Beginners Mind: A new practitioner

[ZanolliZen]

Greetings all,

I'm a middle aged first responder and Iraq War veteran. Married over 20 years with five children. I've suffered with PTSD, Anxiety, Depression and have an acute Bipolar 1 diagnosis. Unfortunately, my family has suffered as well. In the past, I've been hospitalized due to suicidal ideations, taken what's felt like every pill under the sun and have had countless hours of various types of therapy but to no avail. It's not difficult to understand why I'm intrigued about 5 and its beneficial properties. I've participated in two ceremonies in the past month with what I believe is an excellent facilitator. However, I was not educated about the likelihood of reactivation or how to address it. I was terrified in my ignorance, so I conducted my own research, finding I was not alone in my experiences and implemented the practices I discovered with positive results. This changed my perspective about this medicine and renewed my faith in it. I look forward to learning more and possibly contributing to this community.