Veteran with Complex PTSD,MDD,GAD seriously needing help

Trapped_veteran · ‎25-05-2019

Hello Everyone,

I would like to apologize in advance if I say anything wrong here as I have never written in a forum before and this is coming out of desperation.

I am ex military living with severe service related mental health issues and I am constantly being triggered by my neighbours, my street, my estate, my local council and police. I own my home and decided to settle down after years of postings all around australia. Before my home was built I had my new neighbours prying into our lives and being Military we have been very private people and we closed off from these new neighbours upon moving in as they would be at our doorstep before I could open the door to my car upon coming home. Since then they have now become our bullies and not only have they turned the whole street against us, they have turned the whole neighbourhood including the developers against us. We constantly receive complaints from our local council from these people, we constantly have the police at our house. I have been threatened to be raped, killed, had my property damaged, spat on, property stolen, called all names under the sun which has all been caught on our cameras with full audio and shown to QLD police who turned it all back on me and told me I was the crazy one and I needed to go to the psychiatric ward as I was hysterically upset and triggered by my military experiences. No matter what I do I am constantly harrassed and bullied to the point where I severely hurt myself to escape. We have built fences, put up signs to leave us alone, we keep to ourselves and all I need to get better is a safe zone which I dont have and havent had for the three years living here. I am trapped and have no way out!! I am constantly living in fear and reliving the trauma I endured with my military career. I dont know what else to do, we cant afford to sell or rent, DVA dont care!! Please help me!!!

Nurse_Jenn · ‎26-05-2019

Hi Trapped Veteran,

Welcome to the beyond blue forum. It is great to see you posting here to get some support for the issues you are facing. I am really sorry to hear that you are struggling with the situation with your neighbours and your experiences of living in fear and reliving trauma. This sounds like a really difficult and tough situation. Becoming upset and distressed when reaching out and then being told by the police that you need to see a psychiatrist doesn't sound like what you needed in that moment. Please take some time to acknowledge how difficult trauma can be. Be kind to your self during this time and know that there is help out there.

You mentioned that DVA (Department of Veterans) were not supportive. I wonder if you have contacted their counselling centre called Open Arms and spoken to one of the counsellors that is available to you? I am not sure this is something you have tried in the past but getting support from counsellors that are trained specifically in supporting veterans cope with past experiences and trauma could be helpful to you in reducing your stress. I have attached a few links for your convenience to this service

https://www.openarms.gov.au

Becoming more and more isolated in your home and feeling unsafe in your own home would be very unsettling and I can understand how you would become trapped. If you were able to get some support to build your mental strength it may become easier to tolerate your neighbours and even start look at different strategies to find a way to live in harmony.

When you have long periods of stress, it can be very hard to see beyond the wall of stress you are dealing with. Tackling small bits and pieces of your stress one item at a time and starting with the things that you have control over (such as your own mental health) can be a good way to start. Once you have reduced some of the stress, then you could start tackling bigger stressors such as your living situation.

I wonder if you have any support at home or a trusted friend that you might be able to talk with if you are not wanting to talk with a counsellor?

If you are ever feeling out of control or that you need immediate support, don't hesitate to call the beyondblue support line on 1300 22 4636 or Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Open Arms on 1800 011 046. Having trauma experiences can be extremely stressful and I encourage you to reach out and get some support soon.

Wishing you the best possible outcome,

Nurse Jenn

Trapped_veteran · ‎30-12-2019

Thank you Nurse Jen for taking the time to reply back to me and provide the advice that you did. You do not know how much that meant to me. I am with Open Arms and have used there services often including being referred to a psychologist, which I feel has been the most benefit to me. She has kept me alive and has seen me at my very worse.

