Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: We associate it with something that happens in careers that can be dangerous like with soldiers, or police. But it really can happen to any of us who are hit with a major traumatic event.  

But beyond that initial hit, many don’t realize how the effects of the trauma are multiplied by fear and prejudice against people with PTSD. Here, the enemy is not in a faraway country, or in a dark back alley. The attacks are coming from right here at home. Where we least expect it. And those attacks make it worse.

Unfortunately, the public is grossly misinformed about PTSD, probably because they have seen too many movies that portray veterans as unstable. Or the news reports of mass shooters who are veterans. 

But it is a false narrative that those with PTSD are dangerous, or broken beyond repair. 

Many veterans and first responders will tell you painful stories of the prejudice and bigotry they face by a public that thinks people with PTSD can violently snap at any moment. One program I work with is simply trying to start a rural farm for veterans and first responders healing from PTSD. They will plant crops, ride horses, train service dogs, have a carpentry shop and sponsor programs for veterans to get together with hikes and small group campouts. 

Some of the local citizens are protesting, literally saying they fear for their children’s lives. They even referred to the veterans as “monsters” and spread rumors of panic in the community claiming these veterans may lash out and attack other people if startled while walking in the woods. Imagine the feelings of those who faced the gunfire of the enemy in war, who risked their lives, who saw their friends killed, to then come home and hear neighbors call them “monsters”, even at public meetings. 

Worse yet, the local elected officials, who are aware of the negative public comments, would not stand up to defend the veterans, perhaps worried about their next election. One of the local township elected officials wears an Army baseball cap to official meetings, but he sat there in silence while insults were hurled at the veterans, never correcting the angry citizens who sowed these seeds of disdain. The pain felt by every veteran in the room was not obvious. They are used to holding in their feelings. Later, in private, they told me how much it hurt. 

But they do not and will not lash out. They react calmly and are determined to change people's minds by demonstrating a good example.  

The stigma is reminiscent of what soldiers returning from Viet Nam faced. They too were called “monsters” and spit upon. Few public officials spoke up in their defense. Many still feel the wounds of that hatred when they returned. 

Add to this the current public prejudice against our police: the jeers, insults, taunting and violent attacks, even when they are trying to protect the public. And then there are the elected officials who want to defund them, who refuse to have the back of those meant to watch our backs. Abandonment and betrayal are major causes of trauma. 

Police still face the risk of death and injury daily. Not just gunfire, but attacks from an assailant, getting caught up in a volatile domestic argument, or being hit by a speeding distracted driver while they pull over a drunk driver on the highway.  

And it is what they witness each day that also adds to their trauma. A veteran who served in the Army for 20 years and as a police officer for another 20 years told me the worst thing he experienced was not the felons or combat. It was carrying a dead child out of a home who was killed by neglect and abusive parents. “I cannot unsee what I have seen,” he says. He has seen the effect of monsters. It has made him a kind, compassionate and patient man. He is no monster. 

Firefighters and paramedics are also on the list of those frequently impacted by post-traumatic stress. The accident victims, the charred bodies, the choking child they could not save on time. They tell me, “The worst day of your life is every day for me.” No wonder they have nightmares. They are not monsters. 

And here is a humbling fact for all of us. Any of us can be there. Seventy percent of the population will face a traumatizing life-threatening event in their lifetime, directly, as an eye witness, or it can be a close family member or friend. 

It can be a severe auto accident, kidnaping, violent assault, the shock of the life-threatening diagnosis, death of a child or partner, murder attempt, abusive relationship, a natural disaster like a flood, hurricane, earthquake, tornado, or fire. It can also come from war, looting, riots.

Not everyone is affected by trauma in the same way. Almost everyone will have some temporary distress. But about 20 percent will be significantly shaken with symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress lasting a few weeks, such as anxiety attacks, startle reactions, sleep problems, irritability, and avoiding things that remind them of the traumatic event. With time and talking with friends or a counselor most people can work through it. 

For some it’s harder to shake the symptoms. Between 10-15 percent of those who have a post-traumatic stress reaction, their symptoms will linger and develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. They may repeatedly think of the traumatic event, stuck in a nightmare, many, many times each day, with vivid flashback memories. 

Typically, people struggling with PTSD avoid places or situations that remind them of the trauma, even though those places are now safe. They often isolate, are quiet, and don’t want to talk about their struggles. They report feeling like they are in a mental fog. They can feel disconnected in friendships and in their families. Severe stress can do that to all of us.

Many have trouble falling or staying asleep. Police report common nightmares where they are being shot at and their own gun does not work. Traumatized parents report nightmares where they cannot find their crying child. A veteran may dream they freeze when attacked and cannot fight back. A driver who had a bad accident may dream of being in a car with the brakes failing. A woman who with a history of assault may freeze up when in a crowded room. These are normal reactions to an abnormal situation. PTSD is not a fatal diagnosis nor a criminal sentence. There is much hope for their healing. 

These are good men and women who want to get better, who are valuable parts of every community. They are not monsters. They are my friends in the deepest sense of the word.  

When ignorance and stigma are added to the mix by misinformed members of the community, co-workers, and employers, problems are exacerbated by a prejudiced public.  During PTSD awareness month we would all do well to understand what PTSD is and what it is not. At the very least, please don't make it worse. Show respect and kindness like you should with anybody. And understand that with care, we can get better.