Tim's story
As a medic in
Iraq, Tim was always in the midst of suffering. He treated soldiers with
horrible wounds. He saw some die.
Within one day of returning
home, he faced another trauma. His father died of cancer.
"He was
my best friend for my whole life. That just threw my whole brain out of whack,"
Tim said.
Grief forced the 28-year-old into a shell. He hid his
emotions from everyone, including his wife. He couldn't sleep, and he couldn't
get his war memories out of his head.
He decided to take classes
to become a paramedic, but he couldn't make himself go to the first session.
He realized that every car accident, shooting, or injury he'd
face on the job would take him back to Baghdad. And his nightmares were already
taking him there.
His marriage began to suffer. His wife knew
that something was wrong, but Tim wouldn't talk about it. She wanted to go to
counseling together, but he refused.
"I didn't ever want to talk
about the things that I had been through," he said.
And because
he was a medic and not a combat soldier, he was ashamed to admit he had a
problem.
"A lot of people went through way more than I did. I
figured if I wait, then they will get help first and then I will."
Tim finally took the first step toward help after he hurt his back on his
construction job. He had thrown himself into work, putting in 10 to 12 hours a
day and working side jobs at night and on the weekends.
Part of
his treatment was to see a vocational rehab counselor about job options. The
counselor asked if he was getting treatment for PTSD.
Tim started
seeing a Department of Veterans Affairs psychiatrist, a national expert on
PTSD. Tim's treatment includes medicines for nightmares and flashbacks and to
help him sleep.
"The medicines suppress the thoughts that are
always in my head," he said. "So during the day, I can deal with them."
Couples counseling has helped him talk to his wife and has helped his
marriage.
Now in college working on a teaching degree and taking
care of his baby son Jack, Tim feels better, especially since he can sleep.
"The sooner you catch PTSD, the easier it is to combat it," he
said.
Tim's story reflects his experiences as told in an interview. The photograph is not of Tim, to protect his privacy.