Socks
06-06-2006, 04:38 PM
Hello Everyone,
My name is Socks and I have been reading this forum for a few months now and I have found it very helpful and I thought it was about time I introduced myself.
I served with the Australian Army from 1975 till 1984. I am married with two grown up children who have left home and I live in Melbourne.
I had a rather nasty experience in 1983 which at first wasn’t a problem but as time went by, began to pray on my mind and cause problems.
I experienced bad moods, good moods, un-controllable anger and rage, unable to concentrate, bad dreams, bad day dreams, isolations and what I call "the black cloud".
I was not a very nice person.
For years I suppressed my feeling but eventually something had to change and I had to take ownership of my problem.
About 12 months ago, I went to my local doctor who has been treating me for depression and he suggested that I should speak to the local Returned Services League representative to see they could help.
I spoke to the local RSL representative who to my amazement had very similar problems himself and fully understood what I was going through. For the first time in years I felt as if I was not alone and that someone else understood.
The RSL representative asked me to complete a form and told me to put down as much detail of my experience as I could remember.
Putting down my experience on paper was very traumatic and caused me a great deal pain. Everything that I had suppressed for years came back to me in living colour.
I could remember the experience vividly but I could not remember the date or the time or whether it was morning or afternoon.
Eventually, DVA sent me to a Psychiatrist and we discussed my problem.
At the same time, DVA sent me a questionnaire which when I completed and DVA sent this questionnaire to the Army historian who would investigate my claim.
The Army historians report stated that "the applicant" may or may not have been involved in this incident as there was no proof other than "the applicants" statement and it was un-likely that "the applicants" claims are true.
DVA asked me to respond to the Army historians report which I did quite vigorously.
Once again DVA sent me back to the same Psychiatrist and we discussed my problems again. The DVA Psychiatrist said to me at the end of the appointment, you have experienced a life threatening situation and you are clearly suffering from PTSD and he didn't know why DVA wouldn't accept his diagnoses.
This simply statement from the Psychiatrist was like a hammer blow to the back of the head and for the first time "the black cloud" had a name.
I received a letter a few days later from DVA saying that I had be diagnosed as suffering from PTSD and they would accept responsibility for treatment.
A couple of weeks later, I received another letter from DVA saying that while I had experience a traumatic event, this traumatic event was not an accepted stressor and PTSD would not be accepted as service related.
This statement from DVA really p*****ed me off, If I hadn't been placed in this situation by the Army then I would not have had a life threatening experience.
How can they say that a life threatening experience is not an accepted stressor.
Anyway, I am now on medication and receiving counselling from a Psychiatrist who specialises in PTSD. I know it's early days but I do feel better.
This is my story and I thank anyone who takes the time to read it.
Regards to all and just hang in there.
Socks
My name is Socks and I have been reading this forum for a few months now and I have found it very helpful and I thought it was about time I introduced myself.
I served with the Australian Army from 1975 till 1984. I am married with two grown up children who have left home and I live in Melbourne.
I had a rather nasty experience in 1983 which at first wasn’t a problem but as time went by, began to pray on my mind and cause problems.
I experienced bad moods, good moods, un-controllable anger and rage, unable to concentrate, bad dreams, bad day dreams, isolations and what I call "the black cloud".
I was not a very nice person.
For years I suppressed my feeling but eventually something had to change and I had to take ownership of my problem.
About 12 months ago, I went to my local doctor who has been treating me for depression and he suggested that I should speak to the local Returned Services League representative to see they could help.
I spoke to the local RSL representative who to my amazement had very similar problems himself and fully understood what I was going through. For the first time in years I felt as if I was not alone and that someone else understood.
The RSL representative asked me to complete a form and told me to put down as much detail of my experience as I could remember.
Putting down my experience on paper was very traumatic and caused me a great deal pain. Everything that I had suppressed for years came back to me in living colour.
I could remember the experience vividly but I could not remember the date or the time or whether it was morning or afternoon.
Eventually, DVA sent me to a Psychiatrist and we discussed my problem.
At the same time, DVA sent me a questionnaire which when I completed and DVA sent this questionnaire to the Army historian who would investigate my claim.
The Army historians report stated that "the applicant" may or may not have been involved in this incident as there was no proof other than "the applicants" statement and it was un-likely that "the applicants" claims are true.
DVA asked me to respond to the Army historians report which I did quite vigorously.
Once again DVA sent me back to the same Psychiatrist and we discussed my problems again. The DVA Psychiatrist said to me at the end of the appointment, you have experienced a life threatening situation and you are clearly suffering from PTSD and he didn't know why DVA wouldn't accept his diagnoses.
This simply statement from the Psychiatrist was like a hammer blow to the back of the head and for the first time "the black cloud" had a name.
I received a letter a few days later from DVA saying that I had be diagnosed as suffering from PTSD and they would accept responsibility for treatment.
A couple of weeks later, I received another letter from DVA saying that while I had experience a traumatic event, this traumatic event was not an accepted stressor and PTSD would not be accepted as service related.
This statement from DVA really p*****ed me off, If I hadn't been placed in this situation by the Army then I would not have had a life threatening experience.
How can they say that a life threatening experience is not an accepted stressor.
Anyway, I am now on medication and receiving counselling from a Psychiatrist who specialises in PTSD. I know it's early days but I do feel better.
This is my story and I thank anyone who takes the time to read it.
Regards to all and just hang in there.
Socks