Suicide and PTSD

Tonight, on a support page for veteran's and spouses dealing with PTSD, I witnessed a member being pushed to the edge. I saw a deliberate and thoughtless attack on an individual who was vulnerable and very clearly struggling. The person was repeatedly told that their actions were triggering to the member and that the member was not in a place where they could handle the attacker's actions. They did not care. They kept pushing. The member attempted suicide. He was life lighted to the hospital and his condition is unknown at this time. I am sad and I am angry and I am thoughtful. I am perplexed. I do not understand how a person can have so little regard for a fellow human being. I do not understand how someone could be so cold-hearted. 

This experience brings out an ugly truth; PTSD often causes people to act in ways that they wouldn't normally do. For some people, suicide becomes an option. We have faced this in our lives and it is one of my biggest fears. My husband is so brave and so strong and PTSD takes a toll. Life takes it's toll. My husband is everything to me and losing him is my greatest fear. Losing him to PTSD or losing him to his other disabilities are real possibilities. 

It's been a struggle in our lives to identify and to stay aware of PTSD triggers. One of the biggest ones, that we've found, is religion. More to the point, other people pushing their religious propaganda on us. In our family, I have seen events similar to what happened to that veteran tonight. I have seen people push their own agendas and their own ideas without regard for how it would affect my husband or my family. The best thing that we have ever done is to shut those people out of our lives and I will never regret it. My husband's health and my family's interests outweigh any other selfish agenda. 

I wish there was a way that I could wrap all of the veterans with PTSD in a protective shell and keep the evils of the world away. I wish there was a way that I could reach into their brains and fix the connections that are broken, but I can't. I want to reach out and let them know that they are not alone and they don't have to deal with their darkness alone. I walk through the darkness with my vet, at his side, where I belong and that's where I will always stay.

If you or anyone you love is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out:

The National Suicide Prevention Hotline:

1-800-273-TALK (8255)

The Veteran's Crisis Line:

1-800-273-8255