[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text el_class=\u201dreadmore\u201d]There was a time when I was diagnosed with PTSD, which stemmed from military service. The mental illness took a toll on my life and health. I went through two divorces.<\/p>\n

My passion for running and healthy living just stopped. I gained a lot of weight. I became pre-diabetic, and my blood pressure was very high. I became a different person.<\/p>\n

I felt like a monster. I stopped taking care of myself, which caused even more damage. I felt ugly and scary all over, inside, and out.<\/p>\n

However, I did bounce back and regained my health and well-being. And today, I want to let other sufferers of (PTSD) know they are not alone. And that there are hope and healing power of telling my trauma story.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=\u201d2\/3\u2033][vc_custom_heading text=\u201dFrom Where & How It All Started\u201d use_theme_fonts=\u201dyes\u201d][vc_column_text]During my first marriage, I was deployed to Iraq.<\/p>\n

While over there, I found out that my husband had a girlfriend and spent my money. I was so broken. I went home for a while to try to sort affairs out, but it turned out to be a mess as well.<\/p>\n

I could not believe someone who said he loved me would do this to me. This was so traumatizing for me. The marriage ended up in a divorce. This hardship, along with the ugliness of war, took its toll on me.<\/p>\n

This was when my PTSD started creeping into my life. I had no clue I was under attack by this life-threatening mental illness. I thought I was happy and found happiness and got married again.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=\u201d1\/3\u2033][vc_single_image image=\u201d280\u2033 img_size=\u201dlarge\u201d alignment=\u201dcenter\u201d][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=\u201d1\/3\u2033][vc_single_image image=\u201d279\u2033 img_size=\u201dlarge\u201d alignment=\u201dcenter\u201d][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=\u201d2\/3\u2033][vc_custom_heading text=\u201dThe Suffering Continues\u201d use_theme_fonts=\u201dyes\u201d][vc_column_text]I had married again, but I was still struggling with my PTSD. This, unfortunately, ended my second marriage. My husband just could not understand the hardships of having a relationship with someone diagnosed with PTSD.<\/p>\n

He had enough, and my damaged mental state ran him out. This was so devastating for me. I felt like a total failure. I said to myself that I could not even hold up a marriage. This added more fuel to the fire burning within me.<\/p>\n

My PTSD manifested slowly over time, and I wasn\u2019t aware of how much I was changing. People had to tell me that something was not right with me. My patience in everyday life grew shorter and shorter.<\/p>\n

I got so frustrated over things when they did not work out or go my way. I thought everyone<\/strong> was out to get me. I felt attacked every day. I honestly believed my life was cursed because of the things I had done.<\/p>\n

I thought GOD is punishing me for joining the Army, going to war, having an abortion, and my sinful nature. Every person around me became an enemy and irritable to me. I ended up hating people.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=\u201d2\/3\u2033][vc_custom_heading text=\u201dThe Situation Got Even Worse\u201d use_theme_fonts=\u201dyes\u201d][vc_column_text]After my condition worsened, I shut out everyone, including my family and friends. I made death threats to certain family members and friends. To avoid going to jail, I was forced to attend an anger management class. The class only seemed to make me angrier, to be honest.<\/p>\n

I thought about how I could die by suicide. I thought about it every day and often. I closed myself inside my home and did not want to leave, ever. I didn\u2019t want to see a human.<\/p>\n

I became physically sick due to my mental state and developed disabling migraines. I felt that no one cared about me. I felt left out since most family and friends thought I was crazy.<\/p>\n

I was so angry that no one understood me and tried to help me. I felt so very alone. I felt that reaching out for help was a weakness. I felt ashamed and scared. I didn\u2019t know where to start, where I can go for help.<\/p>\n

I felt so hopeless and helpless that no one was able to help me. I felt the whole world was against me, so why even get help.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=\u201d1\/3\u2033][vc_single_image image=\u201d278\u2033 img_size=\u201dlarge\u201d alignment=\u201dcenter\u201d][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=\u201d1\/3\u2033][vc_single_image image=\u201d281\u2033 img_size=\u201dlarge\u201d alignment=\u201dcenter\u201d][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=\u201d2\/3\u2033][vc_custom_heading text=\u201dAfter Constant Pain, Things Begin To Change\u201d use_theme_fonts=\u201dyes\u201d][vc_column_text]As a Veteran, I heard about maybe being able to use the VA.<\/p>\n

