Military officials speak on soldiers living with PTSD
PTSD Awareness Month
MARYLAND – Today is PTSD awareness day which aims to educate the public about its effects and provide support to those affected. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder more commonly known as PTSD can affect anyone at any time but is more commonly seen in our Military.
They fight, so we don’t have to, but when they come home – some have a different battle to face. Over the years, millions of men and women have gone to war to fight for their country and sadly, many come back in pieces, both physically and mentally. Military officials say many people don’t realize the mental trauma those suffering from PTSD face and the stigma that comes along with speaking out.
Studies show that approximately 7% of all veterans will experience PTSD at some point in their lives according to Staff Sgt. Rebecca Himmel of the Maryland National Guard. However, she says everyone who has PTSD won’t always have the same symptoms or triggers. “Were trained for combat, were trained to come across the worst of humanity and that in itself is difficult… Some people may have issues in large crowds but may not have issues with loud noises. Sometimes PTSD from combat may affect their cognitive abilities and are less visual and less auditory triggers.”
PTSD in the military is related to combat most of the time, but some of the men and women, she says, also suffer from childhood or military sexual traumas. “Traumatic events that they’ve experienced in the military may kind of reinvigorate traumatic triggers that they have from their childhood or from than past.”
Exposure to trauma can cause unwanted memories, nightmares, flashbacks, and sweating. Some people may even become physically ill when suffering from PTSD according to the Director the of Psychological Health for the Maryland Air National Guard Scott Hetman. He tells us many are afraid of how they will be viewed and that can discourage them from seeking help. “The old term was shell shock. You hear loud noises, and you might duck for cover. as veteran myself, I’ve often done that too. when I hear a firework go off, I’m traumatized at first…The top stigmas that we see are, they don’t want to feel like they’re weak, they don’t want to be labeled by their peers by not being dependable, they don’t want to feel like they can’t manage their mental health. and really environment of the military, the culture of the military is you have to be strong.”
They both say that the best way for civilians to help fellow friends, veterans, and active soldiers deal with their PTSD, is to simply ask them what their triggers are and what you can do to make them comfortable. Hetman says recently – he realized he meets some criteria that diagnoses PTSD, and although he doesn’t need full treatment, he’s aware of his symptoms, and is actively trying to manage them. “I do meditation practice, I’m actively involved in physical activity outside the home, and I find relaxation activities such as cooking… something that really works for you that helps you focus on what’s going on inside you., isolating it, and getting it out.”
