Good morning to everyone. I'm a 52 year old woman from Warren, Pennsylvania who is involved with a 52 year old man who was in Nam. He has issues that I'm just finding out. We began living together about a month ago, and have known each other for about 6 months prior.

I'm seeing things from him that I never knew existed. Not sleeping, or sleeping at odd hours. Keeping his clothes on at night that he wore during the daytime. A constant need to eat, and watch TV, and sleep with the TV on at night when he does finally go to sleep. A constant need to watch things on the History channel, only things from the past, and nothing whatsoever in the present. When he does finally fall asleep he has nightmares where he yells, and I don't want to wake him from them, because I fear that he would more remember those dreams, if I awoke him. He doesn't seem to remember them otherwise.

He refuses to leave the house other than to go get his medications. He says that his family has a history of Panic Attacks and that is what is happening to him when he gets to the point where he can't breathe, and thinks that he is having a heart attack, and no one is able to tell him otherwise. He knows about PTSD but refuses to hear me when I say that those Panic Attacks just could be PTSD. He refuses to see a doctor other than to get his meds. I'm not sure just what meds he's on, but I'll look and let you all know.

There is much more, but I wanted to introduce myself to everyone, and let you know that what I've read so far, you all seem to be such a help to each other, and that's such a blessing. I'm just trying to cope myself, and also try to help him, but at this time, I'm really not sure what to do.

I have been researching PTSD now for weeks, so I know all the signs and symptoms, and he is exibiting each and every one of them. He also refuses to tell me if he has ever been diagnosed with it, so I'm in the dark on that one. He also never talks about Nam, but the one time that he did, that night he had a nighmare that he did remember, but wouldn't speak of.

I hope to get to know all of you. Please feel free to write and let me have some idea of what you all think. And thank you ahead of time.

Mystic