Dad's PTSD almost made him walk out on his family — daughter's simple request changed his mind

Mental health issues like PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) can affect one’s personal life and relationships. A dad who goes by u/GOAT0352 was struggling with PTSD to the point where he almost decided to leave his family. A user named u/Gottly asked on Reddit, “Fathers of Reddit who went out for some ‘milk’ and never came back, how'd you move on with life?” The dad responded in a comment with his story and how his daughter came up to him, changing his mindset. She didn’t do much — only made a simple request with the purest heart, and it worked like magic in transforming the dad’s attitude. 

Sharing his story, the dad remarked, “I had gotten out of the military and my wife and I had moved to a place where we had no friends or family.”  He added that he had two kids but wasn’t interested in “being a family man.” “In all reality, I was looking for a way out and PTSD was in full effect,” he recalled. According to the Mayo Clinic, PTSD is caused due to witnessing or being part of terrifying situations or events that leave a mental scar. The condition can cause severe anxiety, nightmares, and other repercussions that affect a person’s everyday life. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, PTSD can also affect familial relationships, as it may push the spouse to take on more responsibilities, tackle communication barriers, and navigate triggers, while the children may develop their own behavioral issues due to the parent's emotional dysregulation. A study finds PTSD occurrence more common among veterans than civilians, concluding that every 7 in 100 soldiers suffer from the disorder.

Overwhelmed by helplessness in the face of lifelong responsibilities, this dad packed his bags and was on the way out when his daughter unknowingly convinced him not to abandon the family. “One day, I just packed a bag while my wife was at school and pawned some things to get some cash so I wouldn't leave her with nothing,” he explained. The man told his wife that he was going to pick up some things from the store, using the window to stock up on essentials he'd require on the road. That's when it happened: He said, “Then my daughter ran up to me and said, ‘Daddy! Get me a surprise!’” 

He was ready to move away from his family and hit the open road, but his daughter’s humble request moved him to realize that she expected him to return; to her, this was any other normal errand, and she'd be waiting for her 'surprise' when he got home. “I tried not to cry right there but grabbed my coat and walked out the door,” the post read. He spent some time crying outside, pondering over his decisions, and eventually “ended up going to Walmart, got my kids some toys and my wife some Hostess snowballs.” The sheer joy on his kids' faces when he returned home made him deeply regret his original decision. After all, how could one abandon these angels who had undying faith in their dad?

“From then on, I just fought against myself to always be there and this year, my wife and I celebrated our 20th anniversary,” he wrote. u/DasMotorSheep said, “You're an absolute boss for stopping to think, then turning around and facing your shit.” u/Steveeeir added, “I was this close to not being able to contain some serious disgust and hate after I visualized your daughter saying those words to you before I read that you went back. What a roller coaster!”