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[Skillet]

Peace with you Brother. Stay in the wind.

[dlaws01]

I appreciate all your support.  Thank you again for thinking about me.  Friends that I haven't met.

[CVOThunder]

Thank you for your service and glad you're doing better and that folks here checked back in on ya. Pretty cool bunch of friends and yes it does take someone who has gone through it or just compasion to help. My youngest Bro is having the same concerns and about all I can do is lend an ear. I've spent the time on deployments but a lot of it was shipboard time or just hangin out in the sand after my time was served.

[JoMo]

I appreciate all your support.  Thank you again for thinking about me.  Friends that I haven't met.

             
Dave thank you for your service.
As everybody here has said seek the help that you need to get through this, your already on the road to recovery by admitting that their is a problem. Prayers going out to you to get through this,so that you can get to meet all the friends that you have here. 

                                               Jo Mo NYC 

[ultrafxr]

Dave, hope you are feeling better.  God bless and we appreciate your service.

[bokat96]

I appreciate all your support.  Thank you again for thinking about me.  Friends that I haven't met.

I would suggest taking a ride over to Fort Campbell or contact your closest Veterans Affairs (VA) office. They will be able to get you started with the right counselor / meds for the current circumstances. This will also ensure you are being treated by someone who realizes exactly what you have been through and 9 outta 10 times has already been involved with Service Members.

Below is links to TN VA facilities.

http://www2.va.gov/directory/guide/state.asp?STATE=TN&dnum=1
http://www2.va.gov/directory/guide/state.asp?State=TN&dnum=ALL&v=1

Quite a few of us on the site have been through or are going through exactly what your describing. You've taken the first steps don't stop there!!!

[BigLew]

Dave praying for you right now!

BigLew

[MadCVORG]

Dave,
  Ride, man, ride.  Been through it as well. Still in Afghanistan, but when I'm home, I try to strike out on a long solo ride to wide-open spaces, and just let the stress evaporate. It recharges my batteries, makes me calm down, and helps me in ways my other activities can't.  And a big thumbs-up to you for recognizing the issue and dealing with it. I know of too many guys who try to bury it.  Log some serious miles; H-D is the best fix.

[CVOThunder]

Dave,
  Ride, man, ride.  Been through it as well. Still in Afghanistan, but when I'm home, I try to strike out on a long solo ride to wide-open spaces, and just let the stress evaporate. It recharges my batteries, makes me calm down, and helps me in ways my other activities can't.  And a big thumbs-up to you for recognizing the issue and dealing with it. I know of too many guys who try to bury it.  Log some serious miles; H-D is the best fix.

Gonna borrow this cure as well.

[bokat96]

Gonna borrow this cure as well.

Can not argue with this therapy!!!

[willyB]

Dlaws01,

Hey there!

My neighbors son had been having a tough go as well getting back to real world after spending some tough duty in Irag. He was in the Army and sounds like he did a lot of tough fighting and lost a few friends over there. On top of that he got blown up by those damn Chicken Sh&t IED's too many times to count.

He's 30 years old now and has been out of the fight for about 2 years. He's told me on several occassions that just talking about it all with someone works the best for him. He said he finds it better when somebody just listens. After beating his head against the wall for about a year he finally decided to see what a counselor could do. He's a real "tough guy" so it was hard for him to even consider it at first.

I never ask him what they talk about. I only ask him a friendly "How things?" when he comes to visit. I always have an open ear for him anytime he needs one.

I saw him last weekend. He walked across the street to say hello and I gave my "How's Things?". He said that last week was his 1 year anniversary with his counselor and it put a whole new perspective on "How's things?". He said they spent the hour talking about their one year journey. Start to finish, all the crap, all the ups and all the downs. He said that looking back showed him how far he has progressed. He said he's gone from 1 day out of 7 feeling good to 6 1/2 out of 7 days.

He said he can finally see that he's going to be all right.

Best of luck on your journey. Remember that a journey begins with the first step.

Your CVO Harley folks are always here to lend an ear.

[Skillet]

Dave

How you doing today? Sure hope you got some riding in since the last time I stopped by on this thread. Too many miles and too many roads to be on. Let us know how you are doing.

[DDavidson]

http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/depression.asp

The VA is a benefit earned by your service to your country.  Take advantage.  Talk to a professional, and if they don't seem to be a good fit for you ask for somebody else until you find a fit.  (The VA may be beaurocratic (not sure) but push yourself to work around that.)

Take one step at a time on a path in the right direction.  Sometimes you stray from the path but find a way to get back on it.  Shortcuts might seem easier but seldom get you to the right place the way you intended.  The path has it's hard spots that you sometimes have to take on individually but at times you will have help from others. There are others out there who are on the same path or have been down it before.  Locating others within this network can be beneficial to you and to them and I believe the VA can provide a starting point to access this network.

We can't change the world but we can change how we are in it.  Try cutting back on the news, it's too negative and intended to draw on your emotions. Stop trying to provide a solution for peoples problems. Most of the time people just want you to listen and understand where they are coming from.  Listen and acknowledge without solving is good for them and you.

Communicating with somebody who understands a situation is extra beneficial.  

What's nice about a professional is "YOU" can be honest about "YOU" and not have it thrown back in your face 5 years down the road like is possible with somebody else.

[dlaws01]

Thank you all for your support.  I am feeling better and have tried staying busy to help keep me focused. I've been doing some contracted aircraft maintenance work on the side but have not been able to find work locally, within an hour's commute.  General aviation has taken a beating in this economy and the local airports are as quiet as the park.  I'm not going to worry about it and just deal with today's worries. Tomorrow has it's own set of worries that can be dealt with tomorrow.  My bike is in the shop with several H-D " techs " trying to out guess each other as to if it sounds "normal" or not.  What a joke. Funny how my almost deaf a$$ can hear that whinny roar coming from my primary and others, including one in the service department at the dealership, can hear it also but the guy that's working on it doesn't!  If it wasn't so funny I'd madder than heck! But back to the subject, I am feeling better and know this is a lifetime endeavor. Thank you all, again. 

[Skillet]

Thank you all for your support.  I am feeling better and have tried staying busy to help keep me focused. I've been doing some contracted aircraft maintenance work on the side but have not been able to find work locally, within an hour's commute.  General aviation has taken a beating in this economy and the local airports are as quiet as the park.  I'm not going to worry about it and just deal with today's worries. Tomorrow has it's own set of worries that can be dealt with tomorrow.  My bike is in the shop with several H-D " techs " trying to out guess each other as to if it sounds "normal" or not.  What a joke. Funny how my almost deaf a$$ can hear that whinny roar coming from my primary and others, including one in the service department at the dealership, can hear it also but the guy that's working on it doesn't!  If it wasn't so funny I'd madder than heck! But back to the subject, I am feeling better and know this is a lifetime endeavor. Thank you all, again. 

Good to hear that you are feeling better. I am also a contractor working in Korea on US Army Blackhawk helicopters. Shoot me a PM if you might be interested in working in this area. Good luck on the bike.