Explorer I
First off, many thanks to the admin (Michael, maybe?) who put this section in place here at OB. I logged on the other day and saw it for the first time and it made me smile. I know it's something that was previously discussed and it was great seeing it happened.
With that said- I hope it's ok if I speak here about something near and dear to my heart. I am a retired Police Officer who left Law Enforcement due to an on-duty injury after 15 years of service. I've also been a "Jeeper" and outdoors enthusiast my entire life. In fact, my Dad drove my Mom to the hospital when she was in labor in his patrol car, and took me home from the hospital in his CJ-6 due to a snow storm the day I was born. You could say I had Police work and off-roading in my life from day one. A second generation copper and second generation Jeeper.
In 2017, I was given a diagnosis of acute PTSD. Apparently, having bullets whiz past your head, seeing a couple hundred dead bodies and watching people die in front of you...sometimes in your arms, all without talking these things through with anyone isn't a good thing. The "ego" of being a First Responder is kind of a real thing. We don't admit pain or emotion well. We push things down and we push forward with whatever our mission is. It's a good thing and a bad thing all at once. It allows us to charge into situations many would run from and see/deal with things most people shouldn't ever have to see or do. It's sometimes called the "Warrior Mindset" It also means we do not share our worries/troubles/emotions/feelings easily with others. This can lead to us experiencing social anxiety, familial withdrawal and even anger issues at times. Personally, It damaged my marriage and my relationship with my daughters. It alienated me from friends and family. Jeeping/Overlanding/camping were always part of who I am, but their importance in my life became far more apparent. I found myself camping a lot more. I found myself on more solo journeys. In many ways, overlanding saved my life. Trip planning gives focus. The day-dreaming of being out in nature soothes the soul, and the trips are like recharging a depleted battery...
I guess the point of this post is to acknowledge my fellow overlanding brothers and sisters who are forced to deal with this same diagnosis. Many of us (too many) silently deal with this every single day.
The secondary point of this post is to speak to our wonderful overlanding/off-roading friends and family; a request of sorts... If you come across a fellow overlander who might not be super talkative, or one who does not seem all that enthusiastic to open up....please take a moment and look at their entire rig and at their entire person:
Are they alone?
Are they maybe quieter than other OB members or overlanders you've met off grid or on trail?
Is there a service branch decal on their rig?
An EMS/Fire service cross?
A Blue Line decal?
Do they seem somewhat uneasy or awkward or maybe even nervous?
Are they possibly a bit more "alpha" and talking a bit more aggressively than other overlanders you've met?
If so, chances are you've met someone who struggles with the inner demons of PTSD. It affects everyone differently and presents its ugly face in a myriad of different ways. Some get quiet. Some get louder. Chances are- you are meeting them at a point where they are in true need of "escape" or alone time. Overlanding does this for me, and many others. It allows us to reset our hearts and minds. It might seem lonely, but for some of us- it's a HUGE step in getting out there and pushing ourselves. My advice? Give us a bit of room, please. We might not be as keen to camp right next to new-found friends. We might not immediately be comfortable sharing a camp meal with people we just met. We might be a little tight-lipped and apprehensive with you. We might constantly watch your hands. We might take a defensive stance (subconsciously) if we are approached unexpectedly while off grid. First off- do not take it personally!!! You've done NOTHING wrong. We are the ones sometimes with social issues. Just give us a bit more space. Look us in the eye and shake our hands. Don't write us off and look for the first exit- just give us a few. We love overlanding for the community/comradery just like you, it just might take us a bit longer to come around.
The point of this post isn't to look for kudos or to "celebrate" PTSD. It's a rather crappy diagnosis to deal with, but it's something that doesn't get discussed much. The point is to talk about something that is typically not discussed with others. As you can probably tell- the off-roading world has a huge number of warrior-minded individuals, many of which have served in some capacity or another. As such, there are a lot of us out there on the trails. I hope that openly discussing this can maybe shed some light on things and open a few eyes, maybe.
I am not a medical professional, by the way. I have no PhD in this. I am simply one of countless others whose life experiences have culminated into this disorder. And rather than hold silent, I would rather advocate for my brothers and sisters who suffer in their silence.
So many of us end up facing suicidal thoughts. And to those I say this: you are NOT broken. There ARE others who get it...who understand. This disorder does NOT define you.
To all: please remember these three digits: 988. Just like "911" 988 is a simple three digit national phone number you can use if you find yourself in those dark moments. Those moments where your mind replays those events over and over and over.... Don't be another statistic. You are MORE than that.