I knew very little about the VA. I usually only heard horror stories about going to the VA. I did not trust going to the VA. One of my good friends, a Mental Health Provider, talked with me about getting evaluated for PTSD.<\/p>\n

The turning point for me was the unhealthy amount of weight I gained. I did not like the way I looked and felt. I was too young to have the health problems I was having.<\/p>\n

Also, it was the failed marriages and relationships I experienced. I was not a happy person, and it was like walking on eggshells. I finally got the courage to talk with a professional about PTSD. I started working on my own condition, I realized that the only way I can win over PTSD is by fighting back.<\/p>\n

My consistency, an itch for change, and my own betterments caused me to change and gather the scattered pieces of me that I had lost over the years to rebuild myself back.<\/p>\n

Moreover, with the help of many professionals and people who cared about me, I could get the help I needed to go on my recovery and healing journey.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m telling my story to you all because I don\u2019t want anyone to give up or lose hope. There\u2019s always a way. No matter how hard the circumstances may seem, it all gets better if you just don\u2019t give up.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=\u201dstretch_row\u201d css=\u201d.vc_custom_1605807586904{margin-top: 50px !important;padding-top: 50px !important;padding-bottom: 50px !important;background-image: url(http:\/\/shanandolan.demo.cydostaging.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/newsletter-bg.jpg?id=92) !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}\u201d][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=\u201d1\/3\u2033][vc_custom_heading text=\u201dA Guide To Introduction\u201d font_container=\u201dtag:h1|font_size:40|text_align:left\u201d use_theme_fonts=\u201dyes\u201d css=\u201d.vc_custom_1474982845553{margin-top: 0px !important;}\u201d][\/vc_column][vc_column width=\u201d1\/3\u2033][vc_custom_heading text=\u201dAcknowledgments\u201d font_container=\u201dtag:h3|text_align:left\u201d use_theme_fonts=\u201dyes\u201d css=\u201d.vc_custom_1474982713409{margin-top: 0px !important;}\u201d][vc_column_text css=\u201d.vc_custom_1474982742312{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}\u201d]In this case the set of sections that come before the body of the book are known as the front matter.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=\u201d1\/3\u2033][vc_custom_heading text=\u201dForewords\u201d font_container=\u201dtag:h3|text_align:left\u201d use_theme_fonts=\u201dyes\u201d css=\u201d.vc_custom_1474982727045{margin-top: 0px !important;}\u201d][vc_column_text css=\u201d.vc_custom_1474982770066{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}\u201d]When the book is divided into numbered chapters, by convention the introduction and any other front-matter sections are unnumbered.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=\u201d1\/3\u2033][\/vc_column][vc_column width=\u201d1\/3\u2033][vc_custom_heading text=\u201dAbstract\u201d font_container=\u201dtag:h3|text_align:left\u201d use_theme_fonts=\u201dyes\u201d css=\u201d.vc_custom_1474982783138{margin-top: 0px !important;}\u201d][vc_column_text css=\u201d.vc_custom_1474982794040{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}\u201d]Keeping the concept of the introduction the same, different documents have different styles to introduce the written text.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=\u201d1\/3\u2033][vc_custom_heading text=\u201dPreface\u201d font_container=\u201dtag:h3|text_align:left\u201d use_theme_fonts=\u201dyes\u201d css=\u201d.vc_custom_1474982802612{margin-top: 0px !important;}\u201d][vc_column_text css=\u201d.vc_custom_1474982816034{margin-bottom: 15px !important;}\u201d]If a Userguide is written, the introduction is about the product. In a report, the introduction gives a summary about the report contents.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=\u201d50px\u201d][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row css=\u201d.vc_custom_1605803070875{margin-top: -70px !important;}\u201d][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=\u201d1\/4\u2033 css=\u201d.vc_custom_1605650158515{background-color: #f2efef !important;}\u201d][vc_empty_space height=\u201d200px\u201d][vc_empty_space height=\u201d300px\u201d][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=\u201d3\/4\u2033][vc_empty_space height=\u201d150px\u201d][vc_column_text el_class=\u201dheading-bg\u201d] Regaining My Health & Well-being Tale Of Long. Term Consistency [\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text el_class=\u201dreadmore\u201d]There was a time when I was diagnosed with PTSD, which stemmed from military service. The mental illness took a toll on my life and health. I went through two divorces. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[]},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shanandolan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/154"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shanandolan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shanandolan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shanandolan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shanandolan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=154"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/shanandolan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/154\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":340,"href":"https:\/\/shanandolan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/154\/revisions\/340"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shanandolan.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}