The black dog.

[marksman]

[mickb]

I had to google this to understand what the term is.

Was out of Australia for a long while in the 3/4 of the world that deals with problems the old fashioned away.

Seems similar to the latest popularity of PTSD( keeping in mind I did about 25 years miltary and 3rd world contracting combined) that its currently the 1st world soldiers who get it the most. The people living in that country get on with life for decades, meanwhile a 1st worlder falls apart from just 6 months there.

A lot of contractors who have the unique experience of working with different armies and peoples long term cant figure it out.

Two main theories -

1. Folks lives have now gotten so easy and convenient in the 1st world that harsh times stuff them up.
2. The drugs they put people on sends them whackier than they started.

Niether is anyones fault nor calling anyone weak. It just seems to be a sign of the times.

[TassieTiger]

Irony is that it affects the deeper thinkers more so than the blasé - look at history...Winston Churchill referred to his black dog constantly...Kathy Freeman...etc

And Mb - trust me when I say, thousands if not millions have been in the same boat as you, me included - “I just don’t get this bulldust depression s**t, harden up”....and then it hits you from no where...literally.
if your very, VERY lucky, your life may not be touched by it, but only those that have been through it, can truly understand it - words don’t come close.

[mickb]

Irony is that it affects the deeper thinkers more so than the blasé - look at history...Winston Churchill referred to his black dog constantly...Kathy Freeman...etc

And Mb - trust me when I say, thousands if not millions have been in the same boat as you, me included - “I just don’t get this bulldust depression s**t, harden up”....and then it hits you from no where...literally.
if your very, VERY lucky, your life may not be touched by it, but only those that have been through it, can truly understand it - words don’t come close.

Mate you probably got me wrong. I never said the problem doesn't exist.

I was pointing out the fact it seems to be a problem of our times, particularly in the 1st world.

My own opinion is I think our species went from thousand generations of fairly chaotic and difficult environments to relative peace and precision in the 1st world in just 2 generations....

I believe we are hard wired to thrive or resist certain difficulties and without them we develope many other issues. Much like a deep sea fish resists extreme pressure, bring it to the top it blows.

I also believe daily exercise or labouring was a big difference between 'before' and 'now' too. Studies show mental health is improved as much with exercise as with psychotropics. We have entire generations sitting on their butts with guts hanging over their belts for the first time in human history. This is not our natural state.

I will put my foot down opinion wise on one other thing. I dont like all the drugs folks are on since I got back. Psyche and non psyche drugs. I think Big Pharma is taking the population for a ride to be honest and GP's should be doing more of the old style holistic medicine and looking at factors like exercise levels, recreational drugs and again obesity( cant believe how damn fat aussies are now OMFG) rather than scribbling a prescription every 10 minutes...

[bigfellascott]

Hey Pete, hope you feel better soon mate, give someone you can trust the Keys to the safe mate. The Black dog can be very unpredictable, one minute you are ok the next you are thinking very dark things so hand em over until you are stable and more in control mate.

The local coppers SIL didn't and he's no longer around sadly (no one knew he was feeling the way he was apparently).

Trust me Pete give em to someone you can trust mate and the spares if you have em too.

Good luck with it all mate, I know how you feel, been there and happily I can say I made it through without any issues (had some tablets for a bit and don't need them anymore) I got rid of the problem (wife) now happier than I've ever been strangely enough.

[Oldbloke]

Trust me Pete give em to someone you can trust mate and the spares if you have em too.

.

+1

[wanneroo]

I think one of the issues with modern life is this meme around out there that you have to be UP all the time, but if there was no DOWN you would never appreciate the UP.

Someone who deals with the mind and people's mental state and belief system in my work, the mind actually wires itself in a positive or negative direction and it's down to you in it follows what you tell it to do. When negativity is constantly reinforced the mind makes poor neural connections and if it continues it gets worse and worse. A lot of times with people I work with and train, I've got to train their mind first before the task.

Certainly there are a lot of factors out there, chemical and hormone issues in your own body, health issues, injury, blue pill thinking and a disruption of a person's safe world theory, trauma, hanging on to past negative experiences, so on. I think a key part of it is identifying the issue and facing it head on.

