What not to say to returning vets...

"Time heals all wounds"

If you've got returning troops coming into your family, community or church, this is one cliché you will want to stay away from. In fact you may want to stay away from alot of clichés. Instead let your veteran know that you care, you don't know what they are going through, but you do want to help.

They may have PTSD which means they might feel angry, confused, embarrassed, depressed, anxious, drinking or worse, avoiding old friends, family and hangouts. But you can't know that unless you stop, take the time to ask AND listen!

Getting the word out.

As a new blogger with a new blog, I've discovered it's a bit like clapping with one hand. Nobody can hear you. In my quest for more exposure I ran across blog directories! What a good idea I thought-turns out this is 'old hat' for the pros. In exchange for a listing one of them invited me to do a review-ok-you're on rssHugger. Fabulous logo, first off! Compared to others I've looked at today it's clean, easy to read, easy to navigate and user friendly. I was surprised at the lack of a wellness category in the directory. But pleased that I had the option to submit it to be added.

Unfortunately our culture still thinks in terms of illness and disease. This is slowly changing and it's an exciting time for healers and people wanting excellent physical and mental health.

Homeless vets-VA has a bigger count than Bill O'Reilly

Last night, Bill O'Reilly talked about the plight of homeless veterans on his television show. Unfortunately, he got the facts wrong.

O'Reilly: "They (homeless veterans) may be out there, but there's not many of them out there. Okay?...If you know where there is a veteran, sleeping under a bridge, you call me immediately, and we will make sure that man does not do it."

I'm not sure where Mr. O'Reilly got his statistics but according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, almost 200,000 veterans sleep on our nation's streets each night. And Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are joining those ranks at an alarming rate. In fact veterans make up about a third of the homeless adults in America.

If you would like to drop Bill a line go to http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/436/t/26/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=884
and sign the open letter that Paul Rieckhoff from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America has organized. Awareness is the first way to encourage the healing that these vets deserve.

Pushing through PTSD?

Kids headed out for the bus this morning, still in the dark. As I closed the door behind the last one, I heard 'GO GET MOM!'

It brought me on the run to find a motorcyclist who had slipped and slid for yards on the icy road. It was obvious she was in shock and already getting sore. But because she had no 'external' damage she refused any help of any kind. Not for herself, not for her machine. "I can handle it," she kept saying.

It seems to be an inbuilt survival mechanism for us to push on and almost a gut reaction not to appear to need help. Which makes treating PTSD very difficult. Especially with troops trained to push on, trained to overcome fears and weaknesses, trained to get the job done, not dwell on what's bothering them.

This is the point when family and friends become SO important. Listening, watching, being aware, being there without pushing, taking the time to understand what might be going on and helping to find solutions.

PTSD is an unavoidable product of war

Many years ago when we first began to study PTSD, it seemed as if it must be some kind of mysterious, unusual problem. It gradually became apparent that PTSD is not only common, it is an unavoidable product of war. Because it has to do with emotion, it is largely denied and ignored by those who believe emotion plays no part in war.

Without emotion we are less than human. Symptoms of PTSD reveal that regardless of the things soldiers have had to do and/or witness, they are still human and have human reactions to horror.

What are the symptoms of PTSD?

The symptoms are many and varied. In fact, they can vary tremendously from individual to individual. Symptoms include, but are not limited to:

nightmares
hyperventilation
depression
feeling numb
flashbacks of the event
guilt feelings
anxiety
fear
anger
helplessness
delayed reactions
denial
drug or alcohol addictions
reactions to "triggers"-like road rage

Sometimes PTSD victims suffer from very dangerous symptoms such as uncontrollable rage, suicidal or, homicidal tendencies. If you or a buddy is at this point- seek help immediately.

What is PTSD?

PTSD or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is, simply stated, a disorder caused by emotional shock. It is a relatively new term. The medical community has only recently realized that it is a condition or syndrome (pattern) peculiar to one or more emotionally charged events in one's life.

In earlier wars the condition was known as "shell shock" or "battle fatigue." It was generally not treated at all. If it was treated it was considered a mental illness and treatment was often harsh and bizarre.

Today we recognize that any emotional shock can result in continuing stress and distress, causing symptoms from mild mental or emotional discomfort to extremely serious behavior problems.

The shock can be as minor as a dog bite or it can be horrific such as incidents in war or a disaster of some kind like Katrina or the Tsunami. Regardless of the severity of the shock, if it causes any kind of discomfort whatever for the individual, it is justifiably considered PTSD.

The good news is that PTSD is curable. Without drugs, expensive in-patient treatments, lengthy therapy or bizarre mechanical devices-you, a buddy or your loved one can get help for this disabling condition.