AW Schade

"Most Impressive Ranking #39
Vietnam out of 2.41K stories" [Revised with 'Long overdue apology.." and "Not Alone" to tell the full story to help others overcome the stigma and loss from denying  PTSD:]

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     Sixty years have passed since my deployment as a combat Marine to Vietnam, yet only a handful of years have granted me the painful awareness of my inability to suppress the demons of PTSD alone. Like so many veterans, these "Demons" have relentlessly stalked me, manifesting as vivid nightmares, subtly altered personas, and deeply buried, often irrational fears. The weight of their presence is a constant, often suffocating pressure.

While some veterans manage to navigate the demons' onslaught with a semblance of success, millions more languish in destitution, trapped in needless solitude and agonizing social disconnection. Many silently condemn themselves as cowards, terrified of surrendering to the demons' relentless hold. Countless others exist in a state of perpetual denial, clinging fiercely to their warrior's pride, masking their pain with stoicism. The most vulnerable among us – those tormented by unbearable guilt and haunted by the feeling of utter loneliness – too often succumb to despair and choose to "end" their lives, in a tragic and irreversible act of surrender.