Hi everyone, thanks for taking the time to read my post. I am a 34 year old stay at home mommy to three girls, 2-2year old twins and a 4.5 month old in Hercules, CA (USA). I was diagonsed with PTSD and many of the symptoms that go with it over 12 years ago and still consider myself suffering from it. I am not currently seeing a therapist (although I'd like to be) or taking meds (which I think may help) but I am proud to say that I am clean from self medicating with illegal drugs and heavy drinking! I do still need help and support, my husband has been victimized by me over the 11 years we've been together and he isn't very understanding...I was so excited to find this site because when I first started going through this, PTSD was considered to be a "vet's disease" only, and by looking around here I see that there are all kinds of different people with PTSD welcomed here and I really like that, it makes me feel more accepted. Anyway, there's a little about me, thanks for being here for me and my family, I have no doubt that this site and the people here will help me continue to fight this disease.

Hello Miander
Good job on not self medicating, I made that mistake and it does'nt work. I was the same about the vets desease, I would here their stories and they were discribing my life; but that could not be I'm not a soldier.

Hi Miander, and welcome.

Absolutely right about the veteran issue, and that is one core focus of this board, that its not about just one type of person, but about the illness, not what lays behind the illness, and that is coming from me, being a veteran. I got sick to death or reading veteran sites only, because they didn't focus enough on the core root, being PTSD, instead everything about being a veteran... which is not what is going to help any off us at the end of the day. Nice for chit chat, but nothing sustainable to help our illness that regardless how we got, we all suffer the same symptoms and our lives nearly mimick one another within there paths.

Congratulations on not being beaten, and not self medicating. That alone is a mighty tough step to take, and a huge well done for your self efforts. You should be extremely proud of yourself in that regard. I know that you have stated your relationship has suffered, but here you are, actively seeking support and help to better these areas that you desire, which is positive. We are human, we are not perfect, and we make mistakes, at which we can choose to beat ourselves up over, or choose to stop doing what we know and understand as unacceptable, and move to greener pastures and build the remainder of our lives and relationships within what we want to get, how we want to live, how we want to treat others. That alone is better than accepting the wrongs we write.

You have made such a huge step by already, and I hope we can just be here to give you support you require, maybe educate you on some aspects of PTSD and learn from others experiences, which is often the most beneficial means of support to us all.

Hey Anthony, I just wanted to say thank you for your reply and also for starting this site (you did start it?), it is obviously a very special place and I am so glad to have found it. It is amazing to me that you find the time to reply to all the posts and give everyone some of your time and experience. Have you been ever been nominated for a WEBY?

Miander,

Yes, I did create the site, and yes, I do own the site. No, I have not ever been nominated for anything, and don't really expect too. I don't do this for anything else than to help others who suffer the same illness that I do. I learnt a lot during my walking the path to the better side of PTSD, and I think others need a little easier path to what I walked, though we generally tend to walk it anyway and learn as we go. Support goes a long way, and that is what counts. What I hope is that many now walk a little easier path, and possibly quicker one to the better side of PTSD.