The Best Advice I Can Give For Surviving MST (MSTy’s Story | Part 3)
MSTy shares her story of Military Sexual Trauma in the U.S. Air Force, reflecting on years of survival without support, the physical and emotional costs of unresolved trauma, and the role of books, pets, and community in her healing.
MSTy discusses Military Sexual Trauma, the health impacts of living in survival mode, and long-term healing on The Silenced Voices of MST with Rachelle Smith.
Books, Pets, and Daily Coping Tools
MSTy describes the long silence she endured before finding support. In those years, she turned to books as her lifeline, reading self-help, spiritual texts, and classics like Man’s Search for Meaning to find guidance. She explains how pugs became another coping tool, providing comfort, routine, and companionship. These simple daily practices gave her stability when nothing else was available.
She also reflects on how positive affirmations, gratitude, and even social media memes carried real weight. Short reminders like “you are enough” or “what happened to you is not who you are” gave her perspective in moments when she felt overwhelmed. She emphasizes how easy it is to dismiss small acts of encouragement, but for survivors they can become anchors in the darkest times.
Beyond coping, MSTy talks about building community. Through her MST Crime Map, she gave survivors a way to mark their experiences anonymously and establish patterns of predatory behavior across military history. She also created pages like MST News and Info and Misty Days on Facebook and Instagram to curate resources, share daily reflections, and remind survivors they are not alone.
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After finding out the long-term cost of unaddressed trauma, MSTy offers caution to survivors. She discusses chronic muscle tightness, inflammation, and memory issues that worsened over time. She regrets how dissociation and survival mode prevented her from being fully present with her children when they were young. Looking back, she warns that waiting decades to begin healing comes at a heavy price.
“Make time for it today.” - — MSTy
The People Who Stayed
Still, MSTy highlights the people who stayed. A best friend in the military, a civilian coworker, and her husband all saw her worth even when she doubted it. Her husband’s reassurance, “I ain’t scared,” became a defining reminder that she could be loved without fear or judgment.
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MSTy’s story shows how coping strategies, community, and small acts of daily healing can sustain survivors.
If you are unsure if you are ready to seek help, remember MSTy’s message of urgency for prioritizing emotional wellness before the physical and emotional toll becomes irreversible.
Episode Trigger Warnings and Timestamps
00:14–00:31: On-screen details of MST markers
01:26–01:33: Panic attacks, dissociation
11:25–14:22: Physical toll of trauma, regret, difficulty being emotionally present
Resources From This Episode:
This episode contains a few references to news articles and books that are listed below:
MSTy’s MST Crime Map: https://mstmap.com/
MST News & Info: https://www.facebook.com/MST.Information
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
The Power of Positive Thinking by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale
The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael Alan Singer
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Support and Community:
Veterans Crisis line: Dial 988, the press 1
DoD Safe Helpline: https://www.sapr.mil/dod-safe-helpline
Join our Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theadvocatesofmst
