This number is changing…and changing for the better. Will get to that in a bit.
When I got my ultimate diagnosis of “CPTSD” a number of years ago, suffice it to say, it shocked me. We’d learned in middle & high school – “PTSD happens to service men and women.”
I have vivid memories of being a kid, going to the local bagel store, or a movie theatre, & seeing veterans, in their veteran’s caps, listing the war(s) they fought in. It always upset me that most sat alone…or if they were w friends, it seemed to always be other veterans almost exclusively.
We heard terms like “misfits,” “shell shocked,” & “unable to assimilate.” It was awful – as if these were damaged human beings who were separate from the rest & couldn’t heal.
Though I’m not a labels guy, it did give me some pride when I first heard PTSD & learned my MH was related to my past traumas. It helped thread the connection to those same folks I saw sitting alone as a child. Trauma impacts the brain/body connection. Primary trauma….secondary & vicarious trauma.
And this is not to downplay what service ppl live through & pay witness to. Instead it’s a way to show a common thread of trauma, that allows us to: better understand one another, better support one another, better share resources that work, better talk about modalities that are healing – & perhaps most importantly, not be separated into different “buckets” where we feel more alone.
So back to the 22 number…that was one of the first stats I’d heard when I got in this space a few years ago…and it felt like a gut punch. 22 is 22 too many. The good news is, the latest research shows the number was down last year, they believe below 20, & the lowest it’s been since 2007.
At a time when we are seeing some awful trends…this could be a bright light we can build momentum on. Please welcome in your neighboring vets…make them feel wanted & respected & appreciated. We all want to feel that way. Happy Veterans Day!