On the liner notes of an early album the "then" wife of Van Morrison said: He has an "essential core of aloneness."
Although I have no evidence that Mr. Morrison suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, I've never heard a better description of the essence of PTSD. Those of us who DO have PTSD can relate completely to that phrase.
In this month's issue of VFW Magazine are some recent statistics involving troops returning from Afghanistan and Iraq:
PTSD Rates Rising
Nearly 45% of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans who sought care with VA through September, 2008 had been diagnosed with possible psychological disorders, according to a January, 2009 VA report.
Between fiscal years 2002 and 2008, VA reported that 400,304 Iraq and Afghanistan
vets - or about 24% of the total troops who had served in those conflicts - had gone to VA for treatment. Some 178,483 vets (45%) were diagnosed with possible mental disorders.
Of that total, 92,998 (23%) vets were diagnosed with PTSD, and 63,009 (16%) were found to have possible depressive disorders.
I've been blogging about this for over 3 years now and I absolutely HATE having been right. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see this coming. 3, 4, sometimes 5 tours in a place and situation where every hour of every day troops didn't know where or when the next explosion might take an arm or leg or life.
Combat situations where the mind numbing fear of crashing through a door expecting a stream of bullets or another booby trap to end their tour and cause that knock on the door of a mother that EVERY military family fears, only to find after firing away as his weapon sweeps the room that the dead are women and children. How can anyone hold on to their sanity with such events and stress?
Those who have followed my PTSD blogs know how I felt about the previous White House inhabitants. George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Condoleezza Rice, et. al. bear complete responsibility for not only the 4261 who gave their lives in Iraq and the THOUSANDS more who left limbs, eyes and their innocence there but for those mentioned in the VFW article above who will bear the internal scars for the rest of their lives.
The numbers of those affected by this tragic misadventure which only had one benefit: the enrichment of Bush/Cheney and the rest, will be exponentially increased as families, loved ones and friends of these returning veterans must deal with the psycological damage done by this unnecessary and horrible exploration of Cheney's "Dark Side."
It took me nearly 40 years to seek help. I'm finally working on finding a way out of "my cave" where I took refuge from reality too many times for too long. The VA is helping with the process. My hope is: the numbers mentioned in the article above are the final count of PTSD affected vets from Bush's miscalculations. But in my heart I know there are many like me who won't ask for help for years. And many others who, like so many of my fellow Vietnam vets will end the suffering without seeking relief from the nightmares, flashbacks and survivor guilt by putting a gun in their mouth or in an "accident" where they inexplicably crash their vehicle or motorcycle into a freeway overpass.
If you know a veteran of these recent wars, please talk to them. Not in a judgemental way but to let them know you want to help. Please ask them to go to the nearest Vet Center (there are vet centers in or near almost every community) where they will find at least one fellow combat vet who is a counselor.
There are groups at the Vet Centers and VA facilities which meet frequently. Even though it is difficult, try to get them involved. These groups contain other veterans who KNOW what they're going through and might be able to take away some of the guilt they feel for surviving while their comrades died. Try to convince them that the feelings that they somehow lose their "macho" image by admitting these thoughts are affecting them are not valid. I know how easy it is to somehow translate the feelings and emotions of PTSD into feelings of low self esteem or "weakness." Nothing could be farther from the truth!
If you're a veteran and you're suffering from these symptoms, thoughts or feelings, please feel free to contact me or your local Vet Center. Talk to a buddy who was there with you. Talk to ANYONE, just TALK. Get help. Please don't hide in that "Cave" for 40 years like so many of us have. It only gets better when you deal with it.