ptsd Friend Murders Family Then Self

[Sapper]

Hello Fellow Hadit Members,

I know I might be a bit off topic here, as this area is for claims, but this involves PTSD very much. Yesterday, a fellow soldier I deployed to Iraq with in my unit, shot his 8 1/2 month pregnant wife, and 13 month old daughter. He even shot his 3 dogs before killing himself. http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latest-news/more-magdzas-iraq-war-veteran-purple-heart-recipient . I knew Matt pretty well while I was in both units with him. He was always a soldier who lived and breathed to serve. I've spoken to him within the last 5 months, and everything seemed fine. I know for a fact he was in convoys that were hit with IED's, and he has seen some things that couldn't have been pleasant. What I'm trying to get at is please, if you have friends who show ANY signs of depression, PTSD, or anything similar, please, please get them help before it is too late. If you yourself have PTSD or Depression after your deployment, and you feel any signs of suicide or homicide, please, seek help. When I first got back things seemed fine, and then went downhill. After weeks and weeks of arguing with my Vietnam Veteran Step-Dad, I finally went to seek help through the VA and Counseling. It does help. It never needs to go this far, ever. No matter what you've done or what you've seen, it's never worth taking your family's or your own life.

Please, keep the families of these people in your minds and prayers as they go through these very hard and confusing times. Thank you for taking the time to read this and god bless.

[Bravo6]

That is horrible! I will say a prayer for his family!

B6

[LarryJ]

And, G-d Bless you, Sapper.

And, all of you, for doing what you did, whether you did so simply because "it" was the "right" thing to do, or for whatever other reason you had at the time. And, NO, time does NOT make "things go away".

Please, Please, Please...............get help.

Seek it out.

It is out there. Whether it is with your clergy, if you are "religious", or with members of a like-minded organzation (American Legion, VFW, whatever, (I, personally, find "my" strength in volunteer work with my veterans organization)), or with one of the VET CENTERS (highly recommend these VET CENTERS, by-the-way). Just get help!

Your family will be there, trust me.

And, we'll be here, too.

[john999]

You wonder how nobody noticed this vet decending into hell. However, it happens. A marine captain home from Afghanistan got drunk and killed another driver just a week ago. This guy had served 4 tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He had PTSD and 2-3 PH's. He had a head injury. He was acting very weird for weeks before this crash. I think when people get this disturbed they cannot help themselves. Nobody is screening these people.

[Pete53]

Sapper I am truly sorry for your loss and for that poor soldier who did not get help and lost hope in the future. I am sure that this poor man thought that his family and dogs could not survive him so he did what he did.

Don't hold yourself responsible in any way. Most who do this will do it no matter what you try to do to stop them. I lost my dear brother last Christmas and there was not a thing I could do to stop him.

You and your friend and his family are in my prayers.

[Tbird]

I am sorry for your loss, it's a terrible loss for all of us, as we are all in this together.

This is why I stress the importance of getting help if you are having problems, lots of times a veteran will tell me, it's not so bad right now, I'm dealing with it. The thing about PTSD is things can get out of control real fast. So you need help before you get to that point, there is help available the best I've found is at the Veterans Centers. PTSD is dangerous to yourself and others. Don't wait, Don't man up, Don't suck it up. Just go get help,

Sometimes it feels as if I am walking a tight rope, but because I have a good pysch doc and an incredible therapist, I am not working without a net to catch me should I fall.

[retiredat44]

I was stationed at an airbase that was 1/2 US Army, 1/2 USAF. I had a frriend who was in a karate Calss with me, and we were pretty good friends. We travleedl around together, and he soon got married. I had no idea he was goignto get married. He was always bringing strange women back the his place off base he rented. he finally got married. He was acting as if he was under great stress. he loved the military.

He started to say things about his wife being too freindly with his friends. he started to crack. he was very strong, but also extremely strong headed. he started to get paranoid.. and pretty soon he was getting into some type of trouble with his command. I was int he USAF, so I have no clue about his command. He finally started to crack and there was no talking to this guy he started to pick fights. By this time he was a Balck belt. I was taking some karate callses too and was not as involved as he was, whe was very physcally fit. He started to accuse me of going around with his wife behind his back. I never ever, ever touched his wife, nor even thought about it.. I mean she was nice, young, and fun, but I had my own life and had already had a few realtionships, and besides I dated a few woem both American and German..

he finallyu went crazy, and finally challenged me after one night of a Karate Calss. I barely got him to calm down. he scared the $hit out of me, because he was very irattional.

One day he never came home and his wife disappeared too.. I later heard his command threw him out because he went crazy..

I am sorry for using the word Crazy... but not sure what o do with poliical correcness and read about triggers in this forum.. I am using the term loosely,,, but he became unhinged..

I have been aroud people that drink alcohol and are ouyt of control, sam ething,,

there is No reasoning with some people. and the average guy can't help thesse people, don't even try,, I mean if you can talk to them, tel them you care, and try to let them know they can straiten out a problem if they calm down, but that's about it.. very few of us have the training, and if anything happens we just wil feel guilt for not doing soemthing right..

I had a younger brother who had a dark side. he died a while back, he was a big strong fun guy with a family.. but he took some prescription pain killers, and also liked to drink beer. he lost his truck driving job because they found out he had scoliosis (curved spine) of his back,, so they fired him because they didn't want him to drive with a back deformity. He still had his drivers licence and California medical card for truck drivers.. But when they fired him, he went back to school and had been going to college a couple of years,, he was going ot a university,, and one night he took some drugs drank some beer and died..

I had been sick many years and was not as close as I wish I were...

There was nothing I could do, some people just do things, and that's all that you can do but let them know they can come to you if they feel they need help. Beyond that, it's out of your hands..

I am sorry for your loss...

there is nothing that can be done when some people do things they do..