I am new to this forum but am thankful to all of you for the encouraging words and personal questions that are asked for yourself or your loved one.
I was in the ANG and got out in 2001 after DS. My son joined active duty AF and was released in 10/06 due to medical/mental reasons. They called it basically a "psycotic break" and let him out with honorable discharge.
He has a 40% service connected disability and less than a month ago he went to a VA clinic for PTSD treatment for 7 days and then released. He is taking Zyprexia but after returning to his night shift job 7 days after returning from the clinic and being away from everyone, he is feeling some paranoia and has mentioned that he wants to get help for the anger he feels that comes from no where for no reason for no good reason. He just gets easily frustrated and has a hard time being around crowds, any sort of loud repetititive noises or in a group setting/discussion. He wants help and he mentioned a program that he could go to for 3 months, but, it involves "groups" and he can't do groups. One of the VA docs diagnosed him with Aspergers Austism as well, but nothing was mentioned at the treatment facility about that being the problem.
I just don't know what to do and how to best help him. He goes to a counselor (ret. airforce maj) with her own practice and she is a great source of help. Have you ever heard of Aspergers Autism and could this be one of the issues of his anger and isolation?
Any advice would be great...........
Thank you.....m

Welcome to our forum( family). If you post on the thread living with PTSD, you will find alot of information. I have PTSD and been in treatmant at the Seattle VA mental health since Sept. 11, 2001. The best thing to do is get your son to someone who knows what PTSD is, STAT. The anger, isolation, nightmares is all part of PTSD. There is no cure but treatment helps. Did you ask what Aspergers Autisim is? Has your son filed a claim? Take care, Sally

Sally,
Thank you for replying. I could not find the correct discussion forum and whew.....glad i finally did. I have read several of your postings and from a nursing standpoint, I do understand alot of what you have said medically, but, emotionally and physically, I am clueless and that is where I am now with my son.
I talked to him tonight and he said that he forgets to take his Zyprexia everyday...he cut the dose from 15mg to 7.5mg and is still having a noticable headache that he said he would rather just stop the medicine all toghether. I advised to keep on taking the lower dose and leave a message for the psy and give them a chance to help. He is just really struggling with night time work shift for this is the cause of his "still haunting images/mental halucinations" that remain and he can't kick. He has anger issues and wants to get help but does not know what to do. He has the option to go to a 3 month program at a nearby VA clinic to help him with PTSD and his other problems, but he has issues with groups and is resisting the idea, but....he is still going to call and make the appt for the assessment mtg to see what they can offer in terms of ind ono on one.
I don't know...i am rambling and just need to let him be as independent as possible.....but when do I know when to call for help?

Sally....any words? Oh...he does have a counselor that was a prior Vet as well and she originally helped to get him into the VA clinic for a 7 day stay for PTSD...she still sees him, but, is letting the VA take the lead.

ANy advice would be great....thanks.
Michelle

The most important thing is that your son knows that you are there to help. He has to be the one to seek help and file a claim for service connected PTSD with a VSO. I started with one-on-one therapy with a Dr. trained in PTSD. I have done groups and inpatient treatment. I found inpatient and groups about the event the hardest. The inpatient because I was only one of two female patients and 25 guys. Mods. try to help her move to living with PTSD thread. Have your son put his meds in a medi set and take the dosage that they said to take. If problems call the Dr. !! Sally

If the individual is from the VA, can you assume they are specialized in PTSD? You also mentioned starting one-on-one then doing some group....the thought of group at this point is enough to "psych" him out. Too personal, too close for comfort....not really sure.

Also, is there a way to find out if the Aspergers Autism dx rendered by one of the VA docs has any bearing on his behavior as well as the PTSD? He has some similar sx very closely associated with Aspergers. It just seems that the "sudden, mind altering changes" are the puzzling aspects of what does not fit the Aspergers. Certain things would have been constant, which some have been, but, not as pronounced in the way you would have seen in perhaps someone like Dustin Hoffman, portrayed in the "Rainman". That was a severe case of autism, but he needed structure, stability and care to help him live daily. Daniel has not been that way in the past and has managed to be fine in his life choices, until about 6-8 months ago and whammmmmm!

The past 4 months he has really went downhill with not being able to take care of daily tasks without some level of frustration, anger, or struggles....also the halucinations, shawdows, grunting/greuling sounds, gremising faces he sees in the mirror and images that pop up to him, talking to "objects" then realizing they are not real and getting ANGRY and breaking things at work or home or talking to a buddy from his unit that is not really there and having to realize once again that he is not there again. Is this a part of PTSD and not Paranonia Schzifrinia (ms)or can they have similar symptoms?

Thanks for listening and helping........

Daniel is coming over in a few hours to make some calls and we are setting him up for some appts, so I'll keep you posted.

He wants to get online with someone that has lived with PTSD...think he could chat with you? I'll put him another discussion forum and tell you which one or do you have one in mind he can go to?

Michelle :-)

Never assume that anyone is trained in PTSD if they are with the VA! Your son needs to get started in a one-on-one therapy in mental health at the VA. He can go to a Vet Center and or VA hospital. The important thing is to get in Stat! You and your son can email to me at my private email: mesmcquown@yahoo.com. Another thread that is good is Living with PTSD. We all have PTSD and or family /friends that do! Sally

I am a Vietnam era veteran and new to the forum.
Iwas discharged from the army for medical/mental disorder. I am interested in online suport from a fellow veteran, someone who understands the problems all veteran have experienced since v.a doctors dont't care to understand. Please sally if your out there please contact me as I need help and dont know where to turn. Kindsoul1954quietrockblue@yahoo.com

I got your message, I will email you, Sally

For more information about autism, go here.