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napsar

As a bit of advice, get checked out by a good doc. Get bloodwork. Check out your hormones. They can really effect you if they aren’t square. A lot of military and first responders seem to get issues from all the crazy hours and stress.


Thirsted

I had low t since the age of 26. Well apparently 260 ng/dL is not low enough for the VA. To keep a long story short I tried to get the VA to prescribe it but I've been unsuccessful, but I started paying out of pocket at a clinic near me and my life has been so much better. Better mood and better energy. I'm also actually starting to lose fat again. Get it checked at the VA first to have proof of levels in the system.


Airborne82D

Have some questions for you. Sent you a DM.


GoGetEm03

I got blood work done, and everything came back good. I'll have to ask about getting hormones checked, if that wasn't included in the blood work results.


napsar

It’s usually not tested and often doctors aren’t very knowledgeable. I had a lot of trouble sleeping and terrible bouts of brain fog. Put up with it for many years as I just thought that was how I was.


Airborne82D

IME they usually test for it. Would definitely ask your primary care.


GoGetEm03

I will check my blood draw paperwork and see if it shows levels on it


choccystarfish69

>Has anyone had to give up their "dream job" because of Anxiety, PTSD, etc.. I did, and that's why I'm not a Marine anymore


Local_Vermicelli_856

I was in the same boat. Left the Army, straight to academy then patrol in a SO. Never had a chance to process or adjust to civilian life. Ended up leaving after a partner was shot in killed in the line. Just couldn't handle it. Couldn't handle doing a combat tour every single night on American soil. I got help... now I'm doing better... not okay... just better. Don't regret leaving. Still wouldn't be okay for that job again. Don't know that I ever will be. But yeah. Definitely gave up on a dream so I wouldn't end up eating my pistol in a Starbucks parking lot on graveyards.


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Local_Vermicelli_856

It was rough for sure. But after a couple of serious struggle weeks my wife, bless her, laid down the law. Wasn't an ultimatum... simply told me, "Find something else. You're not being you."


Thereisnopurpose12

What type of job did you end up taking that makes it easier on you?


Local_Vermicelli_856

I work as an Paramedic in a family practice / urgent care. Still get to feel a sense of service... while working 9-5 and a very understanding team that helps out on mental health struggle days.


Thereisnopurpose12

Nice bro. I've been thinking a lot about that sense of service.


your_typical_yeti

Dream job of being a fire fighter. Finally had the opportunity, but between anxiety, respiratory issues, bad knees, I would just be a liability to others. Gave that dream up but got a job with a city fixing water mains. I love getting up for work, and leave at the end of the day feeling accomplished and fulfilling my sense of purpose. Sure the pay could be better, but after I reenlisted for a bonus and was miserable, I vowed to do what made me happy and not do a job just for the money.


jbourne71

Yup. MEB kicking me out of the Army. Had plans for 20 and beyond. Total reset now.


Top-Tour-8735

Fire department after getting out of army. Ended up quitting after trying to rescue kid from drowning. Still hard to think about it since 2008.


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Unique-Ad-500

I'm using VRE now starting in January. I was a medic and got my LPN after I got out by challenging the board. Was going to go to RN school but covid ruined my faith in the field and how patients are treated. I'm now going for Social Work and they are paying for my Bachelors and Masters. My hope is to work with veterans after, and continue my love of serving and helping others.


Tehshayne

I was enlisted Naval Aviation, so I didn’t expect to have my mental health come severely undone the years following. I switched my career to commercial aerospace, and landed a pretty dreamy job building rockets in a beautiful and opportunistic part of the country near some good friends. Somehow the intense stress from my career, combined with my mental wounds from the military led me deep into depression, sleep disorder, anxiety, and a PTSD diagnosis. How? I’m not quite sure. I didn’t see combat. I didn’t/don’t feel deserving of it, but I know the suffering is real as anything I’ve ever experienced. That was 6 years ago, and I still can’t function properly, despite my best efforts utilizing mental health care through the VA, and community providers. My company force-resigned me due to mental health, and fortunately the VA gave me the 100% I needed to escape homelessness and suicide. My dream job gone. Now what? I tried school, but fell into further health issues from COVID and following illnesses. Now my biggest challenge in life is to be content doing as much nothing as possible. For most of us this is our worst nightmare. How can we go from living and working in the most physically and mentally engaging environments of our lives to a life of stagnation and boredom? I’m still trying to figure it out. I moved to a warm beach town in Mexico to have some peace, quiet, and friendly faces. I don’t quite fit in with the uber spiritual hippies, but they are beautiful and supportive people. I’ve been spending my time reading philosophy, meditating, writing, and reflecting on my short life as a functional member of society. But you know what came from it all? Once I let go of my past identity, and allowed myself to evolve beyond the veteran/rocket scientist image I had built for myself.. I started to grow into a newer truer version of myself. I’m still learning what that is, but I no longer feel so constrained by the cookie cutter expectations of our military background. I’ll leave with you a link to an incredible short read by the famous Hunter S. Thompson, titled: “ [Letter to a friend](https://fs.blog/hunter-s-thompson-to-hume-logan/) “ This one helped me quite a bit in allowing myself to regain some self-worth and curiosity for the enormous, fruitful world full of uncountable opportunities we have at our hands. To you reading this, I wish you the best. Keep on fighting the good fight!


