War survival skills can beat PTSD? A former Royal Marine shows us how it’s done!

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects the lives of millions, making it impossible for many to function normally. And who would understand PTSD more than military personnel?

Many of our soldiers suffer in silence because of the horrors they have witnessed in the field. One man seems to have figured out his own method to deal with the scars that active duty goes hand-in-hand with.

Nick Goldsmith was suffering from PTSD while he was in Afghanistan. And now he’s figured out a way to not only help himself but countless others. He started the Woodland Warrior Programme, which revolves around many things he picked up in the battlefield. The former Commando runs his survival and adventure programme near Bristol in collaboration with the Royal Marines Charity.

Goldsmith started showing signs of PTSD after months of fighting the Taliban on a daily basis 11 years ago. Unfortunately, he was sent back three times before he actually got a diagnosis.

While there is therapy available for former service personnel, Goldsmith believes being able to sit around a campfire outdoors and talking about one’s experiences proves to be much better therapy than having to sit in a room full of strangers.

He believes that out in the wilderness, when people learn basic survival skills, it helps their minds relax and they eventually let go of the trauma that they’ve kept in for so long.

We’re keen to believe him because the man is no stranger to tough times. On one of his tours as a soldier, he injured his knee while trying to find cover from incoming fire. He recalls that as soon as he was able to lift weight again, he had to be the pallbearer for seven of the 13 repatriation funerals that he attended within a six-month period.

Not only did losing people add to his anxiety, it also left him with survivor’s guilt. Of course, his diagnosis also led to him having to give up the job he had hoped to keep for a long time to come.

“I became hyper-vigilant, paranoid and distrustful. Sleeping was difficult, with flashbacks a nightly occurrence. I could no longer work for prolonged periods and became tired and ‘burnt out’ easily,” he said while talking about his ordeal.

Goldsmith now runs his business with his wife and hopes to help more veterans in the future with his unique techniques and approach.

Sometimes, connecting with one’s self become the most important ingredient when it comes to recovery and healing. Goldsmith’s method can help soldiers find a way to find themselves through methods that feel more familiar.

In the end, what’s important is that we remember that healing looks different for different people.