A New Doc, A New PTSD Group, and A Question: For a Combat Veteran, What is the Trauma in PTSD?

For those that have been following my recent posts, I had a meeting with a new doctor today.  He was going to evaluate me for admittance into his group therapy sessions.  This has caused me an unbelievable amount of anxiety.  What if I didn't get into the group?  Well, that question in now answered.  I am in.  It is a Cognitive Behavioral Processing Group and it's goal is to help me identify problematic behavior, assess the triggers that cause it and trace the trigger back to the source.  That's the cut and dry version.  Here's more info if you want to learn more.

This new doc is driven.  He's focused on helping veterans with PTSD and has been doing it for almost 34 years.  I am very excited about being a part of his group.  He asks a lot of questions and he wants me to be prepared before I go to group for the first time.  We are going to have another session so that he can better educate me on what to expect.  We sat and talked about my PTSD and my life and my upbringing and...well, everything.  It was refreshing.

So, I can officially scratch one stressor off the list for the week.  It is a great relief.  In parting, the doc asked me one question that seemed really simple but it threw me for a loop.  He asked, "For Combat Veterans, what IS the trauma in PTSD?"  I didn't know how to answer.  I responded that the trauma is different for everyone and he said I was wrong - that the trauma was the same for everyone.  He said it just manifests differently for different people.  He let me sit and squirm for a little and then he blew me away with the simplicity of his answer...which I will discuss and my reaction to it in one of tomorrow's posts.  I ask that you ask yourselves that question as well:

For a Combat Veteran, What is the Trauma in PTSD?