Unfortunately I am back on here today as my situation has gone from bad to extremely worse with these neighbours. They have put in a very vexatious complaint to the police and lied on their complaints saying that we threatened them with particular weapons (which we didn’t and don’t own any) and our house was raided by about 14 police officers all wearing riot gear. No weapons were found and then they charged us with stalking these neighbours (which they have been doing to us for over 3 years. My husband who is also a disabled veteran and I were then very violently arrested.
I self harmed so badly whilst being held in the cells that when the police saw it they shrugged their shoulders and ignored it. The police have also been caught on camera laughing and joking about what they did to us. We are now homeless and we still don’t know what we have done wrong. My psychiatrist, dva appointed crisis care worker and psychologist are just trying to keep me alive right now but I don’t and cant go through this court process based on the corruption and the torment that we have just gone through. I dont know what to do anymore but give up.

Sophie_M · ‎30-12-2019

Dear Trapped veteran,

You've had some extremely traumatic experiences and we are so sorry to hear this. We understand that it might have been difficult for you to write about these experiences, and so we think you are very brave to do so and to reach out to our community like this. We think it's great that you did and we hope that you continue to reach out to the community, especially as it seems you might have some turbulent times ahead as you go through this court process. Please feel free to reach out when you are feeling low. We have sent you a private message.

It sounds like you have a good team of professionals and relevant services available to you to assist you. We would strongly recommend that you continue being so strong and reaching out to your support team when you need it. There is always hope, and things can always improve with time and the right support although we might be going through dark times.

We would recommend that if you feel the need to self harm again that you instead reach out to someone from your support team or contact a crisis service if you are able to:

• Lifeline – 13 11 14 and https://www.lifeline.org.au/Get-Help/Online-Services/crisis-chat (online chat available 7pm-4am)

OR call the workers at Open Arms to talk through your feelings and situation.

And remember - if you are in immediate danger to yourself, always call 000 (triple zero).

Sophie M.

Trapped_veteran · ‎13-01-2020

Thank you Sophie M for taking the time to respond to my post.

I dont feel brave or strong at all. I feel weak and trapped. No matter what I do I always have other people destroying me and my life. My Defence career was taken away from me by vexatious and toxic abusive people and I have been dealing with these mental conditions for so long trying to have what happened to me in my defence career accepted all whilst living next to these toxic, low life horrible people who made our lives a living nightmare. No matter what we did they would always complain to higher authorities. The things they would complain about were everything. Part of my rehab was gardening - they complained about that, listening to music - they complained about that - privacy and being safe is all i needed to try to get better and these people denied me of that. Denied me of my basic human rights and made my conditions worsen so much that I tried to end my life on multiple occasions and severely broke my leg in trying to escape of them from stalking me. Everytime I called the qld police they ignored me!!! Everytime!!!!!

How is the justice system allowing people like these neighbours to do these things to people like us who gave 26 years of our lives for this country and for what!!! We are not criminals, the complete opposite we do anything for anyone and served this country. The qld police admitted they didnt do their due diligence and look into the history of the abuse we have received from these neighbours and have just taken their lies and vexatious “stalking” idea did what they did to us. We live The trauma we experience on a daily basis is extreme from our military careers and living next to these toxic people and now on top of that is the day the qld police violently and abusively arrested us. Both legally disabled veterans!!! I can’t keep living like this. I just wanted these people to stop and they just kept pushing!! I am beyond broken and I dont know how to come back from this. The violent attack on my husband and I from the qld cops is constantly on my mind to where I wont even eat certain foods now that remind me of that day! Why were the qld cops allowed to do what they did to us. We have no criminal history and have done good by this country by dedicating our lives to serving it. I don’t understand and cant overcome this.

