How common is #PTSD? The answer may surprise you.

Let it be this if you take nothing else away from this article.

“Recovery and healing is certainly possible and this is important to name for trauma survivors,” explains Verhulst. “Within this recovery, initial symptoms can become much more manageable and individuals can go on to experience better qualities of life with significant improvement.”

PTSD Statistics And Facts: How Common Is It?

Forbes Health
By Rena Goldman
September 14, 2023 

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop after someone experiences a traumatic event. While not everyone who goes through a traumatic event will experience PTSD, those who continue to deal with problems related to their social, physical and/or spiritual well-being after experiencing trauma may be dealing with PTSD. It’s also possible to experience higher levels of PTSD symptoms at different periods of time, such as during events like war, a pandemic or a natural disaster.

PTSD Statistics By Gender The type of traumatic event and the age at which it occurs can determine whether or not someone develops PTSD, and certain types of traumatic experiences put people at a higher risk. Women are more likely than men to develop PTSD, but that may be because women are more likely to experience sexual assault, a type of trauma that can cause PTSD.

About 8% of women and 4% of men get PTSD at some point in their lifetime.
Women are two to three times more at risk for developing PTSD when compared to men.
In women, about 10% to 12% develop PTSD during their lifetime.
In men, about 5% to 6% develop PTSD during their lifetime.
Women are also more likely than men to experience another mental health condition, such as anxiety or depression.
Men are more likely to experience trauma from physical violence, combat, accidents or disaster, while women are more likely to experience trauma from rape, sexual assault or childhood sexual abuse.
learn more here

Now you know that you are nowhere close to being alone even though you may not know someone like you.

The other good thing this article does is it breaks down how #PTSD strikes other people and not just veterans. Once we see that survivors are human first, we realize that we are all survivors of what could have killed us and need help to heal. It's a lot more powerful to have the reassurance others struggle too and we can all learn from one another and lean on them.

Miracles come without warning too!

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
September 12, 2023 

We woke up on September 12th with a reminder that normal no longer existed. That's the way all survivors of traumatic events wake up to what becomes a different normal to us.

It wasn't just the people running out of the buildings. It wasn't just the police officers and firefighters running into them. It wasn't just the people in the area, or across from it in New Jersey. People all over the world watched what happened in real-time.

Then searchers operated on pure adrenaline being fed by the hope they would find their friends alive. With each day, it was all being slowly drained away. They didn't see what all of that was doing to them. With each passing year, they didn't know that day would become a continuous danger to them.

U.S. Marines pray over a fallen comrade after he died from wounds suffered in fighting in Fallujah, Iraq, April 8, 2004. AP Photo/Murad Sezer, File

20 years post-invasion, many Iraq veterans haven’t found peace on the Harvard Gazette is a reminder that those we sent into combat in Afghanistan and Iraq didn't see it coming either. None of them saw #PTSD coming until it had already dug into them.

Miracles came to survivors on 9-11. Firefighters and survivors on Stairwell B and more stories came out. They happened but we didn't know about them until afterward. Miracles happened in Afghanistan and Iraq too. Can they happen to us too?

And now for the good news. None of us saw the people coming to help us, but they came. We don't see healing coming until it arrives proving hope still lives. Not just in us but in those taking the time to help us. Had they not had hope they could help, they wouldn't bother. Honestly, it can be damn draining to work with people after trauma but they do it and most of the time, it is because either someone helped them at some people in their own lives or they knew someone.

We don't see the day coming when we can actually feel the smile come over our faces. We don't see it coming when we suddenly pick up the guitar and play it again, or let our fingers caress the keys of a piano. We don't see it coming when we pick up the paintbrush, molding clay, or any of the other tools we use to create something out of love. We don't see it coming when we sit and write our thoughts, and visions, or attempt to allow inspiration to flow through us. That all can happen after hope returns to us and we don't see it until it arrives. Miracles come without warning too!

