Hi! I’m Adrian,


and I’m on a mission to change the way we think about, feel about, and learn about mental health.

But I can’t do it alone.
To make the kind of impact that’s necessary to breed positive change within the American (and Western) mental health landscape, it’s gonna take a lot more than me. It’s gonna take me and you.
But first…

Who am I and what makes me qualified to write this newsletter?

I'm a bi-racial (Jamaican and Caucasian, white passing), cyst-female (nearly binary, but not quite) United States Air Force combat vet of two tours to the Middle East during the height of the ‘War on Terror’- one of which was to a prison in southern Iraq where I was a guard (in 2005), did convoy protection, and worked as the main dispatcher managing 10,000 prisoners at the time, all before the age of 21. Between frequent rocket attacks, riots, fires, and attempted prisoner escapes, I’ve gotten many opportunities to work through my wartime traumas, and…

Photos of my lovely wife, our two boys, and my deploymentsPhotos of my lovely wife, our two boys, and my deploymentsPhotos of my lovely wife, our two boys, and my deployments
Photos of my lovely wife, our two boys, and my deploymentsPhotos of my lovely wife, our two boys, and my deploymentsPhotos of my lovely wife, our two boys, and my deployments
Photos of my lovely wife, our two boys, and my deploymentsPhotos of my lovely wife, our two boys, and my deploymentsPhotos of my lovely wife, our two boys, and my deployments
behind the scenes of my life

About 3 weeks prior to my first deployment (to the prison in Iraq), I suffered a traumatic brain injury (also referred to as TBI) during a rollover vehicle accident (I was the driver) and it's colored my perspective and impacted my life in ways I couldn’t have foreseen.

What’s I’m Not Triggered, You’re an Asshole! about?

I’m here to tell you that PTSD isn’t reserved only for combat troops or violent crimes, but PTSD can arise out of other incredibly traumatic experiences such as natural disasters, horrible car accidents, emergency responses to violent events, and the Covid-19 pandemic - so, basically, anyone can get PTSD (and its cousins like depression, anxiety, and agoraphobia) if the circumstances are dire, survival is threatened, or our bodies are violated.

I’ve been diagnosed, like many people (roughly 15 million per year according to the US Veteran’s Affairs office) with complex PTSD, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and I suffer from suicide ideation and black and white thinking, all key markers of PTSD and TBI.

Hell, in 2020 alone, 21% of the United States was or had been diagnosed with one mental illness. That’s 52.9 million people. And that’s just counting humans above the age of 18 and people that were diagnosed, not self-diagnosed or un-diagnosed, but suffering.

And, about 21 million people have been or were diagnosed with major depressive disorder in 2020, and almost 9.3 million people were or had been diagnosed with PTSD.

And I hate to be the bearer of terrible news, but, it gets worse:

“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) WISQARS Leading Causes of Death Reports, in 2020:

  • Suicide was the twelfth leading cause of death overall in the United States, claiming the lives of over 45,900 people.

  • Suicide was the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10-14 and 25-34 , the third leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 15-24, and the fourth leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 35 and 44.

  • There were nearly two times as many suicides (45,979) in the United States as there were homicides (24,576).”

It’s clear that something needs to change and this change needs to happen much more quickly than we’re collectively comfortable with.

My hope for this newsletter is to aid in informing, educating, and clearing up all things related to mental health…

And since I love science, I’ll pull from modern research and a changing mental health services landscape to help (or attempt to) guide all of us to a less angry place.

Here’s a brief (non-exhaustive) list of links to some of the topics we’ve already covered:

the history of mental health, hypervigilance, triggers, emotion regulation, PTSD and identity, habits and behavior change, sleep, and intimacy; And there’s new essays and content almost every week1.

I’m not saying I can hand you peace and happiness on a silver platter, but I can at least help you find the ingredients.

I also believe there’s a way out of our own shit, even if we created some of that shit ourselves in a past that’s long gone.

The aim of this Substack newsletter is to break down what PTSD truly is and how to go on living an enjoyable (and even happy) life while PTSD hangs in the background like a creepy uncle.

I also come from a childhood of abuse, emotional ignorance, and addiction.

How do you gain access to weekly posts and the podcast?

Each research or evidence-based essay takes anywhere from 10-20 hours to complete (which includes research, outlining, and writing the actual words that enter your eyes or ears), and engaging with my own experiences and past in an effort to educate and validate my readers and their own personal experiences and struggles with mental health, while invaluable, can also be emotionally draining.

That being said, there are currently two subscription options:

  1. Free - Some Thursday posts, access to community engagement, email me directly with questions, some access to series posts.

  2. Paying Subscriber - Access to all posts (both audio and text-based), all podcast episodes, and all sections of the newsletter, community engagement and discussion opportunities, email me directly, and the warm fuzzy feeling knowing you’ve fed two growing boys, 4 fur babies, and my amazing wife.

So, are you in?

The most benevolent thing you can do is share I’m Not Triggered with anyone you’d think would benefit from mental health education, validation, and practical steps to live a more peaceful, happier life.

Share I’m Not Triggered, You’re an Asshole!


Disclaimer: I, Adrian (Brandi) Purchas, do not dispense (and am not professionally qualified no licensed to dispense) medical, psychiatric, or psychological advice, nor do I prescribe the use of any technique mentioned herein this newsletter (and any other I’m Not Triggered content) as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a qualified physician or professional, either directly or indirectly. The intent of this newsletter (and of this author) is to offer information of a general nature to help you along your journey to finding your own physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being and serenity. In the event you decide to use any information, technique, suggestion, or other method found herein as a means to expand your life, you do so at your own risk. This author and I’m Not Triggered hold no responsibility for you or your actions.
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*Given my personal struggles with mental health and learning my limits and thresholds as I attempt to continually balance my priorities. That being stated, please note that while there will be times when posts may be sporadic (or I take a needed break) - rest assured, whatever gets published passes my personal “proud of it?” test to ensure you always receive the best of my work whenever possible.

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People

I'm a female combat vet (US Air Force) diagnosed with PTSD, BPD, and a TBI, and I want to change the perception of mental health and explore the ways in which our suffering can be healed.