Hey guys and thanks for the welcome. hmmm... what to say about me. Well, Im a 22 year old female with a love for the outdoors, video games, and anything fun thats legal. I have always been some what of a tomboy and I have been told that although not always the funest person in a group, I am a natural leader. I have a very standoffish personality untill you get to know me. I dont trust anyone enough to tell them everything and although I have many "friends" I dont truely consider anyone a best friend. I am not a big fan of people in general but I do believe that everyone deserves to be treated with respect and common courtesy. Consequently, I work well with people when put in an enviornment where I need to. I try to offer a smile and warm words with people I come in contact with, as I believe that smiles are contagious and that you may just be making someones day by being nice to them.

I have always been somewhat independent. A friend described me once as Strong, Proud, and in Charge. I have a need to feel I can take care of things myself. Although I have depended on others at times, as we all do, I do not like thinking I can't do something. Admiting I have a problem such as PTSD is not an easy one, and one that until now only my psychologist knew about. It personaly makes me feel week. Not for general reasons, but for more personal reasons which I will explain a little more later. I do not consider PTSD in itself a weekness, but in my life I can not afford to have such a "problem".

I have an 8th month old little girl who is the jewel of my life and a Veteran Husband who recently got out of the Army after 13 years in the army. 70% of it was deployed to places such as Bosnia, Kuwait, forward deployed to Korea for 2 years and then deployed to Iraq for a year. He also has been diagnosed with PTSD due to events in country. We were diagnosed about the same time by 2 different doctors, although he does not know about my problem. His diagnosis for previous stated events and mine for events that happened while he was in Iraq. To try to simplify something so hard to even bring words to, I was attacked and in many ways held hostage for a period spaning about 4 months. Im not even sure after all this time of the correct termonology. It still sounds so foreign and sureal. What is not sureal are the effects of this disease, problem, whatever you want to call it. nearly 2 years after the fact and both my husband and I are still suffering silently. So I will take this time to say thank you for this site and I hope that on nights like this where I lie awake for hours, I can sit down at my computer and come here to be with friends. Thanks for your support.

cdunny

Welcome Cdunny,

I can tell you that this site is a god send and it helps so much. Anytime I have felt the need to talk there has always been someone with comforting, supportive and caring words.

It can be hard to feel that you are not as strong and independant as you once were but it doesnt make you weak. It is just another challenge that life brings our way to overcome. There is no need to suffer silently, talking about what you feel really does lift an incredible amount of weight off your shoulders. You will also come to realize that needing support is not a weakness and does not decrease your strength as an individual, maybe you will come to see that you are stronger than you originally thought.

Hi Cdunny,

Welcome aboard and glad you posted to say hi. I could only say, great words from DD above, and he is correct, this place provides us all a place to get real with ourselves, our lives and more so, we are not judged because we all suffer the same outcome.

You are now within a community of friends CD, and that is the way this is. We all suffer the same symptoms, the same disorder, our lives often look identical within a mirror, though we all got here from very different lives and experiences. These differences are what helps the healing process, and what definately brings this community together to help one another, support one another, and just to be here for one another.

Welcome aboard, and I look forward to chatting with you more.

Oh, I will say... damn... you and your husband have PTSD. That is the second couple now I believe who both have PTSD... and a mum and child who both have PTSD. WOW... easier with some aspects, more difficult with others. We are here for you.

CD,

Welcome to the forum. Yeah two of you with PTSD, one of us (Anthony is my husband) is enough in this household. Guess you can't predict what life is going to throw at you. Anyhow, good to have you here, hope you get the support that you need.