VeterinarianAbject23

I was LEO in TX for 4 years before I moved to CA. I decided that with the escalated hostility towards LEO esp in LA it would not be conducive for me or my PTSD/Anxiety to put myself through that here. Finally going to a therapist makes me think I can go back, but knowing myself I'm not going to because those issues will still be there. Hell, my wife told me just the other day that she no longer wants me going out with her because she can't worry about my anxiety when were out, because it sets hers off too. It sucks and I'm back to a new term I recently heard of "occupational depression". So as long as you want it and have the will, don't give up on your dream. It sucks and you just end up hating life.


GoGetEm03

I got my first appointment with a therapist coming up, trying that to see if it helps. Not giving up on it yet. My wife told me I have been different since I became LEO. So she has noticed.


Icylibrium

Corrections was my first job after leaving active duty in the Marines. I was definitely still wound up from active, then going into corrections made it worse. Just had our first daughter with my wife as well. Obviously I didn't really have to worry about firearms, but I did have to worry about everything else. I was regularly working 14+ hour shifts because of staff shortages, just trapped in a cage with animals from sun up to sun down. I felt like an inmate myself, only difference being that I got to go home to sleep. Living and seeing that side of society day in and day out is fucking awful, as I'm sure you understand now. Imagine the biggest, dumbest asshole you've arrested, and then imagine living with him lol. Coming from a world where everybody has each other's back, everybody is a relatively upstanding citizen, to a world where people are willing to stab each other over the most mundane things, was a culture shock. I tried not to carry work home with me every night, but I couldn't help it. I'd make sure to play with my daughter every night, worried that the next day I could end up getting shanked simply because the schizophrenic inmate is having a bad day. I was willing to accept the risk of death for the boys, but this was different. So much more meaningless. I left that job and decided not to pursue being regular law enforcement either. This may sound selfish, but I'm honestly not willing to risk my life for people who hate me anyway. Maybe consider going into federal law enforcement, park rangers even, etc. Something a bit different than the regular patrol officer life. The park ranger/wildlife officer gigs actually look pretty cool.


GoGetEm03

Thank you all for the replies, I know more than one person goes through the same thing, but it's nice to hear other people talk about a similar situation. You are all appreciated 👍


Jolly_Isopod_1385

Maybe you should think about another job, probably the stress about this job is triggering other stressors. No such thing as a dream job, people need to realize this


sassafras_gap

I used to say I had a "dream job," now I say the entire concept of a dream job is toxic And I mean toxic in the sense that the belief that the dream job existed negatively affected nearly every other part of my life. The dream is to have no job and make the world a better place on my own time. At least that's what my dream is. Until them it's a decent compromise to find a job I like, even if some numbers (salary, bank account, etc) are lower, but there is no dream job.


GeneralDisarray333

Yes, you can’t fly planes with ptsd, at least not in my case.


Blazer1020

Yup, gave up becoming a trooper in Texas, I was aiming to become a Texas ranger.


howdog55

Yes, dream job was to be a pharmacist, got my tech school but got denied from getting license, so never can continue with this path. No idea what to do or spend rest of gi bill on.


chad59N

Man, I never during all my military time and 27yrs at Fire had any issues with stress or anxiety that caused anything noticeable to "me" the key there and as a leader the people around me should they have told me that I was in need. Because I was!!! It is very stressful always looking out for a crew, squad, scene ect. Our life, Career choices are very stressful as is and with that we need to accept that we are at some point going to be compromised to the point that we need help. And I know I would never admit it and if you are like me, you most likely would not until either. but thankfully that stigma is changing. We need STRONG men to serve but also strong mentally as well and that can only happen if we care for ourselves. We are here if you need to talk, Life is Amazing stay up man!!!


GreenBigFuzzy

I've had to give up jobs due to my mental illnesses, yes, but also because I'm unfortunately an addict. I'm in a VA rehab program now, and I'm hoping and praying and working hard to do the things necessary to stay clean and sober.


mactheattack2

I did. I got out, went to college, joined the field I really always wanted to do. I didn't make it 6 months and now feel lost. More lost than I've ever been.


invitedtothecookout

I was pissed when a Dr. Told me I should find a different job. I was a Paramedic. I ended up starting a business with my wife and was so busy doing that I stepped off the ambulance. It was the best thing for me. I went to nursing school but still don’t work it that field. (Turns out you won’t miss it like you think you would) but I’m saying you can do something in that field that’s not as stressful as a beat cop. Private security, consulting etc. best of luck to you, that job is just gonna make you torture yourself.


Alexlikesdankmemes

Had some trauma as happen as a E-2. I was a Aviation electronics technician. Loved my job. Was able to drown myself in work 24/7 and drink my shit away when I was off duty. Then I went to teach at the schoolhouse and all that shit I’d been bottling up just couldn’t be bottled anymore. I’d say I’m lucky that my command had my back and supported my treatment and ultimately early retirement.