From a Vietnam Vet

Ptsd and Me

Nightmares, anger, fear, flashbacks, guilt, feelings of betrayal, short memory span, forgetful. These are all just a sample of the symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that plague the author and have challenged him since the end of his Vietnam War tour of duty in 1966. The author hopes that, by putting his words on paper and baring his deepest, darkest memories of his PTSD experiences, he can show how his writing has helped him to adjust, cope, and actually control these symptoms. The author and members of the writing group he facilitates at the Loma Linda Veterans Hospital have had some poetry readings at some local California colleges, libraries, and at the Loma Linda Healthcare System in Loma Linda, California. The reaction and acceptance from other veterans in the audiences has given the author a feeling of pride and happiness to see how the veterans are moved by the power of the written word. Each member of the writing group writes, shares, and has control of their own work. Their recovery journey from their writing really shows in the demeanor and actions of each member, and some have also published their own books. Others are still putting together their own books to be published in the future. The author fights through his fear of speaking in front of others and is willing to bare those feelings he writes about just to get other veterans to understand that they are not alone in their pain, and that they are not alone in life. The author feels that he is on his recovery journey, and through this book, he hopes to reach other victims and give them courage to look for professional help in their own journey.