After growing up in a military family and being inspired by the 1960’s television shows and movies about life in the military, Bob Bach knew he was destined to serve his country.  After graduating high school, Bob enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. At the tender age of 17, he began to learn the true colors of war, the emotional impact it would have on his life, and how it differed from what was portrayed in movies. Bob served 10 months in deployed overseas during one of the gruesomest wars our country has faced - the Vietnam War - before returning back to civilian life with an honorable discharge.

Bob joins me again today to share his journey of seeking help and finding resources to address his combat-related PTSD symptoms. He discusses how numbing his emotions after returning home and re-entering civilian life impacted his relationships with his wife, children, and loved ones. He discusses his experience with alcohol abuse, how it added to the distress he was already experiencing after returning home, and how he finally found the help he needed to address his emotions and painful thoughts. Bob also explains why it’s important for veterans and their families to understand that the feelings and emotions they’re experiencing when transitioning from military life to civilian life are normal and why it’s crucial for veterans to ask for help and seeking treatment so they can rebuild a normal, healthy life.

“War, by any number of definitions, is insanity. But where we might trip ourselves up is by thinking that we should apply some notion of normalcy to something that’s insane.” - Bob Bach

This week on the Stigma Free Vet Zone Podcast:

The challenges Bob experienced with finding resources and services to help with combat-related PTSDKeeping up the facade that warriors do not have weaknessesHow the coping strategy of numbing his emotions that helped Bob survive the Vietnam War later became detrimental to his relationships with his children and loved onesTurning to external substances, such as alcohol abuse, to numb the painFinding the support he needed to get his life and relationship back on track and reconnect with his familyUnderstanding your thoughts, feelings, and reactions are normal after experiencing trauma while serving your countryCommon reactions and responses to traumatic experiencesThe difference between guilt and shame and why Bob believes the feelings of “survivor’s guilt” are really feelings of ‘survivor’s shame’The role of love, nature, and spirituality in the healing process and transitioning back to civilian lifeThe importance of reaching out, asking for help, and seeking counseling and/or treatment

Resources Mentioned:

Veterans Affairs Vet Center

Helping Veterans & Their Families Transition to Civilian Life

Thanks for tuning into this segment of the Stigma Free Vet Zone podcast, the show dedicated to helping veterans and their families make the transition from the military to civilian life and culture. If you enjoyed this episode, please head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe to the show and leave a review. For more stories, insight, and resources on coping with military-related trauma and PTSD, visit our website and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn. Don’t forget to share your favorite episodes across social media to help us raise awareness and help our brothers and sisters and their families transition to civilian life.