Facing the Monster...
Greetings Warrior Lovers. Welcome to my blog. Apparently as a writer I'm supposed to have something more than a Twitter and a Facebook page. That's what the book sellers tell me anyways. LOL. Anyhow, I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Leilani Anastasia and I am a published writer and self-proclaimed Warrior Lover.
What's a "Warrior Lover", you ask. Well I'm here to tell you what it is. I'm the partner of a Combat Veteran that suffers from PTSD (or post-traumatic stress disorder as some like to call it). PTSD can be a by-product of any kind of severe trauma but it is most often seen in instances of war.
To date, there are 450,000 established cases of Combat PTSD in the United States however that number is probably much higher due to Veterans not wanting to admit that they are afflicted with a mental illness.
What is PTSD you ask? Great question. I didn't know what it was until I met my Warrior either. In "psycho-babble" PTSD is defined as: "PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault. It's normal to have upsetting memories, feel on edge, or have trouble sleeping after this type of event. At first, it may be hard to do normal daily activities, like go to work, go to school, or spend time with people you care about. But most people start to feel better after a few weeks or months. If it's been longer than a few months and you're still having symptoms, you may have PTSD. For some people, PTSD symptoms may start later on, or they may come and go over time." according to the National Center on PTSD. However, I've got a much simpler term for it. I call it a MONSTER.
Why is it a monster you ask? PTSD exacerbates itself in a lot of ugly ways. From substance abuse to suicide. From sexual disorders to spousal abuse. From life hindering depression to anger. From self-isolation to paranoia. Combat PTSD is quite the angry monster and it's come for the best of the best - our nation's heroes. He's blown up marriages, beaten up the wife and kicked the dog. He's gotten in bar fights, drank the liquor cabinet dry and punched out a police officer. Sometimes he sits alone in the dark. Other times, he's in the bed of someone he shouldn't be. Like I said, PTSD is quite the monster - and a sneaky one at that!
Having said all of this, I have written a series of books regarding Combat PTSD and have done MY BEST to put this monster back in his cage. However, dear reader and Warrior Lover, I can't do it without you.
I implore you to follow my blog and recommend it to friends. Let's make it OUR MISSION to eliminate this enemy and regain control of our lives and the lives of our Warriors. This mission often times a matter of life and death. I choose life. What do you choose?
