Post Traumatic Stress - A broad data collection study and discussion

Hoorah mkoop!

This topic is definately something I can relate to being a veteran 0321/8541 and here are my answers to your questions:

1. Did you serve in combat? If so, please note the time frames and conflicts.

Yes, (march- july2003) 2003 RCT1 2/8e for the initial invasion of Iraq along RT1
(february- december 2004)2004 RCT1-3/1m for Vigilant resolve and Al fajr
(september 2005- may 2006) 1st LAR for al qut, husaybah, rutbah, and the black territory north of waleed on the syrian border

2. Do you feel you suffer from PTSD?
Suffering isn't in a Marine's dictionary, but there are those times when im stuck in my head.....

3. Were you diagnosed with PTSD either through the VA or other reputable means?
I was diagnosed with PTSD, TBI and all the other side-issues that come with it

4. Do you feel this hobby has an impact on your PTSD?
Yes, what bothered me most about PTSD was the depression, and the border-line sociopathic tendancies. Before I had my reef I didn't care much about emotions or displaying them. It became a real problem with my family relations and friendships because it didn't seem like I cared at all. Its not that i didn't, it was more that i was stuck in my own head. After the tank, I felt happy to come home and see my fish excited to see me. The fish gave me the feeling of purpose i was missing from my years of service. What is most therepeutic of this hobby to me is the structure, I hated it when i was in the military and completely dismissed it after EAS. Its the structured schedule of maintenance that keeps me distracted from my internal thought process of mistakes past, even civilians don't consider them mistakes and constantly remind me, but i still kick myself every time i think of them. Reefing keeps me from going down that rabbit hole of internal thought, and its kept me from drinking rediculous amounts of alcohol since i spend all my extra cash on aquarium "toys", so its a win-win for me

5. Do you feel that any hobby of equal self enjoyment would have similar impacts on your disorder?
Golf and Ice hockey work well for me, they help me get my aggression out constructively since I can't really chew out a clownfish now can I? ( don't answer that)
For every Veteran I recommend a hobby for the mental( reefing), and for the physical. You can't maintain a healthy mindset with ptsd on just one hobby alone.

Keep this thread going, I also would like to see what fellow reefkeepers with ptsd have to say about this topic, and help those interested in starting up. Anyone(especially veterans) can feel free to message me with questions about reefkeeping or if their in need of some motivation
 
I've been seeing a lot of Jarheads stopping in here lately!!!! Welcome Brothers!!!!!
 
Very first post on RC

Very first post on RC

USAF Explosive Ordnance Disposal '98-current
1.Did you serve in combat? If so, please note the time frames and conflicts.

Yes, '04- Data Masked, Jun-Dec '07 Kandahar, Afghanistan, Mar-Sep '09 Basrah, Iraq, Jul '10-Jan '11 Delaram Afghanistan

2. Do you feel you suffer from PTSD?

Do I have it, yes. Suffer-no. It is what it is and I'm getting better.

3.Were you diagnosed with PTSD either through the VA or other reputable means?
Yes but I am out of treatment now and I have been for about 8 months

4. Do you feel this hobby has an impact on your PTSD?

Yes, I find it calming. Even if my tank were to crash it is still more relaxing than work.

5. Do you feel that any hobby of equal self enjoyment would have similar impacts on your disorder?
yes
 
mkoop said:
I would like to start collecting data in regards to the impacts of Marine Life on post-traumatic stress.


I will outline a few questions to set as data collection points, but I would also encourage you to use this as a forum of open discussion in regards to how you feel marine life and your tank may influence your disorder. I also want to note, while we see an influx in post-trauma from the recent wars, this should also apply to any veteran who has served in combat and feels they suffer from PTSD.

1. Did you serve in combat? If so, please note the time frames and conflicts.
2. Do you feel you suffer from PTSD?
3. Were you diagnosed with PTSD either through the VA or other reputable means?
4. Do you feel this hobby has an impact on your PTSD?
5. Do you feel that any hobby of equal self enjoyment would have similar impacts on your disorder?

Beyond these questions, please feel free to openly discuss anything you may feel to be of value in regards to this study.

While I understand many may be reserved to share this information openly, if you are more comfortable PMing me whatever you may wish to add, I can certainly post in a manner that will maintain your anonymity.

Thank you and I hope we can get some good conversation and data points generated and maybe be able to help some of our brothers and sisters who are also suffering.
Click to expand...


Wonderful NEW forum here but I feel it is appropriate to make sure it is off and running on the correct path to begin with and not alienate anyone.

One of the first things you asked (or seemed to require) is whether or not you have been in combat. If you know anything about PTSD then you understand that it does not ALWAYS come from combat, and that being in combat is NOT a requirement, or the only causes of Military related PTSD.

Let us not forget that Trauma is trauma. PERIOD.
 
