Congress Again Buys Abrams Tanks the Army Doesn't Want

Not really. I don't really hang out with other vets and the only time I ever mentioned to my doc that I was having a little trouble with the stuff I'd been through - he pretty much shrugged and said "Yeah, that sucks". Some of us can't talk about what we've been through, and often for good reason (security and so on) - which is OK.

If we do talk about our struggles, we are lumped in with the few crazies that hurt people, and then our lives are fucked. The irony is that most vets feel physically sick (from my understanding) regarding any form of violence or conflict - we've seen enough and don't want anymore of it.

My way of dealing with all of this is to not drink, don't take drugs (never have, never will), try to meditate whenever people get on my nerves and stay the hell away from other vets. I try not to watch movies which are close to the mark, and I try not to think about that part of my life. Though it sounds like I'm burrying my head in the sand, the more I think of it, the more my brain feels that it has to be on guard - and that's just not a cool way to live.

Hanging out with other vets will only breed conversations where we all come to the realization that our situation is fucked, and I don't need help figuring that out. Besides, the only thing we generally have in common is that we worked the same kind of job, and some of us were hurt.

It's different for everyone I guess, and this is my way of being able to get out of bed in the morning - and then forcing myself back into it at a reasonable time.

Focus and perspective, that's what keeps me on the same page as everyone else. My family is everything to me, and I try to be the best person I can be for them - to do that, I do what my grandfather did regarding his WWII experiences, I put it in a box in the back of my brain and don't think about it and don't talk about it.

I suppose you could get in touch with your local VA, military bases, psychiatrists and physical therapists. If someone has been hurt physically, they have been hurt mentally - though the injuries may not present at the same time.

I'm female by the way.

/r/news Thread Link - military.com