Three of the brave Veterans who share their stories on AboutFace.

PTSD: Candid Talk from Veterans Who Have Been There

Learn about PTSD from Veterans who tell how they deal with it. They talk here about how getting PTSD treatment turned their lives around: AboutFace.

How I knew I had posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

These brave men and women can tell you firsthand how they knew they had PTSD. It may be because family told them they needed help, or for Kevin it was not being able to go to Walmart. The Veterans address these symptoms:

• Re-living the event (also called flashbacks or re-experiencing): Memories of trauma can come back at any time. You may have nightmares or feel like you are going through the experience all over again.
• Avoidance: You try to stay away from things that remind you of the event…including discussing it with a counselor, friends or family.
• Feeling numb: You find it hard to express your feelings, and you may not be interested in spending time with family and friends.
• Feeling keyed up (also called hyperarousal): You may be constantly on guard, startle or get angry all of a sudden.

Find out how treatment turned their lives around.

Learn about PTSD from Veterans who live with it every day. Hear their stories. Find out how treatment turned their lives around.

Men, women, young, not-so-young, Iraq, Vietnam, many career fields, many locations.

These Veterans know that by going public, they can help other Veterans and their families who may be reluctant to seek treatment. In very direct language, they will tell you:

• Why I didn’t ask for help right away
• When I knew I needed help
• What treatment was like for me
• How treatment helps me
• My advice to you

Help spread the word. Share AboutFace.

PTSD is not the only issue

Want to hear from Veterans about issues other than PTSD? Visit Make the Connection to find more shared experiences and support for Veterans.

VA provides numerous ways for Veterans to get the help they may need to keep mentally healthy. The best place to start looking is the VA Mental Health web page or for PTSD specifically, the National Center for PTSD web site.

At VA Mental Health, you will find information about dealing with:

• PTSD
• Depression
• Military Sexual Trauma
• Substance Abuse