One night in Afghanistan in 2011, our building was bombed, severely injuring one of our soldiers. For the next 6 months, I lived in fear and finally decided to retire. I was tired of playing Russian roulette with my life. [block:bean=pvn-survey-walking-a-062015] When I returned to Maryland, I was thrilled to reunite with my 17-year-old twin daughters. But once the initial joy faded, memories resurfaced and my anxiety increased. I didn’t want to tarnish my record by asking for help, so I tried to ignore it. MORE: Are You Just Stressed…Or Is It An Anxiety Disorder? Seven months after I returned home, my daughters left for college. No longer distracted by my motherly duties, I became afraid to leave the house. I knew I needed to do something. I made an appointment with a psychologist, and he said the words I knew were true: “Cherissa, I think you have PTSD.” She prescribed medication and suggested I continue with my workouts. She also encouraged me to get out of the house and form relationships with my neighbors. Within a few months, I started to notice a difference. I felt calmer, less fearful. Soon, I felt strong enough toget off the medication. I’ll never be able to forget what happened during my deployments. But whenever those awful moments surface, I tap into what has proved to be my most vital medicine: exercise. Running and weight lifting help me shed PTSD like other people shed pounds. MORE: What It Takes To Go From Barely Walking To Running Marathons Now I’m trying to work through the Veterans Affairs system to encourage fellow soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder to try exercise for their mental health. In the military we train to be in tip-top shape so that we can protect others. When we return home, we should use the same physical training to safeguard ourselves. And I am living proof of that."
