It’s very humbling to hear from our readers.  On Monday evening, we received a post to this blog from Douglas W. that really impacted us.  Here is an excerpt:

I must show some thanks to this writer just for bailing me out. Because of browsing through the web, I believed my life was gone. Existing without approaches… is a serious case, as well as ones that would have badly affected my entire career if I hadn’t come across your site. I am not sure what I would’ve done if I hadn’t encountered such a point like this. It’s possible to at this point relish my future.

To post a response to our blog, our system asks writers to provide an e-mail address.  After reading Douglas’ post, I immediately wrote him an e-mail and sent it out.  Unfortunately, my correspondence came back as not deliverable.  And I get that.  Sharing your story takes a great deal of trust (please know that we made our privacy policy extremely rigid in order to earn that trust).

So, I want to take time in this blog today to write an open letter to Douglas in hopes that it will encourage him and you also.  Please keep the e-mails and letters coming; we read each correspondence and feel privileged to be a part of your journey.  -Virginia

Douglas,

Thank you very much for taking the time to post to our blog.  You are the exact person we are looking to reach out to through The Veterans’ PTSD Project.

I wanted to reach out to you personally since I have been exactly where you are now.  I want you to know that, like thousands of other Combat Vets of Iraq and Afghanistan, I worked through my Post-Traumatic Stress and have come out stronger than before – with better relationships, stronger faith, and a confidence that was forged through fire.  I believe that you will, too.

When I was at the beginning of my journey through PTSD, I felt like I had lost everything – my mind, my relationships, and even my sense of self because everything I knew was tied to being a Soldier.  It took me a long time to work through my PTSD because I was ashamed and I did not look for help until I was completely broken.  This will not happen to you because you recognize now that you can get the help you need and come back stronger than ever.

The first step I suggest is to find a support network.  These do not necessarily have to be other Combat Vets, but people you can confide in and who can be aware that you are working through your PTSD.  For me, it was my church.  I spoke to my pastor and had an amazing group of friends through our Bible study who called me every now and again to check in with me and see how I was doing.  It made a difference.  You can even find groups online to support you – if you need help finding one, let us know.

Next, start focusing on how you can come back stronger than before – it is time to reach out and find professional help.  If you had a broken arm, you would not hesitate to get the bone set; the same goes for PTSD – once you get “set” your healing will be rapid and miraculous.  But it’s like shin splints: the only way to let them heal is to lay off running for awhile – but, by awhile, I do not mean a year or ten years.  You will start coming back stronger in a matter of weeks, and this will inspire your next breakthrough. There has been more research on PTSD in the last five years than the 50 years before that because so many researchers, counselors, pastors and doctors care about Combat Vets like you. It is important to link into professionals who have been proven to help Vets.  You can find help through military groups like the VA or civilian groups like Give an Hour who provide free and confidential counseling to Combat Vets.  You can do this – the most you have to lose is an hour of your time.

With these two steps, you are very well on your way.  Having your unique perspective will give you an edge in your career, your family and in your relationships.  When you are at the end of your journey through PTSD, you will marvel at how different you are and how far you’ve come.

Douglas, I want you to know that this struggle is worth it.  The life and the perspective you will gain as a result of having come through PTSD is amazing and it will inspire you to reach out to others and change the world in a way you never anticipated.  You will be better than okay – you’ll be a better man, father, and husband because you had the courage to face this.  It’s not easy, but it is worth the battle.

Lastly, I encourage you to reach out to others for prayer.  I know that this was an integral part of my recovery and resilience.  Even if you do not have a faith background, there is nothing lost by having dozens of people who care about you petition God on your behalf.

Again, Douglas, I thank you and I encourage you to keep in touch with us. You are going to get through this and, when you do, I will look to you to reach back through The Veterans’ PTSD Project or through other means to pass on your lessons learned.  I pray God’s abundant blessings upon you and your family and I am excited knowing that your life is about to change forever in a very good way.

Sincerely, Virginia

Thanks for your time in reading this.  You can reach us directly at virginia@veteransptsdproject.com and joan@veteransptsdproject.com