I never really thought about my health that seriously before I went to Afghanistan. I mean I ate well enough to be thin and hold muscle, but that was about it. I just figured I would never get seriously ill and never even gave it much thought.
Since I've gotten back I've become at least a borderline hypochondriac. I feel like my survival is in jeopardy a lot now. I've been in and out of VA clinics quite a bit this year, with unexplainable pains - chest (near heart) and in kidneys. I hadn't gone to the hospital in years and years before that. They can never find anything wrong in tests and I'm pretty sure they are convinced I have some form of PTSD. I always just deny because you either end up in a psyche ward or on a bunch of crazy ass drugs, and I'm not going for any of that shit. Then again, they think anybody that deployed has it.
Not really showing any other signs of PTSD, other than hypochondria, if it's even fair to call it that or if it is even a sign. It did lead me to eat better and quit smoking, so maybe it's even a good thing long term.
As you get older, I'm 35 now, I think you start to think about catastrophic health problems more seriously naturally. My dad had major heart surgery last year, which scared the shit out of me - quintuple bypass. I'm not sure of the correct level of fear to have, or if there is one, but it ain't the same game as ten or even three years ago.