I am an Iraqi Freedon Veteran, I returned home before any of the new "killing spree's" started. I was there for the inital startup. When I came home my wife and family noticed that I was a completely different person. I now am angry all the time and constantly am in the "fight" mode. My doctor's at my local VA are attempting to help and I am seeking outside therapy with my wife but I still can not get control of myself. I know I am not the same, I did things over there I am not proud of and don't talk about to anyone but my VA doctors. I experience severe mood swings that are now negatively affecting my marriage and homelife. Why can't the VA doctor's or anyone else tell me answers and actually help with my conditions? All they want to do is keep me medicated and just ignore my problems. I want to know since I was in Kuwait for half of my tour and the all through Iraq, was I exposed to something that was left over from the first Gulf War and the military is just keeping secret about what we were exposed to?
I feel isolated from everyone because of my anger issues and have noticed a loss of motivation. I don't ever feel like doing anything. I could just care less. I notice that I am just going through the motions of life. I am totally messed up and need help before anything bad happens to me that someone should have picked up on since I have returned from "over there."
I have started working out to help but that just helps while I am there. Once I leave I enter back into my world of myself. I truly wish to regain and become the person I once was before I went to HELL!
Has anyone else experienced these problems?

Rooster, I haven't experienced anything that you have gone through, my heart goes out to you and your wife. Seems like the trauma of going to Iraq and trying to deal with the situation on a day to day basis has taken its toll on you; if there is something "in the air" from the first Gulf War and it's affecting you, then you and everyone else over there deserves to know about it. Or maybe it's just the effect of going somewhere to do a job, including killing people, while the politicos bicker about the reasons, that leaves you feeling like *****. Sorry, I can't help. However, as they say, recognizing that you have a problem is the first step, best of luck on resolving this; it isn't going to be quick or easy, I'll bet.

And Dr. Mario Alfonso is an illusion, as far as we can tell, haven't seen a post from him in the year or so I've been here; if you scroll back to other threads in this topic, you may see that he hasn't been here for quite a while.

Hope you find someone who can help.

Hi,
If you are another veteran has tried an alternative therapy to relieve PTSD, please contact me. I'm a writer for VFW Magazine and I'd like t o hear your story. Please respond to jarenofsky@cox.net by Tues. Dec. 5
Thanks

Rooster,

How are you progressing these days? Did you ever get real support? I am retired Navy and am really unhappy with the way returning vets are being treated by DoD. In many ways, it is worse than Vietnam. Then it was the public that let the Vets down, this time I am afraid it is DoD.

I am hoping that the outcry from the public will get Congress to act. How do you see it from where you stand?