The disabled vets I work with, the best results they have had is from exercise and nutrition programs, not from therapists or drugs.

[Oldbloke]

Yeh, swimming helped me. Although my issues were not serious. Still its the pits.

[mickb]

The disabled vets I work with, the best results they have had is from exercise and nutrition programs, not from therapists or drugs.

Agree 100% waneroo. The problem is Big pharma doesn't like the sound of it in Australia at least. The boys get loaded up to the eyeballs on psychotropics starting from anti-depressants to sedatives to anti-psychotics as soon as they report with any issues. Some of these drugs have worse symptoms than the disorder, the soldier ends up a basket case or on suicide watch and everyone passes the hot potato around not taking any responsibilty.

Soldiers already fight one battle, they shouldnt have to fight for their sanity at home under a cocktail of drugs pushed by greedy f***ing pharmacists and f***ing GP c*** with their 10 minute appointment treadmills.

Sorry just sick of it. Got half a dozen army mates on my facebook friends list at varying levels of breakdown right now including suicide watch. On the other hand none of the international contractors or even 3rd world people I worked with on my facebook list having anything like same issues.

makes zero sense, and I try to point it out to doctors, military advocates even RSL reps but everyone has their head up their ass or in Big pharmas pocket.

[marksman]

take good care of yourself Pete and watch out for bears

[Die Judicii]

Well I must be one of the lucky ones.
I suffered from it for years and didn't realize what it was. I thought the hopelessness and black clouds were normal.
It wasn't until I got treatment and the "right" medication that I found the sunshine again.

After my marriage vaporized and it got even worse I took the plunge and asked my Doc for help.
The first variety of pill did nothing.
The second variety worked,, and I've never looked back since.

LIFE is GREAT.

Like I said, I must be one of the lucky ones,,,,,, and I really feel for those that do or still suffer from it.

[TassieTiger]

Irony is that it affects the deeper thinkers more so than the blasé - look at history...Winston Churchill referred to his black dog constantly...Kathy Freeman...etc

And Mb - trust me when I say, thousands if not millions have been in the same boat as you, me included - “I just don’t get this bulldust depression s**t, harden up”....and then it hits you from no where...literally.
if your very, VERY lucky, your life may not be touched by it, but only those that have been through it, can truly understand it - words don’t come close.

Mate you probably got me wrong. I never said the problem doesn't exist.

I was pointing out the fact it seems to be a problem of our times, particularly in the 1st world.

My own opinion is I think our species went from thousand generations of fairly chaotic and difficult environments to relative peace and precision in the 1st world in just 2 generations....

I believe we are hard wired to thrive or resist certain difficulties and without them we develope many other issues. Much like a deep sea fish resists extreme pressure, bring it to the top it blows.

I also believe daily exercise or labouring was a big difference between 'before' and 'now' too. Studies show mental health is improved as much with exercise as with psychotropics. We have entire generations sitting on their butts with guts hanging over their belts for the first time in human history. This is not our natural state.

I will put my foot down opinion wise on one other thing. I dont like all the drugs folks are on since I got back. Psyche and non psyche drugs. I think Big Pharma is taking the population for a ride to be honest and GP's should be doing more of the old style holistic medicine and looking at factors like exercise levels, recreational drugs and again obesity( cant believe how damn fat aussies are now OMFG) rather than scribbling a prescription every 10 minutes...

Apologies mate - I did read your response wrong and thought you were just saying ppl should get over it and harden up...I was once in that camp and its a bit of an old school hang over. Ironically, as you say, exercise and getting out and doing things has been proven to help many, so there may be some merit in that statement regardless - at least to a small percentage of sufferers.
Cheers TT

[Hunter257]

Ironically, as you say, exercise and getting out and doing things has been proven to help many, so there may be some merit in that statement regardless - at least to a small percentage of sufferers.
Cheers TT

What helped me was buying a gun and going out shooting - go figure, but it got me off my arse, out and about and feeling the sunshine again

[bladeracer]

Ironically, as you say, exercise and getting out and doing things has been proven to help many, so there may be some merit in that statement regardless - at least to a small percentage of sufferers.
Cheers TT

What helped me was buying a gun and going out shooting - go figure, but it got me off my arse, out and about and feeling the sunshine again

I think a huge help for me was Rose pushing me to get back on the race track. Trying to drag me out of bed to do so was a heartbreaking failure for her many times though.

