# Mental Phytness: A lesson in violence pt 2



## Jeep (Aug 5, 2014)

Yes it is spelled wrong. I am willing to share much, not all of my experience. My physical and mental attributes. My mental and physical weaknesses. I have a ton of knowledge as do some of the others here. I recently spent 2.5 months in residential treatment at the Ft Harrison VA hospital. You wear your own clothes and take care of your self but you are in class 9 hours a day. I went because I lost my marbles in March of this year. Am I nuts ? Depends on who you talk to. Am I cured ...no. There is no cure. Only management.

Its been said no one knows what one will do in the face of combat or serious physical aggression. I did not hesitate, but the aftermath was much to take in. Shakes and some vomiting. But after a bit all was well. What you must manage to do is process information. I dream about things that I only heard about, but because I did other things they become mine as well. I can get irritated or agitated over the smallest things. This is what I have to live with everyday. But through farming and prepping I keep myself sharp. 

If you do not have hobbies now I strongly suggest you get one or three. I hated to fish until recently. I never worked with clay until recently, I love it. The point is get something in your life you enjoy. When the SHTF and you do something you don't want to own....find a release. 

If you have been there then you know, if you haven't then God forbid you ever have to. Anyone wants to PM you are more than welcome. It acuatally helps me to help you


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## TG (Jul 28, 2014)

Thanks so much for this, Mike.
I went through very dark times after I gave birth to my first daughter and a lot worse after my second one. What saved me both times was to offer free outdoor fitness classes to single moms in my area, I find that exercise and helping people raises me up mentally but if I slow down and take a break, I'm in that dark place again unfortunately, so working out is my thing or I'm lost.

PS.. Of'course, very different than your experience


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## Jeep (Aug 5, 2014)

Not so much as you might think. Its all mental. Its what you do with the dark times. Either get Evil or get calm. Why I said process info. Set and think. Is this really that important or that bad? Probably not. So you go one step at a time


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## TG (Jul 28, 2014)

I was prescribed all kinds of drugs but exercise seems to work so well without the terrifying side-effects. Logic helped, just as you describe.


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## Jeep (Aug 5, 2014)

This is for everyone to chime in on. But What I realized was I got super pissed off at nothing. I was irritated from the second I opened my eyes in the morning. I was fine at work...for the most part. But there were always customers. How I want to relate this to SHTF is what you do with yourself if you should have to kill, maim or even threaten someone. You yourself or a close member may have to do something unthinkable now, but it is not unthinkable it is reality. How to get through it all, and there won't be Oprah and Dr. Phil to talk to. Hobbies and activities are the way. Keep your mind occupied What I had to do during my stay was talk with my fellow Cohorts, and write down specific events, till it was just common place. Hearing their stories and sharing mine, which I will later was key to let me get some room to think and live again.

I use the forum to learn, to share and to be a smart ass when I see an opportunity. But I can share here and not feel shunned or Alienated


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

My dad had issues after spending his youth as a marine in the Solomon Islands. My Uncle (Mom's brother) knew my dad since 5th grade and had fought the Germans in France and Germany. He said my father was down right scary when he first came back. He get pissed off in a bar and pull a knife or shove a 45 in some ones face and say "Now tell me about it" . He had always been a tough guy but PTSD put him off the charts with anger and aggression. Back then there wasn't any real help. Meeting my mother is what changed him. Until the day he died he still had problems with all the topical diseases he had contracted. He generally had a short fuse but I always knew him to get over things in about 15 minutes. 

Sorry to hear about what your going through Jeep and TG. I know your not the first or last people that will face this. Hang in there. It is possible to manage. I do not think it ever completely goes away.


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## Jeep (Aug 5, 2014)

Yeah Camel, its nothing to be sorry for, and no it never goes away. Thats what I am here for now. To share what it does. I think we will have several million people who will deal with it sooner or later. I will tell you what the experts won't. Education does not equal intelligence or experience.


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## Jeep (Aug 5, 2014)

I remember the first time I knew, and I mean I knew I was expendable. I heard part of the conversation first hand, from the college educated Idiot that was my Commanding Officer.
" Why do they want to do all that all they are going to do is arrest the guy". Hmmm a man wanted by the Hague, on the run for years, what danger could he be. Me and a man I will call JDK went in without helmets or our rifles, which did work out. We had to snatch and grab a guy, both of us were cops stateside, both very experienced, we decided that we could be faster this way. Plus we were put into a potential crossfire from his personal security. We were looking at getting shot by both sides. I wanted to ditch my body armor but the line was drawn at that. We got the SOB, we got his bodyguards all was well. When I look back, I am glad it went the way it did, but I will not forget the words. And I am sorry to any officers on here but I had little respect for my command


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

Just because your an officer or in charge does not make you a leader or intelligent. Arrogance and stupidity will get your people killed at worst, your mission will fail at best.


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