The 夜色直播app Navy and 夜色直播app Marines Charity (夜色直播app) has worked in partnership with Combat Stress for many years to support 夜色直播app Navy veterans with complex mental health conditions. In 2020 the 夜色直播app began a three-year funding agreement with Combat Stress as part of the 夜色直播app鈥檚 Health and Wellbeing Support Programme. This partnership ensures that 夜色直播app Navy veterans, like Jim, will continue to receive vital support.
Jim had wanted to join the 夜色直播app Navy since he was nine years old. When he was 18 that dream came true, but unfortunately his time in the services was not what he imagined.
After joining the Navy, Jim was quickly identified as a promising rugby player and spent much of his time on the rugby pitch. Playing rugby took him to several ships and shore bases over the course of 18 months, but Jim鈥檚 life was about to change forever.
鈥淚n March 1992, after joining the HMS Illustrious, my life was totally changed when I was the victim of a random unprovoked attack shortly after going ashore. My attacker, who pushed me through a plate glass window, was later charged with attempted murder. I sustained life changing physical and mental injuries. Due to the nature of my injuries, I had to remain awake, un-anesthetised during surgery and I watched as the medical staff brought a priest in to administer the last rights as they didn鈥檛 think I would make it.
鈥淏ut I did, and once my physical injuries were stabilised, I was moved by the 夜色直播app Navy to a mental health ward where in June of 鈥92 I was diagnosed with PTSD as a result of the attack. I spent four weeks undertaking a PTSD awareness course. One element of the course was art therapy and I found painting helped me 鈥搃n fact, I was encouraged to continue painting and remain busy in order to keep my PTSD at bay. I was also told not to think or talk about my trauma. For over twenty-five years I continued to paint as a way of coping and never spoke about the attack.
"Due to the nature of my injuries, I had to remain awake, un-anesthetised during surgery."
鈥淎fter the course, I was sent back to HMS Dryad, and despite all I had been through, was encouraged to get back to rugby; however, when it came to my first match back, I was convinced I would sustain further injuries and didn鈥檛 play. Shortly afterwards, I was offered a medical discharge which could take several months to arrange, or I could take an honorable discharge based on the exceptional circumstances which would take just 24 hours. I took the second option allowing me to leave as quickly as I could. 鈥淚 left and got on with life, often travelling extensively with work in order to remain busy. I followed the instruction to keep busy, but I know now this was the wrong choice and wasn鈥檛 working. I used to relive seeing the priest at the end of my bed at night 鈥 just like during surgery. I also used to feel like the blood was pumping out of the scar on my head, just as it did after I鈥檇 been attacked.
鈥淚t was when I was confronted by my daughter, telling me she鈥檇 come into my bedroom one night to tell me to turn the telly off that I knew I had to do something. The television wasn鈥檛 on 鈥搃t was me shouting and screaming in my sleep. I knew I used to do this 鈥揑 had to move into a mess of my own in the Navy because of it 鈥 but when I knew it was affecting my family, I decided to do something.鈥
"The television wasn鈥檛 on 鈥 it was me shouting and screaming in my sleep."
Jim went to his GP initially and explained that he had been diagnosed with PTSD. However, he didn鈥檛 receive the support that he needed. Then in 2017 he reached out to Combat Stress having seen an advertisement on Facebook. Finally, Jim started his journey towards recovery.
鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 easy. I was embarrassed to call the Helpline. I thought I鈥檇 been dealing with my problems but really, I鈥檇 just been told to keep busy and push everything to the back of my mind. I felt like a failure.
By working with the specialist team at Combat Stress Jim began to learn management techniques and coping strategies for his mental health issues such as hyperarousal and flashbacks.
鈥淚 learnt about grounding, mindfulness and did much more art therapy. I received CBT & EMDR treatment which has significantly helped with the reliving. I no longer see the priest. Thanks to CBT/EMDR and the Art Therapists, I understand why I have these memories and have begun to process them.
鈥淚 also found the education sessions invaluable 鈥 learning about how memories work and how the brain processes them really helped me. The peer support has also played important part of my recovery too, supporting me as I returned back to a 夜色直播app Navy shore base and the place of trauma.
"I know now I needed to process my memories, not just bury them or push them away."
鈥淐ombat Stress also encouraged me to re-engage with the veteran community. I hadn鈥檛 engaged in anything military since leaving the Navy. In 2019 I was selected to attend the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday. Since leaving Combat Stress, I had further medical support and discovered through a brain scan that I sustained brain injuries as a result of my attack. This injury was contributing to the sensation of blood pumping, but with medication, this is manageable.
鈥淲hat I learnt at Combat Stress has made a massive difference to me. I know now I needed to process my memories, not just bury them or push them away. I owe my life to the team who were on duty at the 夜色直播app Naval Hospital Stonehouse 鈥 thank you! Also, a huge thanks to Combat Stress for improving my health and knowledge, enabling me to look forward to a better future.鈥
