About me
Please see below the reason behind the charity and why this is something we are so passionate about.
Hi, my name is Rebecca and I have decided to set up this organisation in order to spread awareness of PTSD symptoms and to set up a support network for families. From personal experience, I realise how difficult and lonely it can be at times when living with someone with a mental illness. I have set out to help with the difficulties that comes along with PTSD such as self-isolation, anxiety and stress, not only for the people diagnosed but also the families.
“I have a BSc (Hons) degree in Public Sociology and past experience volunteering for charities. I moved down to Devon in 2018 in order to be closer to my husband who is currently serving in the Royal Marines. As a newly wed couple we thought it was important to spend more time as a family. It wasn’t until we went from seeing each other 2 days a week to 7 days a week that I realised my husband wasn’t the man he used to be. He had become “on edge” and wanted to spend his spare time at home. It was difficult to get him to join me in Family gatherings or to go out for drinks with our friends. His anger went from 0-100 in the space of a few seconds if something wasn’t going his way or, for example, he had misplaced something. He started cutting people out of his life and lived with the motto “people only get once chance with me”. This went on for many, many years until one day we were casually watching Ted Talks on YouTube and a lady started listing her husbands odd behavioural changes. We were laughing saying how similar this sounded. It ended with her saying “now these are the signs of PTSD!”. In that instant, myself and my husband looked at each other in utter awe. How did we not put two and two together and realise this ourselves? How had we been so accepting of his complete change in personality? A once happy-go-lucky, life and soul of the party no longer wanted to leave the house and we acted like it was normal.
When I used to think of PTSD I would imagine what was portrayed in movies – total lack of control of ones temper and physical abuse of loved ones. I was unaware of all of the other side effects that come with this illness. If only I (we) knew then what we know now. My husband could have started his recovery journey sooner and had a much higher chance at recovery. The problem that it has taken so long to get a diagnosis, it has now become a norm to him and his brain has developed a whole new set of habits that will be harder to change.
It will be a long, difficult journey for us both but we have faith that better days will come and my husband will have a thirst for life like he used to. He will realise that he is not alone and there is indeed light at the end of the tunnel.”
Thank you for taking the time to read our personal story, I hope it has made it more clear as to why we are so passionate about this cause.
If you think you or a loved one needs our help please click here to fill out our online questionnaire. For general enquiries please go to our contact page.