HANOVER, Ind. — On Thursday, the Veterans Community Alliance of Louisville hosted a virtual community conversation for veterans, family members, service providers, and community members who support veterans.

The two hour conversation included speakers, resources and other options of support including topics of discussion like mental health resources, caregiver support, suicide prevention and more.

One couple from Hanover, Indiana participated in the virtual conversation. Joseph Drollinger spent three years in the Army, one of those years spent in Afghanistan, before retiring in 2007.

Coming back home to his family was a big adjustment. As much as Joseph Drollinger tries to live in the moment with his wife Shelena and two sons, there’s always one thought on the back of his mind.

The Drollingers pose at their home in Hanover, Indiana. (Spectrum News 1/Erin Wilson)

“Whenever I was there, every once in a while you hear gun fire but it's normal over there so it doesn't bother you," Joseph said. "Whenever you come back and in the back of your head, you still hear gunfire then it bothers you because over here it's not normal."

With a history of post traumatic stress disorder as well as a mild traumatic brain injury from his service in Afghanistan, some days are harder than others.

“One of the primary symptoms he has is night terrors,” Shelena said. “Sometimes he gets stuck in those night terrors, he’s in the past believed I was a terrorist.”

His wife Shelena said in some instances after they occur, he has no memory of it ever happening.

“He walked over a mile before he woke up, with no recollection of any of the events that have happened prior. There have been times where he barricaded our front door, moved furniture not aware of what was going on,” Shelena said.

For Joseph, a night terror is like watching a movie he can’t turn off.

“It's aggravating, I don't know how else to put it. There's not really much I can do about it when it's happening but after it's over, whenever I do wake up I'm usually really really upset and kind of ashamed of myself,” Joseph said.

The Louisville VA Medical Center helped Joseph get appointments set up and his VA card transferred from his home state of Kansas. Drollinger now gets services through the Robley Rex VA Medical Center, Carroll County and Scott County, Indiana VA clinics that help him find ways of coping with his PTSD.

“In my mind, it is an IED or a landmine or something like that and I have to remind myself it's not, it's just a box or a piece of trash or a dead deer,” he said.

Joseph initially sought therapy weekly and after improvement now goes every other week, where he grasps different techniques like “stuck statements."

“I feel guilty about this or I believe this is a bomb or whatever it may be,” Shelena said. “It helps you to rationalize it and to go through different scenarios to help you de-escalate.”

For his wife and caregiver Shelena, she too participates in different support and educational groups the VA provides.

“I wasn't seeing any veteran spouses saying hey this is something we're dealing with and I know we like to be confidential to a point but also I feel like a connection to the community is important so we don't feel isolated in the things that we go through,” she said.

The couple is hoping their story inspires others to get the help they need.

“You are not alone, there's help, there's wonderful people out there,” Joseph said. “It's very important to seek help, to talk to other people in the community, to have an outlet."