Ask SpaceYeti

[SpaceYeti]

Have you come across PTSD (Post traumatic stress disorder) in anyone and can you talk about it? This arose from another thread: DEATH

I have met people who had PTSD. With at least two people it sounded like BS, an attempt to get more medical compensation when they get out, but everything else (the vast majority) seemed legit. Of course, I'm also basing this on an uneducated intuition of the people's actions. It could just be that I simply didn't like the people who seemed to be faking. Of course, they also didn't really see any action, just technically met the requirements for a combat action badge. I don't mean to belittle the badge for people who really earned it, but some people just want the points.

There are people whose superiors have to make sure they're taking their meds, though... or bad shit could happen. I'm sure those guys aren't lying. If they are, they're taking a pretty big risk taking those drugs for no reason!

Anyway, I don't have enough experience with it to have a meaningful conversation about it, but I'm pretty sure I've never heard anything classified on the topic. In fact, I know I haven't.

Anyhow, I intuit a followup question... is there one?

 

[MissQuote]

No. In fact, I would hide, protect, or destroy the button as well as possible, so that nobody could ever press it. Assuming I believe it actually works.

Also, I wouldn't believe it works, since that doesn't actually seem possible, so I'd probably press it to see what it really did.

Why? Why did you press it?

I wanted to press it to see what it really did but now I am destroyed utterly with everything else and am not even really typing this because it doesn't exist at all.

I wonder if the button was red?

Do you think it would be less tempting to press it if it were blue? Or black?

I think a button like that should have a [citation needed] sticker put under the rules explaining it.

 

[Montresor]

Also... so I need to watch a movie in order to get unique ideas? There's something about that which sounds a bit... "false" to me.

Noooooo I said emotional mindset.

The climax of this movie is very touching and the plot is generally captivating.

It's "somewhat" relevant to the topic of last meals and being punished for crimes you didn't commit.

It's not going to inspire any unique ideas.

 

[SpaceYeti]

Why? Why did you press it?

I wanted to press it to see what it really did but now I am destroyed utterly with everything else and am not even really typing this because it doesn't exist at all.

I wonder if the button was red?

Do you think it would be less tempting to press it if it were blue? Or black?

I think a button like that should have a [citation needed] sticker put under the rules explaining it.

I've never wanted to push buttons due to their color, so much as their mystery, which is sometimes influenced by their being a different color from the rest of the buttons. Also, their function being something I'm attempting to get done is a big influence, it's simply far less due to mystery in that case.

 

[BigApplePi]

Anyhow, I intuit a followup question... is there one?

I don't have one but after you hear this you may feel free to ask me what Q I might ask.

I've known only one guy with PTSD. I met him on an internet bulletin board and knew him for about 8 years. He was one of the most violent speaking persons against anyone who crossed him ... an xNFJ. He railed against me in the beginning when I used an ambiguous term. I had to explain it to him. He was blown up in Viet Nam and incurred injuries which destroyed his boxing career. We became friends and had a ball joshing certain other J type people. Really funny stuff unless you were the object of the joshing. Gradually he admitted his anger was overblown, rages, not sleeping at night. I merely listened. One day he announced he was going into therapy. After that he talked must less about himself.

I could ask you if you have any Q's about this story.

 

[SpaceYeti]

Not really. Sounds pretty textbook, actually.

 

[QuickTwist]

What is the best anime series of all time and why?

 

[SpaceYeti]

What is the best anime series of all time and why?

Hrm... That's kind of a big question. The obvious answer would be one of the super popular ones, since, well, they were obviously very successful, which cannot happen if people didn't think it was worth it. My personal favoritemost, however, is probably a tie between Trigun and Golden Boy.

 

[pjoa09]

Why does QuickTwist and SpaceYeti kinda look the same?

Or am I having some issues with identifying faces?

 

[SpaceYeti]

Because we're both super handsome.

Which reminds me of a joke...







What's sex with four people called?










What's sex with three people called.








That's why they call you "handsome".

 

[pjoa09]

Because we're both super handsome.

Which reminds me of a joke...







What's sex with four people called?










What's sex with three people called.








That's why they call you "handsome".

Naw they call me twosome and it was just me.

 

[BigApplePi]

How is PTSD like "Coming of Age" or rather, what do they have in common? I see a similarity but hope I'm not being disrespectful.

 

[SpaceYeti]

How is PTSD like "Coming of Age" or rather, what do they have in common? I see a similarity but hope I'm not being disrespectful.

Well, I don't suffer from it, so do not know if you're being offensive by asking, or if I'm being offensive by answering.

I would say, though, that PTSD is sort of like a coming of age in that you realize that you're not actually as safe as you thought you were, that you're not in control like you thought you were.

However, I'd also say it's far different from a coming of age because it comes with flashbacks and anxiety which make it ultimately a negative condition no matter which way you slice it, whereas coming of age, even if at a price, is essentially a positive event.