This is the way I look at it.. PTSD... get over it... I was never in actual combat, but i was at the sciene of plane wreckage where 13 of my brothers were killed. and 2 months later 13 more went down into the side of a mountain. Grusome .. yes and smelly...but we're not the only people that experience the destruction of human life. What about the civlant rescue people back here at home or the ER workers, that see it every day of there entire life. My wife works in a ER and I even cry when she comes home and tells me they lost twins of a full term mother that had no complications during the carry, or the teenager in pieces from a stupid drive and drink party ( that most of us did when we were young). Its at the point now that I dont even want her to tell me any more. Im sorry for coming across with this angle, Im not mean, its just this is how my mind has been all messed up by my years. I think we have to be stronge and forget about this stuff... we have bigger things to worry about... the actual taking of another human life... I think we have two existances, one here on earth and another in a higher plane.. some call it our soul.. I have taken human life and I think it marks our soul and all the other souls can see it, it seems when Im around people that dont even know I took a human life, that somehow they can sense I did a really bad thing. Maybe Im totally insane but I think it affects our "Aura" or "glow" and this is what we have to worry about, Not the things we saw or witnessed. I think we have to "fix" that so we can go onto the next life with clean bill.. Im trying to; by trying to do the "right" thing in every situation Im in, of which I probably fail anyway , but I keep trying. Im probably totaly wrong and should be shot or commited, but I think its way more important of what we do instead of what we see. Im really sorry if I upset anyone but this is what this world has turned me into.
 
I was in law enoforcement for almost three years. I was hazed and bullied horribly to the point I was in fear of my life every day I went to work by my coworkers. I got along better with the people I arrested. I was threatened and I left with what little dignity I had left.

I used to suffer from panic attacks every day I woke up while employed. I now work in manufacturing and when things go bad at work I overreact and freak out.

I think I suffer from some sort of PTSD. I have many hobbies which help me cope. I cannot stand being alone without have minor panic attacks.
 
PTSD probably comes from all sorts of things but I think the OP was more interested in combat related PTSD. I could be wrong but that is what I get from it and just about everyone who initially responded were in combat.
If it were a thread about anyone with PTSD it would cover many more people such as the few people who survived the Trade Center collapse and numerous other things.
But I didn't start the thread so I am not sure.
 
I see no need to get into semantics. The OP asked the question if you served in combat or not. That's a yes or no question. He then asks if so, list the time frames and conflicts. Don't read into it any further than that.
 
Rensmif said:
Wonderful NEW forum here but I feel it is appropriate to make sure it is off and running on the correct path to begin with and not alienate anyone.

One of the first things you asked (or seemed to require) is whether or not you have been in combat. If you know anything about PTSD then you understand that it does not ALWAYS come from combat, and that being in combat is NOT a requirement, or the only causes of Military related PTSD.

Let us not forget that Trauma is trauma. PERIOD.
Click to expand...

Hi there, if you have concerns related to my study, please feel free to send me a message with some detailed points. I welcome any ideas or improvements, constructive criticisms or assistance. This is a study that I am personally conducting. I guarantee you, I understand how PTSD works. If you care to address other elements that I have left out, I welcome you to do so and would even go so far as to provide you some data points that I have found. However, what you are stating is simply outside of the scope of my research.

You are absolutely correct. PTSD comes in all shapes and sizes. There is however a significant amount of unknowns still with this disorder. It effects people very differently and I am trying to generalize a group or category to create a control group. IE: Combat, or no combat. Do you personally feel you 'suffer/fight against, whatever you want to call it' vs 'were you clinically diagnosed'. While these questions are very broad, they were about as specific as I could get or felt comfortable asking on an open internet forum. The questions I do ask are ones that I thought would generate responses and not be so specific as to have people avoid them and hinder my study.

When I petitioned the forum admins, mods, powers that be etc, to create a veterans special interest group so we could get more visibility and I could conduct this study, my only intention was to conduct research by attaining some broad data points in relation to PTSD. Upon refinement I realized that was far too broad, and I needed to focus on a more specific area while still keeping broad questions.

The issue we run into is in the way I am controlling this study. I do not have the resources, personal experience or to be honest energy to present this same level of dedicated information gathering for each specific PTSD causation event that any specific person could experience.

The reason I ask the questions I do is to get a broad spectrum of data points that I can compile. In hopes to derive some patterns, maybe make an assumption or two and possibly have another iteration with some different questions to refine or disprove my findings. There are so many variables involved I had to make my project a bit more manageable for a personal study. I am not a research institution, I decided to focus my initial study on specifically combat induced PTSD as it relates to veterans.
 
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Misled said:
I see no need to get into semantics. The OP asked the question if you served in combat or not. That's a yes or no question. He then asks if so, list the time frames and conflicts. Don't read into it any further than that.
Click to expand...

Not trying to be difficult, or step on anybody's toes here, just speaking from my direct knowledge and hand's on experience. The OP did say "Post Traumatic Stress - A broad data collection study and discussion," I assumed if he said broad he meant just that.

