Have you ever known someone with a mental illness? How did/does the illness impact his/her life? What have you learned about this mental illness just from knowing them?
My fiancee' experienced Post traumatic stress disorder after serving in Iraq in 2003. Although his instance of nightmares and anxious behavior has decreased significantly, he continues to occasionally have nightmares of his war experience. Because he was given the appropriate care after returning home this has never had a negative impact on his daily life. Although I will occasionally notice his nervousness when there is an unexpected firework or over crowded place his symptoms are have always been very minimal.
From knowing him I have learned a lot about PTSD and the difficulties soldiers that have been in combat zones face when they come home. In the instances when he does wake up from a nightmare I try to reassure him of where he is, what's going on and that if he needs to talk about it I am there. I have never found it my place to start questioning what he was having a nightmare over, if he wants to tell me he does and if he doesn't, then that is OK too. I truly believe this response to stress is appropriate for anyone and dislike when mental health uses the term illness for PTSD and other related topics.
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I am glad you are educated about this topic and are able to assist him with his condition. It must be hard for you to see him go through episodes of panic and fear. I hope that within time he is able to overcome this PTSD and go back to being his normal self. Like anything else it will take time and proper counseling, hang in there and don’t give up.
ReplyDeleteMonica L.
I really enjoyed your post. I am happy to know that you are there for your fiancee as he encounters these episodes. I am also glad that he has gotten the approriate care once he came back to the United States, this alone is to his and your advantage because the proper steps can be taken as they are needed. I applaud you for being there for him and trying to ease his fears as they unexpectantely appear. I also praise you for allowin him to talk about his experieces as he sees the need to do and that you also respect the fact that is he chooses not to talk about the nightmare. It is very important that he continues to know that you are there when he needs you. Keep up the great job.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the support ladies! :-)
ReplyDeleteHi, Ashley.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your story with us regarding your boyfriend's issue with PTSD. I do hope he continues to improve, and am thankful you are there to offer support for him. I am thankful, too, that the government and the VA hospitals are now aware of how serious PTSD can be to returning soldiers, and they are taking the needed measures to make sure our soldiers are given the care they need so they can return to normal, civilian life. Even so, many of our service men and women have seen such trauma and experienced such tragedy and loss, and their experiences will forever change them ... and the people that love and care about them.
Thanks for sharing with us.
Carol Martin
Dear Ashley,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all I would like to personally thank your boyfriend for his service to our great country and would like to thank you for being so supportive of a young man who apparently has been through and seen so much in such a short time at such a young age. I am happy he is aware of his PTSD and is working through it. I am hoping that the US military is offering support as well. Christy Burbage