“The thing with PTSD is that it’s not always present. There are things that trigger it, and it manifests in a variety of ways,” Greenwich told DNA.
“Some days I’m great, and I’m effective, and I get shit done, and I can be really motivated. But then there are other days where I break into tears and won’t be able to sleep, and where my emotions will be completely deregulated, or I have full-on panic attacks where I can’t breathe and start sweating, or have nightmares and a really heightened sense of anxiety.
Alex Greenwich has detailed his mental health struggles with gay magazine DNA.Credit: Christian Scott/DNA Magazine
“At several points, it made me question my ability to do my job with the lack of ability to concentrate or focus. So it was helpful to know that this was a mental health illness that was a result of the experience that I’d had, but that this was also something I could get treatment for.”
Greenwich told DNA that maintaining a healthy body was also a significant part of his approach to achieving a healthier mind and working towards recovery.
“Another part of managing my PTSD has been doing a lot of exercise, and that has really helped,” he told DNA. “I have a great personal trainer. I’ve been doing Barry’s [Bootcamp] classes with friends, and being active and doing physical activities has really helped.”
Greenwich said he chose to tell his story with DNA because gay men were well aware “dealing with bullies doesn’t end when we graduate high school”.
“Over the last two years, I’ve been intensely attacked for my sexuality, and I’ve done this to be honest about the impacts, my ongoing mental health journey, and the importance of finding the strength to be confident in my sexuality,” Greenwich said.
“I wanted to challenge the image of me that Latham and others have tried to put into the world, and I think these photos [in DNA] achieve that goal perfectly.
“You can’t let the haters win, and you also can’t do it alone. It’s so important to ask for help whether it’s from a psychologist, lawyer, personal trainer, your partner, staff, parent or a close friend.”