Lady_Nova · ‎13-01-2020

I connect ed so much with your situation. No I am not military, but a survivor of childhood trauma and domestic violence. I have exactly the same diagnoses and I have evil neighbours to boot. I wish I had an answer. All we want is calm and privacy and there are those with horrid intention willfully invading with malicious and harmful acts. I am at a loss to know how we get away from such ugly, nightmarish situations. We have been living here 8 years. If the local police are so horrid My only thought is perhaps explaining what has gone on to the AAAC. The people at Synapse in Sydney may be able to refer you, or take you on if you are in their coverage area. Synapse helped my partner through the AAAC against the NDIS ... they are very skilled advocates for those with neurological and mental health issues, even though their main focus is brain injury.
Just know ... you are not alone

Trapped_veteran · ‎24-01-2020

Thank you Lady Nova for taking the time to reply to my post and I’m sorry if it bought up memories from your childhood. I am sorry that you had to go through trauma like that and you are a survivor. It sounds like your neighbours are horrid to and you are right, I don’t know why people do the things they do and cause horrific harm to others. The Qld police have done nothing to help us from these neighbours even though we have video evidence to proove everything, but everytime these horrid people put in their false complaints with no evidence just a statement of “he said she said” to council and police we are immediately guilty of it.

The days are getting worse for me. I am going into a deep depression where I just take my prescribed drugs to sleep just so I am not awake anymore and thinking about how horrid this situation is. I just want to be free from this.

My psychiatrist recently gave up on me so I have lost their support now and I am just becoming “a problem/burden” on people now. I didn’t ask nor want this to happen to me but I am not the one in the wrong here. These neighbours just kept stalking/harrassing/stealing/baiting/perving and Queensland police did nothing!!!!

I am really right now at a massive loss and really don’t have any faith in Australia anymore. Our lives that we worked and sacrificed so much for were taken away within seconds all because of these bored/horrid/pathetic neighbours and the Queensland police not doing their due diligence to look into the history of what these horrid neighbours have done to us over the past three years. I just want justice and for this to go away. This is not fair and i regret serving this country and breaking myself for it

Lady_Nova · ‎25-01-2020

No regrets mate! Some of us are worth it, just as you are worth more than you are getting.

I might suggest a call to the police assistance line to explain what is happening and your dissatisfaction around how it is being managed. This gets it logged outside of the local area and a resolution is followed and assessed from a central place. You deserve better.

Otherwise seeking assistance from the AAT might be an option.

I know how hard these processes are for anyone hurting like this, but an advocate could be useful.

I wish our country was a nicer place when it proves itself unworthy like this, too many yobboes and not enough common decency has become du jour, and it is sad.

I do hope there is a silver lining for you, best and kindest regards.

Trapped_veteran · ‎10-02-2020

I really need some help please. Our whole lives are a living nightmare and my thoughts are becoming acts. I dont know how to end this nightmare we are living and it just keeps getting worse.

PamelaR · ‎10-02-2020

Hi Trapped Veteran

Things sound really off for you. Neighbours that cause so much pain, difficulties are hard to live next door to. I've had similar issues myself recently with PTSD from my childhood abuse been triggered and living next door to their ongoing abuse for many years. I'm lucky - they finally moved. But the anxiety, pain, distress that it caused was awful, the last few years I've survived on very little sleep as my anxiety levels were through the roof. I'm only now almost fully recovered.

It sounds like you need both practical support as well as emotional support.

If the Police aren't being helpful, or even discriminatory - have you tried making a complaint to the Queensland Police Headquarters (https://www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting/compliments-and-complaints) for the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission (https://www.ccc.qld.gov.au)? Do you have other family members who can help to go through this arduous process? It won't be easy, but you might find some justice.

It is concerning though that your psychiatrist has given up on you.

I see from the other posts that others have given you some good contacts to make. I really urge you to call the Emergency Services 000 if you think you are going to harm yourself in anyway.

Until you can make alternative arrangements for a new psychiatrist, perhaps call -

LifeLine on 13 11 14 or https://www.lifeline.org.au/Get-Help/Online-Services/crisis-chat for online chat available 7pm-4am.

Open Arms on 1800 011 046

You're not alone Trapped Veteran.

Kind regards

PamelaR