PTSD stressor(s)

[Guest Grec09]

While on AD, I lived with a civilian friend. He was gruesomely killed by a self-inflicted gunshot.

Several years after leaving the service, the VA diagnosed me with PTSD, MDD, Anxiety & eventually bipolar (my depression had changed to mania after a few years).

 

I have VA medical records with a PTSD diagnosis & my stressors on file. 

  I want to submit my MH claim.

Edited October 30, 2022 by Grec09

[broncovet]

Grec09 posted:

Quote

Im not seeing anything mentioning the other side even firing anything at all.

We dont have to get shot at to get PTSD.  The "fear" of being shot at is enough!  Its very stressful to think someone (the enemy) is out there looking for us, "waiting" to take his shot at us.  

OR, he is planting an IED (explosive device) for us to step on.  

My son drove a tank in IRAQ. He had to watch the road very very carefully, for any type of disturbance to the soil.  The soil disturbed on the road probably means someone dug there and planted an IED trying to kill him!!!!  If he saw the soil disturbed, he stopped the tank and called the bomb squad.  Only when the bomb squad cleared him, did he proceed.  

His boss was not as good at watching the soil as he was, drove over an IED and burned to death after an explosion!!!!!!

Dont tell me that is not stressful!!!

I dont know about you, but I dont have to worry every step I take or every mile I drive that there is a bomb planted there!!!

Im glad our troops are defending us so we dont have to worry about that.  

"fear" is a stressor, big time!!! Its not "just" about gettting shot at, its also "fear" of getting shot at!!!

Edited October 14, 2022 by broncovet

[MilvetHD]

1 hour ago, broncovet said:

Grec09 posted:

We dont have to get shot at to get PTSD.  The "fear" of being shot at is enough!  Its very stressful to think someone (the enemy) is out there looking for us, "waiting" to take his shot at us.  

OR, he is planting an IED (explosive device) for us to step on.  

My son drove a tank in IRAQ. He had to watch the road very very carefully, for any type of disturbance to the soil.  The soil disturbed on the road probably means someone dug there and planted an IED trying to kill him!!!!  If he saw the soil disturbed, he stopped the tank and called the bomb squad.  Only when the bomb squad cleared him, did he proceed.  

His boss was not as good at watching the soil as he was, drove over an IED and burned to death after an explosion!!!!!!

Dont tell me that is not stressful!!!

I dont know about you, but I dont have to worry every step I take or every mile I drive that there is a bomb planted there!!!

Im glad our troops are defending us so we dont have to worry about that.  

"fear" is a stressor, big time!!! Its not "just" about gettting shot at, its also "fear" of getting shot at!!!

I agree 100% in principal, I spent the majority of my career downrange, the only thing I can see them nitpicking at is if the fear is reasonable. In my opinion, and I am not judging but certainly being critical in an effort to highlight potential blind spots, I wouldn't voluntarily offer to the VA that I was mostly alone and in a hardened shelter. I was in active operations, lived outside the wire kicking in doors and chasing high value targets, and when I got out the VA rated me 10%. I wish this vet the best and caution everyone to be extremely careful with the language they use when filing claims, on here we can be a little bit more relaxed but the VA plays to deny. 

[El Train]

Some very good advice here.  I was diagnosed with ptsd/mdd by a VA Psych. Dr.  She never asked about a stressor event.  I was a Marine in a theatre of war was good enough for her.  I do not have a combat action medal in my records.  Our unit should have been awarded it and maybe it did after I got out. Don't know, don't care.  I got into treatment via the VA then filed for PTSD.  You will have to concede your stressors to the C&P examiner.  Let them know the rough date and time.  They can research it.  Initially I got 50% for PTSD.  I filed an NOD and submitted additional evidence that got me to 100% PTSD/TBI (not easy).

I no longer seek treatment because it hasn't worked for me & my Psych Dr. retired.  I've been on a dozen different meds.  None have worked.  I am prescribed 3 different meds currently.  I don't take them.  If the VA ever wants to reevaluate me, my treatment is the prescriptions.  Otherwise they could reduce me.  My treatment is running, golfing, and fishing.  That's what brings me peace.  

Best of luck to you.

[ShrekTheTank]

For mine I decided to write a bunch of lay statements.  talking about what happened, so I did not have to relive it infront of them and not remember half of it.

I then gave them a copy and then uploaded it to VA site.  This did work for me as when I was in there the doctor read over them as I tried to keep it cronilogical.

He asked a few other questions, but I let him know I did not want to think about those events.  He respected this and kept the other questions as general as possible. 

That is just what I did and it worked for me.  

[Whodat]

@Grec09,on my first PTSD exam, I actually had give time, place, event and go into details. For my increase I didn't.  Just depends on your examiner. Just make sure you bring documents ie news articles buddy statements, even your 214 or orders proving your location. Awards also may help. 

[blahsaysme2u]

2 hours ago, shrekthetank1 said:

For mine I decided to write a bunch of lay statements.  talking about what happened, so I did not have to relive it infront of them and not remember half of it.

I then gave them a copy and then uploaded it to VA site.  This did work for me as when I was in there the doctor read over them as I tried to keep it cronilogical.

He asked a few other questions, but I let him know I did not want to think about those events.  He respected this and kept the other questions as general as possible. 

That is just what I did and it worked for me.  

i did the same with mine. helped me get all my thoughts and memories down in a low stress environment(home) where i could take my time to think. the doctor i saw was very appreciative of this. im not saying all will be but im not seeing how it could hurt and only better your exam experience, even if they dont want to read it- you can use it as notes for answering questions etc