Tag: featured

You Are Never Alone! Suicide is NOT an Option!

by Trek4PTSD, posted in In the News, Uncategorized

More often than not when it comes to mental illness, suicide always seems like the most viable option to stop the pain.  Suicide is a long term solution to a short term problem.

As I type this there is a thread on a veteran Facebook page where the author wrote, “Goodbye brothers and sisters I can’t do it anymore”.  In less than 50 minutes there have been over 400 replies, many telephone numbers shared, dozens of veteran calls to local law enforcement and hundreds of positive comments telling the veteran to hang in there and not to do it.

This is not the first of these types of posts I have come across, and every time it is the same response.  Veterans drop whatever it is they are doing and try everything in their power to prevent the loss of yet another brother or sister.  This is because we never leave a brother or sister behind.

It is important that we understand that there is help out there.  If you suffer from Mental Illness, keep on trekking.  No matter how difficult the journey may be know that there are many people willing to help and support you.  There are those who are on the same path as you and as long as you let them, they will help you get through it.

If you need help, ask we will respond.

!!!DO NOT GIVE UP!!!

Updates will be posted below.

UPDATE:

20 April 2018 @ 1314 PST: Law Enforcement was able to get to the individual and he is safe and sound.  Hundreds of veterans mobilized to save his life and fortunately he is still with us.  He now knows he is not alone and that hundreds of people he does not know are with him and care about him.

PTSD Hotline: 800-273-8255

Suicide Hotline: 1-800-SUICIDE / 1-800-784-2433 or 1-800-273-TALK / 1-800-273-8255

#TrekOn #NeverGiveUp #PTSDAwreness

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Veterans, PTSD and the 2A

by Trek4PTSD, posted in In the News

On 8 April, 2018, The Huffington Post published a story on how veterans with PTSD were afraid to seek treatment because they are scared that doing so may lead to the government taking away their guns.  Most Americans may not feel that this is a concern and that it should not be a reason for veterans to seek treatment, but it is.  This is due to so many gun control advocates saying that those with mental illness should not own guns, and in doing so throwing PTSD into the generalized pool of mental illness.

This is a conversation I have had with fellow Marines.  One in particular knew he had PTSD but was afraid that it would lead to his guns being taken away from him.  He was also afraid that his PTSD might damage his family relations.  For him “the wizard”, term used by aircrew to refer to mental health specialists, always carried a stigma of distrust.  Aircrew fear that going to “the wizard” will lead to them being grounded.  Now, seeking mental healthcare might lead to having something that he had a close relationship with being taken away from him.

Veterans have a special relationship with guns.  They have learned to love and respect them.  Although for many, the smell of the gun powder, the recoil of the weapon and the sound of the round being fired might trigger their PTSD, for many more it is a release.  And it is for these that enjoy the smell of the gunpowder and firing them, that this is the biggest concern.  After all, for a significant portion of their life they were given a gun by the government that they now fear will take it away.  And many of them also look at it as if they were trusted with one to protect this country, even while living with PTSD; now that they are no longer part of the military, they cannot be trusted with one.

This stigma is one that we must overcome.  It is everyone’s responsibility to remove these fears.  Politicians must work closely with Veteran groups and the mental health community to come up with a solution to this problem.  We need to get these veterans the help they need, the help they deserve, the help they earned.

Lets not leave these men and women behind.  They would not leave us behind.

Start the conversation, leave your thoughts, lets talk about it.

Semper Fidelis and #TrekOn

Huffington Post Story: [https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/veterans-ptsd-treatment-guns_us_5ac523c9e4b09ef3b2431392]