[Tank]

Bloke. In all sincerity and with some urgency....get some quality professional help.
I suffered with PTSD and through counselling gained the tools to deal with the associated depression and anxiety.
Sorry you’re having to go through this time.
Thanks for having the courage to reach out.
It does get better and you’ve taken the right steps here.
Good luck digger.

[mickb]

I think part of the problem having returned to suburban life after so long away, is that everyone is acting like dicks these days. I couldn't believe how smart ass workplaces have gotten. Very loose language between people, disguided as jokes and pisstakes, but words can hurt. Its like the smartass or rude brat d**khead has become the alpha-male. You see one kid running his mouth and he ruins the mood of the whole workplace -and he is untouchable. A lot of comments I see people making would earn you a quick smack in the mouth in the 80's.

I'm glad I am semi-retired to be honest and dont have to put up with it. Bloody amazed at what happened to Australia when I was gone. Can't speak your mind now, apparently emotions beat facts, fantasy genders have become science and everyone acting like highschool kids at work. Even the people they interview on the news sound like the dumbest person they could find in the street lol. What the hell happened to conservative articulate aussies?

No wonder folks are getting depressed and anxious, someone re-arranged society on you.

[Tank]

I think part of the problem having returned to suburban life after so long away, is that everyone is acting like dicks these days. I couldn't believe how smart ass workplaces have gotten. Very loose language between people, disguided as jokes and pisstakes, but words can hurt. Its like the smartass or rude d**khead has become the alpha-male. You see one guy running his mouth and he ruins the mood of the whole workplace -and he is untouchable. A lot of comments I see people making would earn you a quick smack in the mouth in the 80's.

I'm glad I am semi-retired to be honest and dont have to put up with it. Bloody amazed at what happened to Australia when I was gone. Can't speak your mind now, apparently emotions beat facts, fantasy genders have become science and everyone acting like highschool kids at work. Even the people they interview on the news sound like the dumbest person they could find in the street lol. What the hell happened to conservative articulate aussies?

No wonder folks are getting depressed and anxious, someone re-arranged society on you.

+1

[gunnnie]

It isn't something you can just take a panadol for!

I had a few years of feeling like I was staring down a spiral tunnel with a black abyss at the end. I'd been pushing myself with training to get to where I wanted to be professionally. It was burning me out emotionally, mentally & physically. Add in a really rough patch in my marriage & looking back at it now, I was just an automaton & detached from myself & family. I believed that self-obsession with that drive was the only answer. I ignored my family & friends, let alone my own responsibility as a human being in life.

It all came to a head while I was dealing with an Improvised Explosive Device in The Mirad Valley, Uruzgan province, Afghanistan. For some reason that I still cannot explain, I thought that if I just do 'this' instead of what my training & experience dictated I had to do, all my problems would be solved. I'd be gone, my wife & son would be looked after, my failures as a husband & father would no longer be so painful. One simple thing on my part & the 5kg improvised charge sitting just 18" away from my face, would provide the solution I'd been agonising over subconsciously for almost 2yrs.

That was almost 9yrs ago. Looking back on it I still don't know what made me stop. But I clearly remember a moment of stillness, clarity of mind & an overwhelming feeling of peace.

f***, this topic has brought feelings, emotions & memories screaming back to the fore. I'm sitting here typing this, tears streaming down my cheeks, heart racing, but thankful. Thankful that another 'option' or better said, realisation, occurred lying there in the water & mud of an irrigation ditch in that ****** of a place. I'm thankful for life, for my wife, family & friends. I sought help when I got home, it helped & gave me coping strategies. But most importantly, another doorway to go to when all others seemed closed. A doorway to help!

We are human, we are fragile, we are not indestructible. We need to seek help whenever the 'black dog' comes calling.