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PTSD Awareness Month: PTSD and Suicide Ideation/Prevention

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  PTSD Awareness Month is also a time to speak honestly about something many people struggle with but rarely name: the link between trauma and suicidal thoughts. Suicidal ideation in PTSD is not about wanting to die. It is about wanting relief. When someone lives with hypervigilance, intrusive memories, shame, or the crushing weight of emotional numbness, the mind can start searching for any possible escape. These thoughts are signals of pain, not signs of weakness. They are the nervous system’s way of saying, “I am overwhelmed.” What prevents suicide is not telling people to “think positive” or “be grateful.” What prevents suicide is connection. Predictability. Safety. People who check in. People who listen without minimizing. People who understand that trauma survivors often carry burdens they never chose and never wanted. If you know someone with PTSD, you don’t need perfect words. You just need presence. Ask how they’re doing. Ask what their days have been like. Ask what feels ...
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Men’s Health Month: Big Goals for Men Over 60

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Midlife isn’t the end of the story — it’s the turning point. Most fitness advice for men over 60 assumes decline. It assumes fragility. It assumes the best years are behind you. But some men refuse that script. Some men — like Jeffrey Weiss — run ultramarathons in their sixties. Some men win Ironman triathlons in their fifties. Some men discover that the second half of life is where their real strength lives. This post is for those men — and for the men who want to join them. 1. Choose a Goal That Scares You (In the Best Way) Not “walk 20 minutes a day.” Not “tone up.” A goal that forces you to grow. Examples of real goals for men over 60: Train for a half‑marathon or full marathon Complete a century ride (100 miles on a bike) Finish a triathlon — sprint, Olympic, or even Ironman Hike a bucket‑list trail (John Muir, Camino de Santiago, Rim‑to‑Rim) Compete in a masters-level strength event Row a marathon on the erg Deadlift your bodyweight or more Learn a new sport: swimming, clim...
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Living After a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

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  A traumatic brain injury — a TBI — is exactly what it sounds like: the brain is injured by an outside force. A fall, a crash, a blow, a sudden acceleration, or an object that penetrates the skull. It can be mild, moderate, or severe, and those categories matter because they shape everything that comes after: how the brain heals, how the person recovers, and what life looks like going forward. A mild TBI (often called a concussion) is the most common. People may feel foggy, tired, irritable, or off-balance. Most recover fully, though some carry symptoms longer than expected. Moderate TBIs involve longer periods of confusion or unconsciousness and often show up on scans. Recovery can take months. Severe TBIs can mean coma, swelling, bleeding, or widespread damage. Some people survive with significant disabilities. Some do not survive at all. Treatment depends on the seriousness. Mild injuries need rest and monitoring. Moderate and severe injuries are medical emergencies: stabili...
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