Australian Veteran's Life Saved After 5th Suicide Attempt by Daughter

'They train you to go to war, not come home'
Daily Mail
By Anneta Konstantinides For Daily Mail Australia
PUBLISHED:18 March 2017

Doctors missed mother-of-four army veteran's post traumatic stress for a decade despite FIVE suicide attempts... and how her daughter saved her life

Andrea Josephs, 43, enlisted in 1991 and served during East Timorese Crisis
Was medically discharged in 2004 following a sexual assault and court hearing
Took doctors 10 years to diagnose PTSD; mistook for postnatal depression
Andrea's final suicide attempt came in 2015 as she struggled with symptoms
Her daughter then made a tribute video to show she was proud of mum's service
Inspired idea behind Matilda Poppy, which will raise awareness for veterans

Andrea (pictured centre with her four daughters) said some of her PTSD symptoms were derived from the fear that she could not protect her girls

It was after her fifth suicide attempt that Andrea Josephs decided to choose life.

The Australian Army veteran had been battling PTSD, a diagnosis doctors failed to make for 10 years, when a film made by her daughter proved to be a turning point.

It was a tribute video that honoured not only the mother-of-four, but the soldiers, sailors and airmen and women who had put their life on the line for Australia.

The gesture was pivotal for Andrea, who had felt like she lost her identity ever since she was medically discharged from service in 2004.
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