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Topic Tuesday // Supporting someone dealing with PTSD // Tues. 27 Feb. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

Unknown userMember18 Jan 2018, 11:19 am AEDT

Topic Tuesday // Supporting someone dealing with PTSD // Tues. 27 Feb. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

This Topic Tuesday we'll be focusing on supporting someone experiencing PTSD. Our special guest @DeanYates will be talking from his own first hand experience of PTSD - how it developed, his symptoms, what helped and what didn't.

Dean Yates, 49, has been a journalist, bureau chief and editor for Reuters, the international news service, for 25 years. He has reported extensively on war, conflict and natural disasters in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. While the Reuters bureau chief in Baghdad in 2007, three of Dean’s Iraqi staff were killed, two by a U.S. Apache helicopter.

Dean was diagnosed with PTSD in March 2016. He spent five weeks in the Ward 17 psychiatric unit at Melbourne’s Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital in Aug-Sept 2016. He was readmitted for three weeks in July 2017. Besides PTSD, Dean has moral injury.

Since May 2017, Dean has been head of journalist mental health and wellbeing strategy at Reuters, a newly created position for the company’s 2,600 staff around the world.

Below are some of the articles published about Dean's experience. Please be aware that some of the content in the links below could be triggering as they talk in detail about the distressing experiences Dean had during his time as a journalist.

In November 2016, Reuters published Dean’s account of his battle with PTSD. Click here

The ABC did this story on Dean in July 2017.

Columbia Journalism Review did a profile on Dean in this November 2017 story.

Join us from 7pm AEDT, Tuesday 27 Feb.

Hit the 'Like' button below to get an email reminder on the night.

115 replies

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In response to: Topic Tuesday // Supporting someone dealing with PTSD // Tues. 27 Feb. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

Shaz51Senior Contributor27 Feb 2018, 7:51 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Supporting someone dealing with PTSD // Tues. 27 Feb. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

I'm sorry for your loss @Susana

Hello @Soozasaur, @Adge, @DeanYates, @NikNik

In response to: Topic Tuesday // Supporting someone dealing with PTSD // Tues. 27 Feb. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

HillsyContributor27 Feb 2018, 7:52 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Supporting someone dealing with PTSD // Tues. 27 Feb. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

My husband has to use earplugs as well @DeanYates. Doesn't leave the house without them. Or his noise cancelling headphones with loud music to drown everything else out. Still struggles though.

In response to: Topic Tuesday // Supporting someone dealing with PTSD // Tues. 27 Feb. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

DeanYatesSenior Contributor27 Feb 2018, 7:54 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Supporting someone dealing with PTSD // Tues. 27 Feb. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

I'm very sorry to hear this @Former-Member

I have found enormous strength from reading and doing research into PTSD, in particular, reading about others' experiences. I have found mindfulness and yoga to be very good. And I have kept a journal these past couple of years. I would highly recommend it.

In response to: Topic Tuesday // Supporting someone dealing with PTSD // Tues. 27 Feb. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

DeanYatesSenior Contributor27 Feb 2018, 7:55 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Supporting someone dealing with PTSD // Tues. 27 Feb. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

That's really unfortunate @Hillsy that your husband's family is not supportive. Have you tried to talk to them about it?

In response to: Topic Tuesday // Supporting someone dealing with PTSD // Tues. 27 Feb. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

SusanaSenior Contributor27 Feb 2018, 7:58 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Supporting someone dealing with PTSD // Tues. 27 Feb. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

Thank you @DeanYates for sharing such a personal experience through Mary's eyes as your wife and supporter. She must be a great source of stregth for you in yoir journey through PTSD! It's always easier to go through struggles when we have an understanding and loving partner!

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Supporting someone dealing with PTSD // Tues. 27 Feb. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

HillsyContributor27 Feb 2018, 7:59 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Supporting someone dealing with PTSD // Tues. 27 Feb. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

Have tried to talk to them many times, til I'm blue in the face. Now I just don't have the energy to care about them. First half his family was toxic, but has come better over the last 6 months. And the other half has become toxic. It is too draining to keep trying to make them understand

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Supporting someone dealing with PTSD // Tues. 27 Feb. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

HillsyContributor27 Feb 2018, 8:01 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Supporting someone dealing with PTSD // Tues. 27 Feb. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

Goodness @DeanYates your wife's letter resonated so much with trying to minimise stresses within daily life. It sounds like you both have found a way to make things work well though

In response to: Topic Tuesday // Supporting someone dealing with PTSD // Tues. 27 Feb. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

DeanYatesSenior Contributor27 Feb 2018, 8:02 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Supporting someone dealing with PTSD // Tues. 27 Feb. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

Hi @Former-Member
Has your nephew been diagnosed? It sounds like his situation is very challenging.

With your BiL, he has to get off alcohol. I know that's easy to say and much harder to do. But until he does, it's very hard to deal with the underlying symptoms. In Ward 17 for example, the psychs usually don't start therapy until a patient has dried out. Maybe you could show him some literature about how damaging the self-medication is for him. I'm sure SANE would have material (@NikNik)

In response to: Topic Tuesday // Supporting someone dealing with PTSD // Tues. 27 Feb. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

SoozasaurCasual Contributor27 Feb 2018, 8:03 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Supporting someone dealing with PTSD // Tues. 27 Feb. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

Wow @DeanYates, thank you to you and your wife for sharing her letter. There are certainly parts that I can directly relate to. Specifically acting as a buffer, trying to minimise stress or prevent triggers.

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday // Supporting someone dealing with PTSD // Tues. 27 Feb. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

Unknown userMember27 Feb 2018, 8:06 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday // Supporting someone dealing with PTSD // Tues. 27 Feb. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

Thanks @DeanYates. I'm sorry too of course. Incidentally my husband does not know I have PTSD. He is a PTSD snob and does not think anyone outside of armed forces or emergency workers would have it. Plus he's an alcoholic. Incidentally he is a contributor to my C-PTSD - ongoing domestic abuse on top of the initial PTSD event prior to my marriage. Its kind of a tricky situation really.

Yes I too found it very beneficial to do lots of research into PTSD. Knowledge is power they say. I think thats right.

My clinical psych gave me tips on mindfulness and lent me a good book a couple of years ago. I still cant get the hang of it. I try, but I think it will take a lifetime of practice to really 'get' it. Whenever I am triggered and need it the most, thats when everything goes right out the door .. forgotten.

I do a yoga class however, which I enjoy. But I cant stay for the meditation bit afterwards. I end up bawling my eyes out for some reason. Not sure why that is.

Sherry

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