#PTSD is the invader you don't see coming

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
September 10, 2023

After surviving the traumatic event, you may have felt lucky to remain alive. Figuring you are safe, you try to get on with your life, going back to whatever that life was like before it happened to you. The thing is, that event opened the door to the invader. It is a war you didn't start. #PTSD is the invader you don't see coming.

If you are prepared for this enemy, you start to fight it right away. You know you have 30 days to conquer it and begin to heal the wound it caused. Should you not be prepared, your choice is to surrender to it or fight with everything you've got. Unarmed, you don't have much to fight with.

Waiting to just get over it, pretending nothing has changed in you, allows it to feed off everything you are and suck out the life you once lived. Family and friends tell you that you're not acting the same way you did before. They try to get you to cheer up. When that doesn't work, frustration takes over and they tell you to just get over it. They have no clue this isn't a wound that time will heal. This is a wound that spreads like an infection. While everyone else is miserable, including you, PTSD is all too happy to claim more of you.

That's what the Ministers Of The Mystery Series is all about. The first book, The Scribe Of Salem, is about a war reporter. Chris Papadopoulos was nearly killed by a bomb blast in Afghanistan. His friends serving in the Army saw it happen. That event wouldn't leave them alone.

When he returned home to a hostile wife, he had to fight to heal his physical wounds. He didn't know his soul was wounded too. He had too many other things to fight, including his wife. The wounds to his body eventually healed but the other wound grew stronger until he lost everything he had, including his faith in God.

Returning to Salem as a failure, he relied on drinks being poured by his favorite bartender and only friend, Ed. On the 7th anniversary of the bomb blast, he didn't want to spend one more day suffering without any hope of anything getting better. God agreed.

If you want to see how this demon can be defeated by a broken man, you'll have to read The Scribe Of Salem. If you're guessing it has something to do with witches, you're right but the witch in this one is one. You may have never heard of witches like her but chances are, ones like her are waiting for you to turn to them too.

Become an unashamed survivor with PTSD

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
September 8, 2023

It is a shame that you get blamed for what it did to you. Isn't it time for you to become unashamed of being a survivor of whatever caused #PTSD? It happened to you. You survived it. There is no shame in that. 

People will blame you for the way you've changed because they don't understand why you changed. Most of the time, survivors have no clue and cannot begin to help the people around them understand. Fear kind of removes the ability to say the words that you need help and are not doing anything on purpose other than trying to get over what happened. We all want to go back to the way we were before but we need to remind ourselves that whatever we survive in life changes us. No matter what happens to us, good or bad, we change on a daily basis. Even after you end up with PTSD, you are changing on a daily basis too. The thing is, either it is taking control over you or you are taking control over it.

Forget all about the doom and gloom that people say. It leaves you trapped in suffering in silence. There have been many times when you may have been around other people talking about what they think about PTSD. Bet it was all negative, like it isn't real, or even worse, those with it were too weak to handle stuff that happens in life. Spending time listening to them is wasted time. It's much better to spend that time learning what you can about what is causing you so much sadness and then listen to others who did heal.

Forget about investing money in groups claiming to raise awareness that veterans are committing suicide, no matter what number they use. No one needs to be reminded of people not finding the help they need to heal but you do need to be inspired by those that did heal. It's a lot better to find something that works for you. Isn't it?

There are a lot of good groups and sites out there. Make The Connection is from the Veterans Administration and is awesome. Anyone can gain information and inspiration from their videos. If you are not a veteran, you can still hear what others went through and how their lives got better. All you have to do is stop thinking that what they say is only for veterans. PTSD is PTSD no matter what caused it. There are videos from military sexual assault survivors too. 

The cause of PTSD is different but the way to heal is universal. You can #takebackyourlife and #defeatptsd. Plus don't forget that it was already lost when you survived the cause of it in the first place.

You don't have to sign in anywhere and videos have the click ability to watch them on YouTube if you want. This will give you an idea of what is available.

