June is PTSD awareness month. This has to do with ALL PTSD, but I mostly think about our troops when PTSD comes to mind.
I read on the Huffington Post that there is an average of 22 suicides everyday with military veterans in 2010. That's 660-682 veterans a month. Eight thousand and thirty veterans.
8,030.
Just this year as of May 23rd there has been 161 veteran suicides. 109 in the first 4 months. That's one every 18 hours.
Take that in for a moment.
Though most studies are with veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, over 69% of these suicides are by veterans over the age of 50. That is our Vietnam War Veterans.
I have personally met and experienced several veterans with PTSD. It ranges from very mild to hardly able to function day to day. I have met a vet who you could not sneak up on to scare without him dropping to the floor and curling up in a ball. I have met a veteran that is afraid to be in any sort of confrontation, and when an argument starts completely shuts down and spaces out. I have met a veteran who seems to be the happiest man you would ever meet, but inside struggles to get out of bed in the morning bc he is terrified of what will come with the day. I have met a veteran with anger issues. I have met a veteran that has flash backs of war and thinks he is still there. I have met a veteran that drinks away his memories. I have met a veterans that uses drugs and painkillers to numb his past. I have met a veteran who thinks he is a cold hearted murderer bc of civilians telling him he is after he got home for fighting for our country. I have met a veteran with missing limbs that feels he is a burden to those who help him. I have met a veteran that has twitches, and when you watch you realize its his trigger finger. I have met a veteran that wakes from a dead sleep searching for his side arm.
There are so many things that they have to overcome in difficult times and even everyday. There are many warning signs too. Yet some you would never know they were suffering no matter how much time you spend with them.
Being aware of PTSD in those around us is difficult, and there is no way to say they do or don't suffer from PTSD. It is not some textbook disorder that can easily be cured with a pill or counseling for everyone. Not every veteran knows they are suffering from PTSD.
Worse is many that do know they have PTSD are afraid to admit it.
They feel they are supposed to be strong and fearless, are trained to handle everything that can happen to them, are supposed to be our Superman.
Superman does have a weakness though. PTSD is our veteran's kryptonite. Many do not want to admit it and will fight those that try to tell them to get help or at least recognize that they need help.
To those around the suffering, please be patient, careful, and persistent to help our veterans get help any and every way they can.
Veterans... Please don't be afraid to get help. Please. I'm begging you not to be afraid to know that you are human. You do have a weakness, but you are AMAZING more than you will ever know. You have the courage and strength to put yourself in danger's way to protect us. Very few can say that. You have an awesome soul that was effected by what you saw/did in war. That makes you completely normal.
Veterans don't be afraid to get help. If you feel that the treatment you are getting isn't right for you, seek other help. Just please know that you are not alone and with the right help you can get better and/or learn to cope. You will NOT be considered a less man/woman for admitting you have PTSD and getting help.
Always here
Carrie Linn
Veterans and their loved ones can call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, chat online at http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/, or send a text message to 838255 to receive confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
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