5 Things Every Veteran Should Know About PTSD

5 Things Every Veteran Should Know About PTSD

My wife complains that…

I’m drinking more.

I’m short fused and hard to talk to.

I yell too much at the kids.

I don’t know how to explain what I’m going through, sure I get mad but I just want things done. When I’m home I just want to be home, without all of the noise and complaints.

Are you having a hard time re-adjusting to life out of the military? Are you struggling as a first responder: firefighter or police officer. Does any of the above statements sound familiar?

Are you on edge, on the verge of panicking or exploding, or, on the flip side, do you feel emotionally numb and disconnected from your loved ones? Do you believe that you’ll never feel normal again?

For all too many veterans and first responders, these are common experiences—lingering symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It’s hard living with untreated PTSD and, with long V.A. wait times, it’s easy to get discouraged. Especially if your a first responder , the last thing you want to do is let your team down or admit something is wrong.

Truth is, you can feel better, and you can start today, even while you’re waiting for professional treatment. There are many things you can do to help yourself overcome PTSD and come out the other side even stronger than before.

PTSD is something that many people are vaguely familiar with. Yet they may not know exactly what it is or what can be done about it. PTSD is a mental health condition that can occur after someone has gone through a traumatic event, such as a war; this makes it common among veterans. First responders are firsat on the scene and witness death and consistent trauma. The more people understand this condition, the more likely they will seek to receive the help they need to overcome it.

Here are 5 things every veteran and first responder should know about PTSD:

1. They are not alone. PTSD is common among veterans, so much so that it is estimated that around 900,000 of them currently experience it. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs reports that the average PTSD rate for all adults is 6.8 percent. Yet for veterans it ranges from 12-31 percent, depending on their service. For example, the PTSD rate for those who served in Vietnam is 31 percent, while those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan is 16 percent.
2. It changes people. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), PTSD changes the body’s response to stress. It does this by affecting the stress hormones and chemicals that carry information between the nerves. This creates an anxiety in people, one that comes with a range of side effects.
3. They may have the symptoms. Some veterans may not recognize that they have PTSD, yet they may have some of the symptoms. Those symptoms include reliving the event, nightmares, emotional numbing, avoidance, being easily startled, and feeling irritated, among others. Veterans who have these symptoms for more than a 30-day period should be evaluated to determine whether they have PTSD.
4. There are three main categories. The NIH breaks down PTSD symptoms into three main categories, which include reliving the event, avoidance, and arousal (e.g., anxiety, being paranoid, etc.). Each of these tends to disturb their day-to-day activity and life. Another aspect is that veterans may feel guilty about the event, or for being one who has survived it when others didn’t.
5. There is help. There is help for those who have PTSD. Such things as having a good social support system, attending a support group, and desensitization treatment can be helpful in preventing and addressing it. Animal therapy is another effective treatment method, which involves getting veterans around animals, such as getting them a dog. Finding a therapist also who is trained in Trauma or EMDR.

Thank you so much for you service! Seeking help is not easy but this is treatable, and you are not alone.