How to be an ally to someone dealing with PTSD

Upworthy
Mark Shrayber
September 5, 2023

An estimated 8 percent of the population will experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in their lifetime.

Those living with #PTSD are already under a great deal of pressure. Suggesting therapy is helpful, but trying to make your loved one see "the good side of things" or "remember that this is all part of a bigger plan" is likely to create even more guilt and stress rather than prompt action. PTSD is painful and it's serious, but it's never a sign of weakness.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Up to 8% of the American population will experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in their lifetime, according to the National Center for PTSD.

As much as people might not want to discuss it, traumatic experiences are not rare. In fact, recent data suggests that 60% of men and 50% of women will experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime.

For a long time, it was believed that only those who had served in the military could develop PTSD, but that's simply not true.

The reality is that, while it may be more prevalent among certain groups, PTSD can affect anyone who's experienced a traumatic event. It's important to be able to speak about it clearly and openly, without fear or condemnation, in order to promote understanding and healing.
learn how you can be an ally here

Marine's Mom planted seeds of hopeful healing

Garden of Hope: One Mother’s Mission to Help Marine Son and Other Veterans Heal and Grow

Woman's World
By Bill Holton
September 3, 2023

“If I found a spot, what do you think of planting a bigger garden — one where other vets could come and grow, too?” she asked Jason. Instantly, a smile spread across his face. “Yup, let’s do it!” he said. “I saw the old light in his eyes,” Anne Marie says.

Suffering with PTSD, Anne Marie Mucci’s Marine veteran son had retreated from the world. Then, one spring, he helped his mom plant a vegetable garden and, amazingly, he felt an overwhelming sense of calm. As the seedlings grew over the summer, so did his spirit. “We have to share this with other vets,” Anne Marie thought. And so, their backyard project grew into The Veterans Garden — a mission of love and hope. Here, read their story of healing.

A son she didn’t recognize
When Anne Marie Mucci’s son, Jason, returned home after serving four years with the Marines in Iraq, he was a changed man. Struggling with PTSD and a traumatic brain injury, he was no longer the outgoing young man she’d kissed goodbye.

“He barely spoke. Didn’t bother with friends or family. He basically went into his bedroom and didn’t come out,” Anne Marie confides to Woman’s World. His depression deepened when a Marine buddy died by suicide. Jason had a warehouse job, but spent most of his time in his room, sleeping, watching TV and playing video games.

Then, one spring day in 2016, Anne Marie decided to plant a vegetable garden in her West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, yard. As she turned shovelful after shovelful of soil, suddenly, Jason came up behind her. “Let me do that,” he offered — and Anne Marie couldn’t have been more shocked or grateful.
read more here and find inspiration for what you can do too!

This story brought back memories of when I first heard about my husband's uncle. He was a Merchant Marine during WWII. His ship was hit by a kamikaze pilot. The survivors were found in the ocean and in total mental distress from the sinking of their ship along with what they had to deal with until help came.

He was given a choice of going to an institution for the rest of his life, or, living on a farm with others like him. He chose the farm. They lived together and worked on the farm while the farmers took care of everything they needed and the veterans healed together.

I know a lot of readers don't know how far back all this goes. I hope you understand that they are still doing it because it worked.

People want to help and find inspiration in different ways. Maybe there is an idea you have about what you can do, not just for veterans, but for others you know with #PTSD. After all, millions of Americans join this club every year and need help too!

Worcester Police Officer-Disabled Veteran fired for what service did to him

Disabled Military Veteran Fired by Worcester Police

This Week In Worcester
By Tom Marino
August 20, 2023

Documentation from the VA indicates Condo told its staff that while in Afghanistan, he was assigned a tent near a Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar (C-RAM) unit at a base that experienced significant attacks where soldiers were killed. Public records show an attack at Bagram Air Force Base led to five casualties there on July 8, 2014, while records show Condo was stationed there. Documentation from the VA indicates Condo told its staff that while in Afghanistan, he was assigned a tent near a Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar (C-RAM) unit at a base that experienced significant attacks where soldiers were killed. Public records show an attack at Bagram Air Force Base led to five casualties there on July 8, 2014, while records show Condo was stationed there.