Sorry for the soapbox/rant, everyone. I just had this feeling that someone here needed to know that they are not alone.
God bless,
Chris
With that said- I hope it's ok if I speak here about something near and dear to my heart. I am a retired Police Officer who left Law Enforcement due to an on-duty injury after 15 years of service. I've also been a "Jeeper" and outdoors enthusiast my entire life. In fact, my Dad drove my Mom to the hospital when she was in labor in his patrol car, and took me home from the hospital in his CJ-6 due to a snow storm the day I was born. You could say I had Police work and off-roading in my life from day one. A second generation copper and second generation Jeeper.
In 2017, I was given a diagnosis of acute PTSD. Apparently, having bullets whiz past your head, seeing a couple hundred dead bodies and watching people die in front of you...sometimes in your arms, all without talking these things through with anyone isn't a good thing. The "ego" of being a First Responder is kind of a real thing. We don't admit pain or emotion well. We push things down and we push forward with whatever our mission is. It's a good thing and a bad thing all at once. It allows us to charge into situations many would run from and see/deal with things most people shouldn't ever have to see or do. It's sometimes called the "Warrior Mindset" It also means we do not share our worries/troubles/emotions/feelings easily with others. This can lead to us experiencing social anxiety, familial withdrawal and even anger issues at times. Personally, It damaged my marriage and my relationship with my daughters. It alienated me from friends and family. Jeeping/Overlanding/camping were always part of who I am, but their importance in my life became far more apparent. I found myself camping a lot more. I found myself on more solo journeys. In many ways, overlanding saved my life. Trip planning gives focus. The day-dreaming of being out in nature soothes the soul, and the trips are like recharging a depleted battery...
I guess the point of this post is to acknowledge my fellow overlanding brothers and sisters who are forced to deal with this same diagnosis. Many of us (too many) silently deal with this every single day.
The secondary point of this post is to speak to our wonderful overlanding/off-roading friends and family; a request of sorts... If you come across a fellow overlander who might not be super talkative, or one who does not seem all that enthusiastic to open up....please take a moment and look at their entire rig and at their entire person:
Are they alone?
Are they maybe quieter than other OB members or overlanders you've met off grid or on trail?
Is there a service branch decal on their rig?
An EMS/Fire service cross?
A Blue Line decal?
Do they seem somewhat uneasy or awkward or maybe even nervous?
Are they possibly a bit more "alpha" and talking a bit more aggressively than other overlanders you've met?
If so, chances are you've met someone who struggles with the inner demons of PTSD. It affects everyone differently and presents its ugly face in a myriad of different ways. Some get quiet. Some get louder. Chances are- you are meeting them at a point where they are in true need of "escape" or alone time. Overlanding does this for me, and many others. It allows us to reset our hearts and minds. It might seem lonely, but for some of us- it's a HUGE step in getting out there and pushing ourselves. My advice? Give us a bit of room, please. We might not be as keen to camp right next to new-found friends. We might not immediately be comfortable sharing a camp meal with people we just met. We might be a little tight-lipped and apprehensive with you. We might constantly watch your hands. We might take a defensive stance (subconsciously) if we are approached unexpectedly while off grid. First off- do not take it personally!!! You've done NOTHING wrong. We are the ones sometimes with social issues. Just give us a bit more space. Look us in the eye and shake our hands. Don't write us off and look for the first exit- just give us a few. We love overlanding for the community/comradery just like you, it just might take us a bit longer to come around.
The point of this post isn't to look for kudos or to "celebrate" PTSD. It's a rather crappy diagnosis to deal with, but it's something that doesn't get discussed much. The point is to talk about something that is typically not discussed with others. As you can probably tell- the off-roading world has a huge number of warrior-minded individuals, many of which have served in some capacity or another. As such, there are a lot of us out there on the trails. I hope that openly discussing this can maybe shed some light on things and open a few eyes, maybe.
I am not a medical professional, by the way. I have no PhD in this. I am simply one of countless others whose life experiences have culminated into this disorder. And rather than hold silent, I would rather advocate for my brothers and sisters who suffer in their silence.
So many of us end up facing suicidal thoughts. And to those I say this: you are NOT broken. There ARE others who get it...who understand. This disorder does NOT define you.
To all: please remember these three digits: 988. Just like "911" 988 is a simple three digit national phone number you can use if you find yourself in those dark moments. Those moments where your mind replays those events over and over and over.... Don't be another statistic. You are MORE than that.
Sorry for the soapbox/rant, everyone. I just had this feeling that someone here needed to know that they are not alone.
God bless,
Chris