 

[BigApplePi]

There are many "coming of age" films out there. I can't recall the name but this sixteen year old kid was a skateboarder. He hung out with other skateboarders. One day a questionable buddy asked him to come down to the railroad tracks for some fun. They hooked a ride on a slow moving train. The trainyard guard saw them and went after them with a bat swinging at one guy. The sixteen year old wanting to protect his buddy swung his skateboard at the guard. This accidentally knocked the guard onto the tracks. A train was just coming by and cut him in half.

The film theme is about this loss of innocence. Can you imagine how this nice young kid would deal with that? He had become a murderer. I imagine PTSD occurs with normal soldiers who have to face psychopathic situations like the above story.

Have you or I ever done something in life for which we regret which we cannot undo?

 

[SpaceYeti]

There are many "coming of age" films out there. I can't recall the name but this sixteen year old kid was a skateboarder. He hung out with other skateboarders. One day a questionable buddy asked him to come down to the railroad tracks for some fun. They hooked a ride on a slow moving train. The trainyard guard saw them and went after them with a bat swinging at one guy. The sixteen year old wanting to protect his buddy swung his skateboard at the guard. This accidentally knocked the guard onto the tracks. A train was just coming by and cut him in half.

The film theme is about this loss of innocence. Can you imagine how this nice young kid would deal with that? He had become a murderer. I imagine PTSD occurs with normal soldiers who have to face psychopathic situations like the above story.

Have you or I ever done something in life for which we regret which we cannot undo?

I have done things I regret, but never to that magnitude. Do you suppose regret is a big part of PTSD? I've never heard that it was a major component, but it would explain why some people don't succumb and others do, potentially. I always figured it was primarily fear induced.

 

[BigApplePi]

I have done things I regret, but never to that magnitude. Do you suppose regret is a big part of PTSD? I've never heard that it was a major component, but it would explain why some people don't succumb and others do, potentially. I always figured it was primarily fear induced.

Sure fear. But fear of what? Not only is the fearful thing something that happens to you but it happens to others. One may or may not be participating in what happens to others. It's a loss of innocence.

In war there is fear. But isn't one deliberately putting themselves in a fearsome situation?

 

[SpaceYeti]

Sure fear. But fear of what? Not only is the fearful thing something that happens to you but it happens to others. One may or may not be participating in what happens to others. It's a loss of innocence.

In war there is fear. But isn't one deliberately putting themselves in a fearsome situation?

Some people do, indeed, love the military, and they love being infantry, and being in war.

Most are there for the job security or because it's all they know. Technically, yes, they're willing, as they signed up, but they do not find any joy in war or fighting.

 

[Montresor]

How would you answer your own question if you were to post in that thread?

 

[SpaceYeti]

I wouldn't.

 

[Montresor]

I wouldn't.

Then you would be just like everybody else who posted.

I know you meant you wouldn't post but you ignored the parameters of my question.

Unless you really meant you wouldn't answer the question if you were to post.

 

[SpaceYeti]

Then you would be just like everybody else who posted.

I know you meant you wouldn't post but you ignored the parameters of my question.

Unless you really meant you wouldn't answer the question if you were to post.

I'm incapable of answering my own question no matter which way you slice it.

 

[SpaceYeti]

I want attention too! Just like BAP!

 

[thekatspajamas]

I have met people who had PTSD. With at least two people it sounded like BS, an attempt to get more medical compensation when they get out, but everything else (the vast majority) seemed legit. Of course, I'm also basing this on an uneducated intuition of the people's actions. It could just be that I simply didn't like the people who seemed to be faking. Of course, they also didn't really see any action, just technically met the requirements for a combat action badge. I don't mean to belittle the badge for people who really earned it, but some people just want the points.

There are people whose superiors have to make sure they're taking their meds, though... or bad shit could happen. I'm sure those guys aren't lying. If they are, they're taking a pretty big risk taking those drugs for no reason!

Anyway, I don't have enough experience with it to have a meaningful conversation about it, but I'm pretty sure I've never heard anything classified on the topic. In fact, I know I haven't.

Anyhow, I intuit a followup question... is there one?

One thing to keep in mind about PTSD is that it's not just obtained through combat experience. It can also be a result of car accidents, rape, or other traumatic events. I (clearly, I'm not shy when discussing my personal life in an analytical context) managed to develop PTSD from being raped by a coworker when I was in Air Force ROTC. It's not nearly as severe as my uncle's (retired infantry Gunnery Sergeant, 5 tours in the Middle East), who is considered 100% disabled by the VA, but I still required counseling years later when it really started to affect me. So the folks that you spoke with who didn't see much combat-- they could have developed their PTSD from another event.

 

[SpaceYeti]

One thing to keep in mind about PTSD is that it's not just obtained through combat experience. It can also be a result of car accidents, rape, or other traumatic events. I (clearly, I'm not shy when discussing my personal life in an analytical context) managed to develop PTSD from being raped by a coworker when I was in Air Force ROTC. It's not nearly as severe as my uncle's (retired infantry Gunnery Sergeant, 5 tours in the Middle East), who is considered 100% disabled by the VA, but I still required counseling years later when it really started to affect me. So the folks that you spoke with who didn't see much combat-- they could have developed their PTSD from another event.

Fair enough, but their claim contained the source being combat or otherwise dangerous, combat-like situations. If they never specified, I wouldn't have bothered doubting them.

