Hypervigilance | Signs of a Mental Health Challenge
Ponce: Each night I did the border patrol at the house, did the locks, did the doors, bring in all... I had to have that routine. Those are the types of things, under certain conditions in combat, that save your life. But when you come back home, it causes strife.
Hector: There were things that we needed to do in a house in order for the house to be safe, secure. I mean, I would literally say, "Secure the house."
Misty: I call myself lockaholic. I lock everything about seven before I go to bed.
Tom: It's just jumpiness. Didn't sleep well. I'd be up at all hours of the night. I'd sleep in spurts, two hours at a time.
Hector: I’m constantly thinking there's a threat. There's a threat. There's a threat.
Ponce: Immediately. When I went over to the doctor, she sized me up. She's like, "Oh my God, you're major depressive."
Misty: I started breaking down. I was like, I've got to do something. And that's one of the main points where I started addressing the specific issue.
Steven: So finally, at the point I actually approached the VA and see if I can get some help. I, in the end, was able to get in a prolonged exposure.
Hector: Going back to that, those incidences and talking about them, what you went through is not normal. And therefore, what you're going through now is normal.
Ponce: I now know how to process those things in a healthy manner.
Tom: I've learned to go look introspectively to myself and what my life has been. I've had a great life.
Misty: I know each female out there that has it, they're a warrior. I know that they can battle it and they can beat it.
Ponce: Heal with those that love you, heal with those that are concerned about you, and have a productive, fruitful life.
