Coronet500]

My thoughts and prayers for you and your family. I'm a firm believer in getting counseling for problems that are greater than I can handle. There's professionals that can help you and your son out there. Keep your faith in that things will get better and strive for that goal. God's Speed 65'

 

[Burnout68]

There are a lot of programs also to help cope with being back a lot here in NM

 

[1967coronet]

Sorry he has to go through and deal with PTSD. Prayers to give him strength and peace.
Your a good man and dad for him to lean on. Like the others have posted, if he can get or continue with some counciling it will help.

 

[Ghostrider 67]

I feel your pain, as does my wife. I have the same set of issues as your son. It has varying effects on those who are afflicted. Every case is different in it's manifestation of symptoms. There are similarities though. There are therapies and they are a mixed bag of results. As I'm sure you know, the VA will help. One thing that has helped me is groups of vets who have the same problems that sit and talk about how the PTSD and TBI cause problems in their lives. It always helps if you don't feel alone in your suffering, for the vet as well as the family caregivers. The VA Home Caregivers Program is perhaps something that could help both you and your son. Suffering in silence and isolation is NOT the answer.
It's never the answer. Even though you live far from me I would be willing to correspond with you and , or, your son and share in an effort to ease his suffering. We all have our own life story but the way we navigate that story changes if we have a traveling companion who understands our journey. Please thank him for his service and sacrifice and let me know if I can be of assistance in any way. Respectfully,
Ghost.

 

[Ghostrider 67]

The remark about wind avoidance resonates with me. The TBI is most often a result of explosive "Overpressure", the "wind/ shockwave" is what causes the brain mass to rocket around inside the cranium. The close proximity to blast and concussion waves would be a trigger that places the mind right back to the instant that the blast occurred. Thus, avoidance of wind gusts is understandable. My therapy for this issue was, and is, NON avoidance of wind gusts. It was hard at first and for a long time but the more that he is able to subject himself to wind gusts the less they will trigger a response. The trick is to experience the gusts and realize there is no danger from them, it's just the wind and cannot harm him. It's a matter of resetting the Amygdala in the brain. The flight or fight response center. It has to be reset so that the stimulus of the wind becomes a benign thing rather than a danger thing. Time and experience are the only way to reset it. I'm also 100% / unemployable and 70% of that figure is due to TBI.

PS: Flying kites helped me, believe it or not! lol. You have to concentrate to fly a kite in the wind. While you're concentrating on that the wind is blowing and you come to not notice it. You're too busy to be concerned with it. Make the mind associate wind with fun things.

My garage is a mess due to too many operations going at once too. I go until it bugs me enough that I take a day and set everything right and then start over making it a mess again. I have given up on changing that behavior. Keeping it tidy and right is too frustrating. Daily I have to try to remember what I was doing before. Where I left off. Some other facet of the project grabs my attention and away I go on that tangent. I just stopped fighting it. lol. Too tiring. But, i'm in my garage alone and nobody else has to suffer because of it, so there's that.

 

[JDmac72chrgr]

GOD has a plan for us all. The strength of the parents IS the HARDEST part for we want the best for our youngins. REMAIN steady & strong at all times, work with the VA, ensure they go to the VA, veterans support groups can help with their belief of isolationism and other hidden beliefs (nobody understands because they didn't go through what I did thoughts) Listen for little things that is said, it might be something that will help him deal with what is gping on (may say fishing, trip, canoeing, beach/shore or memory from his past)
FOR THOSE WHO SERVED, THANK YOU, GOD BLESS YOU, GOD WILL GUIDE YOU
TO THE PARENTS, GOD WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE STRENGTH.

 

[Dajkzo]

I have PTSD. A medication called Effexor Extended Release helps a lot with the symptoms. But you have to work/talk through things. It's not easy, our brains get conditioned, but a person can recover. I enjoy my solitude, but isolation is not a solution. This website has been helpful, good people, common interest, no judgement.

Be persistent in finding help for your son and "you hold at all costs".

 

[Budnicks]

I feel your pain, as does my wife. I have the same set of issues as your son. It has varying effects on those who are afflicted. Every case is different in it's manifestation of symptoms. There are similarities though. There are therapies and they are a mixed bag of results. As I'm sure you know, the VA will help. One thing that has helped me is groups of vets who have the same problems that sit and talk about how the PTSD and TBI cause problems in their lives. It always helps if you don't feel alone in your suffering, for the vet as well as the family caregivers. The VA Home Caregivers Program is perhaps something that could help both you and your son. Suffering in silence and isolation is NOT the answer.
It's never the answer. Even though you live far from me I would be willing to correspond with you and , or, your son and share in an effort to ease his suffering. We all have our own life story but the way we navigate that story changes if we have a traveling companion who understands our journey. Please thank him for his service and sacrifice and let me know if I can be of assistance in any way. Respectfully,
Ghost.

You're a great & an honorable man Chief

always there to help, a great father too, great example for all men