The Unsuspecting Writer
My interview with Coffee Times
I would like to say how grateful I am for having been asked to be a part of the Coffee Times Interview Series. I would like to thank Drashti Shroff for her patience in working with me on this endeavor.
Introduction
Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Chris. I am a born and raised Michiganian. I love living in the Great Lake’s State. I am a grateful father of three wonderful young adult daughters who have grown into strong, kind, and loving women. I cannot take any credit for that either. I am also the proud grandfather of two beautiful granddaughters. I am in my early 50’s and could never have imagined the life I have today. These are the best years of my entire life.
I am proud to have served my state as Michigan State Police Trooper. I loved being a State Trooper and am grateful for the experience. But, it changed me in ways I had no idea it would when I enlisted and it had a profound impact on me. I experienced many traumatic events during my career. I medically retired after twelve years of service due to becoming 100% disabled from the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) it gave me.
What inspired you to start writing?
I dabbled here and there with writing periodically for most of my life. It was a very private thing for me because I lacked know-how and confidence. This is still a struggle for me to this day. I always knew I wanted to be a writer and had this image in my head of “someday” writing and people enjoying my work. However, I had no clue as to WHAT I wanted to write about! So, nothing ever materialized. As I previously said, I have been a PTSD survivor for many years. The flashbacks and nightmares from my PTSD are experiences that I know I’ve had, but my memory of them is a blank space. But, about five years ago, I started to write down as much as I could remember about each flashback or nightmare immediately after realizing that I had just had one. I learned I was putting things on paper I wasn’t later able to consciously recall. I became so driven, that I began writing on anything that was immediately available to me before I lost the memories for good; I wrote on notepads, sticky notes, old T-shirts/socks, pillowcases, and once in the middle of the night, I couldn’t find anything to write with or on, my girlfriend handed me a pen and told me to write while pointing at her bare thigh. So I wrote. She was a kind, empathic soul.
I found I had accumulated quite a bit of fragmented and random writings. So, I started piecing them together into larger and coherent drafts. This was my writing “awakening.” It was liberating for me to read my own words about these terrible experiences. There was therapeutic value in it. My EMDR therapist and I have often discussed things I’ve written. But, what I saw as the most important aspect for me was I could see that perhaps other PTSD survivors could benefit from my experiences.
Why did you choose Medium?
Before becoming a member of Medium, I had been reading a few suggested articles published in it. From there my curiosity grew as read more and more articles. I began searching for articles on various topics of interest, particularly articles about PTSD and mental health in general. I remember it seeming like I had tapped into an almost infinite source for reading. I found so many articles that I devoured as fast as I could. And that’s where I ran into a temporary roadblock — the three articles per month limitation for non-members. So, in May 2020, I purchased a one-year subscription. It was great because now I was able to read as much as I wanted and as often as I wanted!
Initially, I didn’t exactly understand what Medium was. I loved the articles. But, I thought it was a platform for “qualified” professional writers only. But, I started to notice a pattern: Many of the articles I was reading were not technical/scientific material. Many were of personal experiences. It took some time, about eight months for me to figure out what that little button on my profile that says “write” meant. It meant that I could write and publish on Medium too! And it was the perfect platform I needed to finally put the rubber to the road and use my written work about my PTSD experiences to help others. So, with the kind encouragement of a couple of close friends, I wrote my first piece, “I am Scared” and clicked the green “publish” button on January 27, 2021. I have had nothing but a wonderful experience ever since. I have connected with many wonderful writers who motivate me to stay with it and keep writing. I would be negligent if didn’t give a shout-out of deep gratitude to all the wonderful editors who have so kindly helped me along the way. You have made writing even more pleasurable than I ever dreamt it could be. Thank you.
Are you a member of the Medium Partnership Program?
I am not a member of the Partnership Program. Several other writers I have connected with have suggested the program to me. I appreciate their encouragement. However, I’m not in it for the money. I enjoy writing and I’m motivated by the prospect that perhaps writing about my journey with PTSD may benefit others. I’m not taking a “moral high ground” stance. This is how I operate.
In the coming months, what are your writing plans — Do you wish to write more or less or maybe try a new genre?
The short answer and best answer is I have no specific plans except to continue to write and learn from all the great writers I’ve made connections with. I do, however, have a goal of being able to write and publish more frequently. But, I’m under no pressure and I enjoy it this way. I never thought of writing in a different genre. Then one day, I found myself putting together a poem. I have since published a few poems — mostly about love and longing. This is was a totally unplanned thing for me. So, I wouldn’t necessarily rule out writing in a different genre. I never know what the future with bring with it.
Do you have a message for writers who write on the topic of Mental Health?
I feel fortunate to have found so many incredible writers on Medium who write about Mental Health. The courage and strength they display by writing have helped me in more ways than I can count, especially, concerning my writing. The only message I would have is to keep writing, never give up, and thank you. I have enjoyed reading about Mental Health and other writers’ experiences. Every day, I look forward to opening Medium and reading new content published by the incredible writers I have connected with, and discovering new writers to connect with. I’m excited to continue learning about writing from everyone.
Chris Patton is a writer focusing on helping readers feel the experience of PTSD flashbacks and other symptoms, rather than just reading about them.
Message from Drashti Shroff: I would like to thank Chris for sharing this interview with us. It was very insightful and encouraging. I hope you enjoyed reading him just as much as I have. If you are an ardent believer and promoter of mental health, I am sure you will love his stories. You can check them out here:
Thank you all for reading and kind support. We look forward to engage with you in the comments section.