 

[thekatspajamas]

Fair enough, but their claim contained the source being combat or otherwise dangerous, combat-like situations. If they never specified, I wouldn't have bothered doubting them.

Hm. Three options then. 1) They're good at hiding how severe it is, 2) They're full of shit, or 3) They developed PTSD in response to something that they don't want to talk about. Don't forget that there are more male-on-male rapes than male-on-female rapes in the military every year. My husband is a sexual assault advocate guy, so I'm fairly familiar with the stats (the information doesn't osmose-- we talk about it lol). That and I got briefed on it so much that it's ground into my brain. Anyways, if a guy who was raped is on PTSD meds and he loses his gun card because of it, what's more likely-- he tells his squad/flight/whatever folks that he has PTSD from some obscure combat experience that he has, or he tells them that he was raped on his last tour? Quite a few (if not most) guys would choose the second option. They'd rather people think that they're full of shit than that they've been emasculated. Just a problem that is unfortunately common

 

[SpaceYeti]

Hm. Three options then. 1) They're good at hiding how severe it is, 2) They're full of shit, or 3) They developed PTSD in response to something that they don't want to talk about. Don't forget that there are more male-on-male rapes than male-on-female rapes in the military every year. My husband is a sexual assault advocate guy, so I'm fairly familiar with the stats (the information doesn't osmose-- we talk about it lol). That and I got briefed on it so much that it's ground into my brain. Anyways, if a guy who was raped is on PTSD meds and he loses his gun card because of it, what's more likely-- he tells his squad/flight/whatever folks that he has PTSD from some obscure combat experience that he has, or he tells them that he was raped on his last tour? Quite a few (if not most) guys would choose the second option. They'd rather people think that they're full of shit than that they've been emasculated. Just a problem that is unfortunately common

Also possible. Still, they were full of shit even if they do have PTSD for a different reason and then lied. I would prefer the truth, but I simply cannot empathize with what they've gone through to say they shouldn't lie about it. BTW, one was a female, so I doubt she worried too much about emasculation, but I still understand she may not have wanted to discuss it.

After all of this discussion, I still claim I'm no expert, and am the wrong guy to ask about the topic.

 

[thekatspajamas]

Also possible. Still, they were full of shit even if they do have PTSD for a different reason and then lied. I would prefer the truth, but I simply cannot empathize with what they've gone through to say they shouldn't lie about it. BTW, one was a female, so I doubt she worried too much about emasculation, but I still understand she may not have wanted to discuss it.

After all of this discussion, I still claim I'm no expert, and am the wrong guy to ask about the topic.

I concede that those who lie are still, in fact, lying about their PTSD-- but I think that lying to avoid shame or embarrassment from their assault is in a different arena than lying to get off of work detail or something. The guy with me was actually directly above me in my chain of command and I was worried that it would affect my career, so I lied about it. Ironic now that I ended up surrendering my commission and opting out of my career, but all's well that end's well.
My point is that I can sympathize (and empathize) with folks who lie to avoid shame ("Oh, she's so full of shit-- she's just trying to sleep her way up the chain," "She shouldn't have gotten so drunk," "It's just morning-after regret," etcetc.), even if I don't think that it's morally right. There is still a lot of shame for females. Plus, good luck having your fellow airmen (or soldiers) look at you with the same respect afterwards. It transitions to this look of delicate, uncomfortable pity. It sucks balls.
And gotcha. I'm just discussing what was put up here

 

[C.Hecker88]

What is the capital of Assyria?

 

[SpaceYeti]

What is the capital of Assyria?

There is not one, as Assyria is no longer a nation. The original was Assur, the most well knwn was Nineveh.

 

[Brontosaurie]

how do you want stuff

 

[SpaceYeti]

how do you want stuff

Ready to use.

 

[Reluctantly]

Do transsexuals freak you out?

 

[Brontosaurie]

Ready to use.

nice

but i mean how do you do to want stuff?

 

[SpaceYeti]

Do transsexuals freak you out?

No

nice

but i mean how do you do to want stuff?

Um... What?

 

[Brontosaurie]

Um... What?

assuming you want something, what causal process lies behind this wanting?

if at any point you have wanted nothing at all, what has made you want things again?

 

[Synthetix]

What will you do if a North Korean tunnel goes undetected by the CIA that runs right under your barracks and Kim's minions pop up from a hole, hog tie you in your sleep and you wake up in a North Korean lab?

 

[SpaceYeti]

assuming you want something, what causal process lies behind this wanting?

if at any point you have wanted nothing at all, what has made you want things again?

Most of my wants serve a need of some kind, or are to avoid boredom, which I'd argue is a psychological need.

I have never wanted nothing.

 

[SpaceYeti]

What will you do if a North Korean tunnel goes undetected by the CIA that runs right under your barracks and Kim's minions pop up from a hole, hog tie you in your sleep and you wake up in a North Korean lab?

I'm not sure if answering that question would include classified information or not, so I'll err with caution and say simply: attemp to escape.

 

[SpaceYeti]

Are you still playing D&D 4e?

Update!

My friends from back home found a website we play on. rolld20.net