I AM a Vet who suffers from PTSD among other injuries (100% total and permanent), I have been a patient as well as a volunteer at my local VA hospital since 2002. I am a peer-support specialist and have been a Vet to Vet group leader since 2005.

Our facility used to have certain groups for Vietnam groups, then certain groups for OIF/OEF groups, and lastly certain groups for female Vets . It was found that by dividing the groups that way "certain people" would feel a sense of my conflict was more important, your deployment was not as hostile as mine. I am sure most Vietnam Vets can confirm that they came home to much, much less the fanfare and welcome than that the current Vets receive now. It was found at my local VA that combining all similarly diagnosed Vet's together, we could all benefit and lift each other up.

Not trying to upset anybody or discount anyone's issue's here, I am speaking from personal knowledge of PTSD, it's ongoing complications and treatment, and my personal interactions with numerous Doctors, Social Workers, and other Peer-Support Specialists who work with Veterans.
 
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Rensmif said:
Not trying to be difficult, or step on anybody's toes here, just speaking from my direct knowledge and hand's on experience. The OP did say "Post Traumatic Stress - A broad data collection study and discussion," I assumed if he said broad he meant just that.

I AM a Vet who suffers from PTSD among other injuries (100% total and permanent), I have been a patient as well as a volunteer at my local VA hospital since 2002. I am a peer-support specialist and have been a Vet to Vet group leader since 2005.

Our facility used to have certain groups for Vietnam groups, then certain groups for OIF/OEF groups, and lastly certain groups for female Vets . It was found that by dividing the groups that way "certain people" would feel a sense of my conflict was more important, your deployment was not as hostile as mine. I am sure most Vietnam Vets can confirm that they came home to much, much less the fanfare and welcome than that the current Vets receive now. It was found at my local VA that combining all similarly diagnosed Vet's together, we could all benefit and lift each other up.

Not trying to upset anybody or discount anyone's issue's here, I am speaking from personal knowledge of PTSD, it's ongoing complications and treatment, and my personal interactions with numerous Doctors, Workers, and other Peer-Support Specialists who work with Veterans.
Click to expand...

You're not stepping on anyone's toes. You present a valid point. I simply had to refine my scope to combat veterans to create a control as taking on PTSD as a whole was simply too much of a bear to wrestle in a personal study.
 
I agree. I'm just trying to keep this as civil as possible. We've been given a bit of leeway here to discuss these things. I want it to help and I don't want it to get closed down.
 
What Jesse said. When discussions start heading towards "aural glow", it is the wrong direction.
 
1. Did you serve in combat? If so, please note the time frames and conflicts.
yes, I was enlisted way back in the early 90's on an aircraft carrier during Desert Shield/Storm but as an air traffic controller my job was the same with or without people dying. Im a trauma RN now and was at the Role 3 combat hospital in Kandahar for OEF most of 2012. The base was attacked with rockets but I was never personally shot at. I took care of the combat guys straight out the Blackhawks from the battlefield with no arms and legs. Ive held many dying hands. A wonderful and horrible experience if that makes since.
2. Do you feel you suffer from PTSD?
Not that much anymore. I guess I didn't realize how bad that place was until after I got back home.
3. Were you diagnosed with PTSD either through the VA or other reputable means?
yes through my primary doc but I didn't follow up with the VA. I was on the meds for about 4 months and then tapered myself off them. Now I take nothing.
4. Do you feel this hobby has an impact on your PTSD?
yes, that is the same reason you see aquariums in psychiatrist offices many times.
5. Do you feel that any hobby of equal self enjoyment would have similar impacts on your disorder?
yes I do. I go to the gym also and that helps relieve stress. A idle mind is the the Devils playground and just sitting around doing nothing is the worse thing you could do.
 
1. yes - Afghan 2011 - Now-Zad / Shirgazee area

2. yes (minor)

3. no

4. yes, my obsession with the hobby after coming back lead me to study Marine Bio in college actually.

5. I don't think the self enjoyment part of the hobby is the key to its helping. I think its more of the "soothing nature" or just the fact that its like a whole different world or something along those lines.
 
1. Did you serve in combat? If so, please note the time frames and conflicts.
Yes, Baghdad 2008-2009 and 2010-2012.
2. Do you feel you suffer from PTSD?
Yes
3. Were you diagnosed with PTSD either through the VA or other reputable means?
Yes I am diagnosed with PTSD and as I am still Active Duty I am being seen at behavioral Health.
4. Do you feel this hobby has an impact on your PTSD?
Absolutely, Just being able to sit back and look at my tank is very soothing to me.
5. Do you feel that any hobby of equal self enjoyment would have similar impacts on your disorder?
I feel that as long as I have a hobby that keeps me occupied it helps to put the memories behind me. My other hobby is reloading ammo.
 
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