Hi! I am brand new to this site so I may be doing this all wrong!
My name is Debi and I have a friend that I have known since 5th grade who was in Vietnam. About 5 years ago PTSD caught up with him. We reconnected about 5 months ago and he is on the downward slide. I desperately want to help him. He asks me to help him and then sadly, he usually rejects my attempts.

Here is a little background. He is financially very sound so no money worries. He gets total disability from the VA and Social Security plus his iron worker's pension. He also receives royalties from a car part that he patented and sold. He has all the material things a guy could want or need. I am his only friend and I am married. He was married once and is divorced. His immediate family is deceased. He has no children. The few close friends that he had have died in the last 10 years. He was counselled by the Vet Cntr. for 3 years once a week. He receives his meds through the VA.

He had/has dreams of moving to FL. but cannot leave. He is scared and anxious. He is lonely. He is depressed. He has started to drink too much. He has no immediate family but he has an uncle who is his age and is a wonderful man. They live in the same town. I found his uncle and he contacted my friend. My friend rejected his offer of friendship because so much time has passed and he was never considered a part of his family. The reasons are complicated but my friend will tell you that his uncle had nothing to do with family problems. He is without friends and he desperately wants a few friends. We went to high school with a very nice guy who was also in Vietnam and is in a chair. These 2 didn't really "know" each other then and my friend won't even call or be called to just say "hey" over a cup of coffee. I live 2 hours away but just had a guy friend move back to our hometown. This guy is our age and has never met a stranger. My friend "might" consider meeting for a cup of coffee.

He met with his VA psychiatrist last week. I had written a letter to him and he showed it to his psychiatrist!! I did say that he needs more than just drugs etc. but all he received were more drugs! Surprise! I have suggested that he see a counsellor outside of the VA. He doesn't see how that will help.
I could go on and on but it is more of the same. Winter is coming and that certainly doesn't help. He won't get a computer. I hope to get him to go to the library the next time I go home and introduce him to this site. "Hope" is the operative word.

I have tried my best. I have prayed and prayed...he does believe in God. I have found family and friends. I call and send funny cards etc. to him. He is coming here for Thanksgiving, maybe. He says that I'm his angel when he isn't mad at me for not calling enough etc. I know that he is in a very very bad place in his mind. I would like to run away sometimes but I cannot do that and yet, I am at my wit's end. Please, what more could be done to help him? He is his own worst enemy.

Sorry this is so long. Hope that I didn't ramble. So much to condense!
Yikes, I could have made this shorter by using his name...it's my user name!
I admire each one of you on this site that has the courage to speak out and ask for help, share your stories and help others. I've dealt with depression. I will take meds for panic attacks for the rest of my life but PTSD makes any problems that I may have seem like the common cold.

I feel blessed to have found this site.