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'You're the original angry man aren't you?' This from an acquaintance on leaving a salsa dance last week. I replied, 'Maybe I am ... but it's not without good reason.'
I've been thinking about those words all week long. They've been wandering around in my subconcious grey matter ... fermenting and taking the form of thoughts that now issue forth.
Do people wonder why anger is created? In my experience it usually stems from being subjected to some form of injustice. It surfaces when people aren't as tactful or polite as they could be about the situation. This person was asked not to talk about the PTSD side of my life with me as I was escaping it via the dance. I guess her curiosity got the better of her.
I could have walked off and not informed her about what's going on ... but I thought 'Sod it, I'll let you know a little of what difficulties some veterans are facing'. When I talk about the things that some Veterans are suffering I get passionate, emotional .. and I tend to pepper the conversation with expletives as a way of venting the frustration I feel over the whole damned mess.
But all that's remembered by someone you're talking with is that you're angry ... and the issue gets buried there and then. Ears close and judgments are made.
Don't ask me to be a spokesperson about PTSD.
I have to go back to my policy about not talking about it I guess ... and to point out that just because I've written something about it ... there's no implied invitation for anyone to ask me about PTSD.
Speaking for myself, here's a good way to have a good conversation with me: speak to me nicely and I'll mirror the treatment.
There's more to a Veteran with PTSD than just anger.
Wolf
I've been thinking about those words all week long. They've been wandering around in my subconcious grey matter ... fermenting and taking the form of thoughts that now issue forth.
Do people wonder why anger is created? In my experience it usually stems from being subjected to some form of injustice. It surfaces when people aren't as tactful or polite as they could be about the situation. This person was asked not to talk about the PTSD side of my life with me as I was escaping it via the dance. I guess her curiosity got the better of her.
I could have walked off and not informed her about what's going on ... but I thought 'Sod it, I'll let you know a little of what difficulties some veterans are facing'. When I talk about the things that some Veterans are suffering I get passionate, emotional .. and I tend to pepper the conversation with expletives as a way of venting the frustration I feel over the whole damned mess.
But all that's remembered by someone you're talking with is that you're angry ... and the issue gets buried there and then. Ears close and judgments are made.
Don't ask me to be a spokesperson about PTSD.
I have to go back to my policy about not talking about it I guess ... and to point out that just because I've written something about it ... there's no implied invitation for anyone to ask me about PTSD.
Speaking for myself, here's a good way to have a good conversation with me: speak to me nicely and I'll mirror the treatment.
There's more to a Veteran with PTSD than just anger.
Wolf
