Beyond Your Limits

EP25: “A Combat Vet Journey through PTSD with Steve Rosen

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Episode notes

"A Combat Vet Journey through PTSD," with Steve Rosen. Steve Rosen retired from a 20 year Army career in 2013 at the age of 40. He spent the next 6 years in Arizona blazing all kinds of professional trails as a fitness coach and aspiring professional speaker. In 2019, after fighting off childhood, combat, and violence related PTSD he had to sell his business and retire. He has spent the past three years facing his PTSD head on with the help of mental health professionals. His progress has slowly given him a new and fulfilling life. Steve now works part time as a fitness coach. He recently decided to convert his Ford Escape SUV into a tent on wheels. He enjoys both stealth and traditional camping. He’s been married 22 years and they are raising two amazing teenage sons.

2:30 because it is possible if you're dealing with it right now, whether you're military or not military, the thing that I came away with have come away with is that it's not about the military trauma is not about being a combat veteran trauma is about being human being experienced something.

4:32 when I was a kid, I don't know about you, but I was told you can't say anything about this. And so not only was I subconsciously knowing that I was shameful and dark, but I was also told hey, this is shameful and dark to be telling the body there's going to be event you think it's bad now wait to see the consequences of sharing this and looking back, I'm like, Oh my gosh, if I would have just snitched on who was doing whatever they were doing.

8:17 Because as chaotic as the army was it also gave me the structure that I absolutely needed to get me out of the stuff I was doing.

14:07 So wherever combat happens, doesn't make that place bad. It's just where it happens to be. So I rack to me, I look at it as just going through such a dark period. And such, just, you know, it's just so different over there. And you never forget how different it is.

20:49 And slowly, I just started to really become scared to live and decided that life is just too dangerous. And this is all unconscious, of course, you know, but I started slowing down my life.

44:05 know that's I think it's important to share the reason because death has always been part of my trauma. Which is why I'm obsessed and I find myself obsessed with the concept of death. Not wanting it but also seeing it as an eventual way, way way down the road relief, but not now. Hell no, I want to keep going. And I and even though it hurts, and it's scary, and I have panic attacks, and I sweat and I get, you know, scared. I'm alive.