AJ the Irish Lass' Ramblings

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The catalyst for me starting this blog category (which grew out of a Facebook page originally) was the loss of my veteran biological father, who struggled with PTSD and other issues during his life. There were certain things that needed to be said in regards to the struggles that many family members of veterans, as well as many others face, among them:

• Support options for family members trying to mitigate the effects of their loved one’s emotional issues or cope with grief complicated because of their departed loved one’s issues are somewhat limited, and sometimes come with issues of their own
• Nobody, not even the person living with PTSD themselves or unsupportive “family/friends”, can control your narrative – your struggles are unique from the struggles that your loved one faces
• Estranged family members or ex-spouses/partners of someone who struggles with substance abuse who decided they cannot remain in the person’s life for their own mental health or safety should not be “punished” for making a tough decision
• All support options are not a good fit for every circumstance – some are uncomfortable with in-person support, some prefer to avoid groups that don’t align with them politically or spiritually, others base their decisions on whether the group is a mix of people living with emotional health issues AND their families or families alone
• Families can face a variety of issues that may or may not overlap with their loved one’s mental/emotional health issues – these need to be acknowledged to help the families overcome struggles unique to their situation.

I hope to be able to keep blogging about issues that will be helpful to those impacted by mental health issues, and welcome suggestions both here and on the Facebook page. Please keep the following in mind:

• The Facebook presence for this blog is a PAGE, not a GROUP, so please bear in mind that comments posted there are public
• This is not a military-oriented blog, it is geared towards all coping with mental/emotional health issues in theirs or a loved one’s life, so any topics will cater to a mostly civilian POV
• A closed Facebook or Google support group may be an option at some point, please follow this blog or the Facebook page to receive news if/when this is a possibility

Content provided on this blog is only for informational purposes. The content here is not intended to be a substitute for diagnosis and treatment under a qualified, licensed mental health professional.