S04E02 - Brian Hopkins (When Therapy Fails) pt2

This week we conclude Vietnam Veteran, Tunnel Rat and poetry author Brian Hopkin's episode. 

Brian connected with other Vietnam Veterans after his ADF service.   Marriages weren’t known to last for Veterans in general, so they discussed the role Brian’s wife played inside the storms through the good and bad days.   They discussed the roller coaster of PTSD and the sharing of those experiences with a support person.    

Through clinics, medication changes,  cycling off meds, cycling up, trying new treatments and what Margaret did at the time that helped Brian.   In the 90s Brian attended PTS De Force along with his wife and that’s where he first began writing about what he was feeling.   The Silent Scream was his first work about looking for help and not knowing where to find it.   A chance meeting with a fellow inpatient in the PTS program opened up the idea and Brian practiced his new writing craft in the safe space of a clinic.  Around the year 2000 Brian went on to self publish and sell  booklets  by word of mouth.   He donated the proceeds to charity with the motivation to help that one person.   

Brian explained his ways  to de-escalate stress and manage avoidance behaviours including the “I not knowing what to do, or where to go” when your mind disintegrates and you just want to be left alone .  “Are you okay” wasn’t effective for Brian but other simple types of communication he did find worked to calm him.  Constant migraines, ketamine, some LSD or CBD oils, Botox  for pain management.   One size doesn’t fit all. 
If this has been helpful join us next time for the next episode of the invisible injuries podcast. Don't forget to subscribe. For more great content, follow us on our socials on Instagram. And you can also visit our website www dot invisible injuries.org.au where you can access more content. Thank you for listening to invisible injuries.

Contact -  Brian Hopkins
Books - When therapy fails via Pickawoowoo publishing group & by contacting Invisible Injuries - info@invisibleinjuries.org.au
Help Lines Open Arms (VVCS) | Lifeline | RedSix app

"RESPECT, NO POLITICS, WE'RE VOLUNTEERS"

Disclaimer: The accounts and stories are "Real lived experiences" of our guests some of the content may trigger Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) symptoms in some of our audience. Feedback regarding other organisations, courses and initiatives remains largely unsensored. Whether its good or bad they remain the OPINION of our guests and their experiences it is important in building an accurate statistic on what really happens. 

During the course of our conversations sometimes sensitive information may be accidentally mentioned, as such, Invisible Injuries respects the law and sensors any information that may breach Operational Security OPSEC

"RESPECT, NO POLITICS, WE'RE VOLUNTEERS"

Disclaimer: The accounts and stories are "Real lived experiences" of our guests some of the content may trigger Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) symptoms in some of our audience. Feedback regarding other organisations, courses and initiatives remains largely unsensored. Whether its good or bad they remain the OPINION of our guests and their experiences it is important in building an accurate statistic on what really happens. 
During the course of our conversations sometimes sensitive information may be accidentally mentioned, as such, Invisible Injuries respects the law and sensors any information that may breach Operational Security OPSEC