Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Are We Doing Enough
In the UK, today is the Spring Bank Holiday Monday, in the US, it is Memorial Day. For those who do not know what that is, Memorial Day is a holiday which commemorates US soldiers who died whilst on active service. I have always been moved as to how both the US and UK honour those who serve their countries and those who made the supreme sacrifice.
In my practice, I have worked with many serving and former soldiers who come back from combat psychologically damaged. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD is a recognised disorder which originally was identified in the military can often be more damaging and devastating to life than physical injuries incurred.
Whilst there is a far greater recognition of this issue in both professional circles and via the general public, I cannot help but ask if we are doing enough to help. It is all well and good for people to pay professionals like me to help to gain some relief, but it is surely not right that so many veterans return from combat struggling with this awful condition without appropriate support being offered to them. Politicians on both sides of the Atlantic talk a good game when it comes to Veterans, but as in so many situations, talk is cheap actions speak louder than words.
