Originally Posted by
megan
Unfortunately that is not a guaranteed panacea either. One Friday had a major airbourne emergency where I wasn't assured of the outcome, attended a BBQ that night and the first and only beer didn't sit well. the following eighteen months were a downward spiral and visiting the doc in the interim complaining of assorted maladies achieved nothing, at the end of the eighteen months I could see why folk contemplate and take the step to suicide, not that I was so inclined. Told the good Lady to get me to hospital where they bombed me out and kept me in for three nights on suicide watch. Came good after four/five months and returned to flying.
When it was all over good Lady said that she knew something was up the weekend following the event as I kept taking showers. The thing that I couldn't get over was that how the emergency did me in whereas all the Vietnam action being shot up etc was just regarded as a day at the office, albeit exciting. Psychologist explained that each occasion you have a stressor it's like a thimble full of water in a glass, enough thimbles and the glass overflows. Found the civil psychologists at hand as helpful as a pocket in a singlet, the helpful chap was one specialising in ex military folk.
If it were possible to encapsulate a 'general' description of the 'cause and effect' of this 'problem' in an aviation environment, Megan's ourline above would be exemplary !
Been there, done that, have several t-shirts !
As pointed out,
logical consideration of the events versus the outcome/s does
not scan ! The 'worm' is eating away in the mental background un-noted until the breaking point arrives - and then, it's all down to Lady Luck ! If, (and it's a BIG 'if') the needed help is at hand, recovery (some distance down the track) is possible and effective. Unfortunately, the Lady is, generally, in short supply.
Thank you, Megan
