I was in the middle of class last week and had a flashback. I was able to control my emotions but my instructor noticed that something was wrong because I failed a test. Luckily I was able to retake. I'm worried about being seen as a liability because of this. I love my country and I am thankful to be able to serve. Can anyone here help me out? I'm afraid that if I go to mental health that they'll red flag me a d reccomend me for separation.
Brother...if you are struggling with flashbacks that are interfering with your functional abilities, please, consider that seeking help is the right thing to do. Here are a couple reasons: your brothers and sisters in service and your ability to serve and defend them to the best of your ability--if you crack, where could that leave them; also, I have seen too many people, myself included, stick to the mentality of being soldier strong, never admitting weakness, always keeping it buried inside, eventually eating themselves up inside, crashing and burning, and either hurting themselves or someone else. Mental Health is just as important as physical health. I would strongly suggest finding someone you can trust as a professional helper.
This forum works for me now, but only because of years of CBT, professional support, and training in coping skills and safety planning. Flashbacks still happen to me, but I have been taught what to do about them. If you do not ask for support, how will you learn how to live with those effects and how it interferes with your functioning? We bury it, hide it, but it comes out anyways--where will you be and what will you be doing the day it all spills out and knocks you down? Me, I was on the bridge of a warship doing maneuvers--I endangered everyone on board because I tried to hide it, and now I live with the stigma of breaking down publicly. Which would be better, a private chat and private help, or hiding it until harm happens?