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predictable for a normal human being that has seen and been in envirnments such as you. It is characterized by a sense of still being in danger (even though logically you know you are not), hypervigillance, heightened startle response, reliving certain events, difficulty sleeping, excessive responses to previously safe or neutral events (your wife putting her hand on you, a loud noise, etc.), depression, and other symptoms that some people have and others don't. For some soldiers, it simply slowly goes away in time, ie. you become (to as much a degree as possible) the guy you were before. My personal (and professional) advice is if after 6 months back (when you return for good), you aren't pretty much back to your prior functioning, talk to someone, either at the VA or a good professional that specializes in PTSD. I work with alot of Police Officers with similar symptoms, and it is totally treatable, and in fact may simply dissapate in time...but don't do the macho thing and ignore lingering symptoms. Take good care of yourself, Mark
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03:07:04 10/23/05
