ptsd Volunteering And Ptsd

[calnight]

I would just would like to hear from the members on there thoughts about volunteering with iu and ptsd. can i do anything i want as long as i dont get paid. or there things i should not do. i get nervous mowing my grass thinking some fed is taking pictures. Its been about 7 months now since i got my 70% and i.u. for ptsd. SOMETIMES I think my ptsd is getting worse becuase i have nothing to keep me busy. I have one thing i do workout alot. i have lost 20 pounds and added alot of muscle. but its my mind that is craving for something. I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR STAY AT HOME MOTHERS. For over a year now i have been staying home with my 2 girls 2 and 8 while my wife works. very hard work. and yes ladies i do the cooking. and sometimes the dishes. i know my ptsd limits somethings i would like to do. like being around assholes. I am waiting for a letter from the va or ssd saying we saw you do this __________ and now we are cuttting your benifits. Or we are reviewing your claims. There is no medical evidence in my file that comes close to say i can work.

[Pete53]

Unpaid Volunteer work is no problem. I would say you have a lot to do with two children with one at home unless you are using day care. If you live near a VA Hospital there is plenty of volunteer work available.

Another thing you can do is help Veterans with their claims.

[cowgirl]

As I read your post, I really thought about years ago when I retired from my military careeer mostly **micromanaged and on rare occasion *macro-managed. When applying for unemployment, I worried about presenting my job search efforts in detail, duplicate with carbon paper and notorization. To this day, I work hard to get that micromanged monkey off my back and "grow up" from asking permission for simple choices like which side of the road to walk on. As of late, I feel old enough and choose to walk through the field avoiding the road entirely!

As a rule, I think that we disabled veterans are probably some of the most honest Americans that try to live by set laws. For instance, we work hard at validating our issues within the VA guidelines and experience paperwork trials to simply request approved care and compensation. So I return to macromanagement, trying to take care of big important issues, myself and family.

Like Pete said, volunteering is good too. I do and recieve immeasurable returns! Maybe you could check with a VSO or the VA, anyway, just being there, listening or talking to others is grand. Personally, I get inspired seeing parents and grandparents take on hard to fill cross walk or playground duty jobs ($7.00 to $9.00, for eight hours a week!) Good luck and great going on the workouts! cg

*macro-manage - taking care of big (important) issues, delegate and move forward

**micromange (nit-picking) details, extreme attention to small details

[john999]

I don't think the VA spys on disabled vets. Neither does SSA. Now with workers compensation it is a different story. They do spy on people out of work. They hire private dicks to use very tricky stuff to watch you.

[Jay Johnson]

I would just would like to hear from the members on there thoughts about volunteering with iu and ptsd. can i do anything i want as long as i dont get paid. or there things i should not do. i get nervous mowing my grass thinking some fed is taking pictures. Its been about 7 months now since i got my 70% and i.u. for ptsd. SOMETIMES I think my ptsd is getting worse becuase i have nothing to keep me busy. I have one thing i do workout alot. i have lost 20 pounds and added alot of muscle. but its my mind that is craving for something. I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR STAY AT HOME MOTHERS. For over a year now i have been staying home with my 2 girls 2 and 8 while my wife works. very hard work. and yes ladies i do the cooking. and sometimes the dishes. i know my ptsd limits somethings i would like to do. like being around assholes. I am waiting for a letter from the va or ssd saying we saw you do this __________ and now we are cuttting your benifits. Or we are reviewing your claims. There is no medical evidence in my file that comes close to say i can work.

My wife has very similar issues, but her PTSD doesn't allow her to do much of anything for more than a very brief period (she can become suicidal over the laundry). However, she feels much the same way you do and, in time, I think she may be able to volunteer somewhere even if it's only for a few hours per week.

With that said, you are TDIU which, oddly enough, seems better protected than someone who is 100% schedular for PTSD, so I think you can be fairly safe as long as you maintain a good medical history (don't stop seeing psychs and taking meds) and you do your volunteering somewhere that isn't linked to the government. Also, I probably wouldn't make a full time job out of it (IE - 30-40 hrs a week).

BTW, I feel your pain....I raised my 3 kids while the wife was in the AF (while going to school at night) and I currently work from home to take care of the kids & the wife. It's mind-numbing work that very few people seem to respect (especially when it's the father). I know I would MUCH rather do my 40 hrs in a job in which I was paid outside of the home:-)

[bobbyq]

:D

My wife has very similar issues, but her PTSD doesn't allow her to do much of anything for more than a very brief period (she can become suicidal over the laundry). However, she feels much the same way you do and, in time, I think she may be able to volunteer somewhere even if it's only for a few hours per week.

With that said, you are TDIU which, oddly enough, seems better protected than someone who is 100% schedular for PTSD, so I think you can be fairly safe as long as you maintain a good medical history (don't stop seeing psychs and taking meds) and you do your volunteering somewhere that isn't linked to the government. Also, I probably wouldn't make a full time job out of it (IE - 30-40 hrs a week).

BTW, I feel your pain....I raised my 3 kids while the wife was in the AF (while going to school at night) and I currently work from home to take care of the kids & the wife. It's mind-numbing work that very few people seem to respect (especially when it's the father). I know I would MUCH rather do my 40 hrs in a job in which I was paid outside of the home:-)

Alright, wake up out there. If you have PTSD and you need something to do go to Vocational rehab and ask for independent living. You have to play the game but stick to your guns and tell them you are only interested in "independent living". Then tell them what you like to do, cook, work on cars, take pictures, etc. Something you are interested in personnally and they will provide you with the means to control your interests by providing you with the tools you need. I like to take pictures and they bought me a camera and then got me some education at the local community college on how to use the camera and take pictures etc. Some guys I know are mechanics and like to toodle around the house working on their car or some other guys car and they bought them some tools to work with. Some got a computer to do some projects at home, in other words they have to provide you something to help you cope with PTSD, and take your mind of the PTSD by allowing you to do whatever you like to do as a hobby say. Make sure VOC Rehab knows you are NOT seeking employment only "independent lving". Works for me and the vets I counsel. Good luck

[Jay Johnson]

Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as: gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name

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Occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to such symptoms as: suicidal ideation; obsessional rituals which interfere with routine activities; speech intermittently illogical, obscure, or irrelevant; near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently, appropriately and effectively; impaired impulse control (such as unprovoked irritability with periods of violence); spatial disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and hygiene; difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances (including work or a worklike setting); inability to establish and maintain effective relationships

How is ANY of this conducive to seeking ANY sort of program the VA has to offer? If you want to gamble your benefits away then so be it, but everyone else should be cautious when using ANY VA program when you are 100% (or tdiu) with PTSD...the ratings criteria is ridiculous and even the slightest hint of anything even remotely resembling a social life can mean a reduction in one's rating.

P.S. - If you can do the things you've said than you do not qualify for your benefits under current VA criteria....you can argue the criteria, but it's the law as of today.

Edited September 16, 2007 by Jay Johnson