The long lonely path living with PTSD. What is PTSD?
“Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Frightening situations happen to everyone at some point. People can react in many different ways: they might feel nervous, have a hard time sleeping well, or go over the details of the situation in their mind. These thoughts or experiences are a normal reaction. They usually decrease over time and the people involved can go back to their daily lives. Post-traumatic stress disorder, on the other hand, lasts much longer and can seriously disrupt a person’s life.”
http://www.cmha.ca/mental_health/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/#.WHEqbvkrKyI
Earlier this week in Nova Scotia, Lionel Desmond a Canadian veteran soldier from the Afghanistan war who was suffering from PTSD, killed his family then himself. As the rest of their family struggles with the tragedy we must ask what and how can supports systems be improved to help those veterans struggling with PTSD.
“Lionel Desmond’s struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder plagued his family since he finished a tour in Afghanistan in 2007, Borden said. He would flip between being a loving husband and father and a shell-shocked veteran. He had nightmares, flashbacks and struggled to find a treatment that would help him.”
A traumatic event(s) is different for each of us. A trauma for one person may not be a trauma for another and each of us will react and recover from that experience differently. The idea is to avoid judging victims as they learn to deal with these memories and feelings. Many victims of PTSD and mental illness live with the silent shame and often may deny anything is wrong. It is important for victims to speak up and seek positive supports, either with counselling and/or medication. Create a network of positive self care techniques for both the victim and family.
As a person living with PTSD I am acutely aware of the continued struggle with memories, nightmares and triggers of fears and trauma but also the importance to speaking up to help other victims.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/lionel-shanna-aaliyah-desmond-murder-suicide-ptsd-veteran-1.3922287