Jerry Condo served as a Worcester Police officer for 14 years and is a 23-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force National Guard with a combat tour in Afghanistan. During his time with the Worcester Police Department, he was never the subject of a citizen complaint. He was the subject of two investigations by the Bureau of Professional Services (BOPS), the internal affairs unit that investigates officer wrongdoing inside the Worcester Police Department, for alcohol-related incidents in 2017 and 2018. Both investigations were sustained. Termination was recommended.

Prior to Condo’s termination, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) designated Condo as a disabled veteran due to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in connection with military service. Despite documentation from the VA that Condo was engaging in treatment for both PTSD and alcohol abuse consistently throughout 2018, then City Manager Ed Augustus signed a letter terminating the employment of this disabled veteran on Dec. 14, 2018.
read more here

HOLD ONTO YOUR TEMPER AS YOU READ THE REST OF THIS. They recognized what service does a couple of months later.

shortage of mental health providers just sent a sense of hopelessness up my spine

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
August 30, 2023

Most of us understand how it feels to be so frustrated all we want to do is SCREAM! That's the way I've been feeling for decades. Reading the news on the shortage of mental health providers just sent a sense of hopelessness up my spine. I screamed!

Scream

As the mental health crisis in children and teens worsens, the dire shortage of mental health providers is preventing young people from getting the help they need
Steven Berkowitz, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Sun, August 27, 2023

The situation is so grim that in October 2021, health care professionals declared a national emergency in child mental health. Since then, the crisis has not abated; it’s only gotten worse. But there are not enough mental health professionals to meet the need.

The hospital where I practice recently admitted a 14-year-old girl with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, to our outpatient program. She was referred to us six months earlier, in October 2022, but at the time we were at capacity. Although we tried to refer her to several other hospitals, they too were full. During that six-month wait, she attempted suicide.

Unfortunately, this is an all-too-common story for young people with mental health issues. A 2021 survey of 88 children’s hospitals reported that they admit, on average, four teens per day to inpatient programs. At many of these hospitals, more children await help, but there are simply not enough services or psychiatric beds for them.

So these children languish, sometimes for days or even a week, in hospital emergency departments. This is not a good place for a young person coping with grave mental health issues and perhaps considering suicide. Waiting at home is not a good option either – the family is often unable or unwilling to deal with a child who is distraught or violent.

I am a professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the University of Colorado, where I founded and direct the Stress, Trauma, Adversity Research and Treatment Center. For 30 years, my practice has focused on youth stress and trauma.
read more here

First getting people to understand what #PTSD was seemed an impossible endeavor. Then the battle was to get the message across that no one had to suffer when they could heal as a survivor of what trauma did to them. That offered them hope they weren't stuck the way they were. The problem back then was there were not enough mental health professionals with specialized training in trauma. 

How could we expect anyone to seek help when it clearly wouldn't be there for them? Years passed and as word spread about the millions suffering, that field grew. The problem was, that they were focused on veterans while unwilling to understand that PTSD was a human wound caused by many different traumatic events. 

To see all of this end up right back to where I started 4 decades ago is heartbreaking, but all is not hopeless. To know that just being able to talk to someone begins the healing process and all of us can at least listen to them is something all of us can do until things change again. 

If you know you need help and believe you may have #PTSD, no matter what the cause was, go here and take the assessment from the National Center For PTSD to get an idea of what you may be experiencing. The best way to know for sure is to be evaluated by a mental health professional but until there are more of them, you can take steps now to begin to heal.

Learn what it is, and why you were hit by it, and try to explain it to the people in your life. Right now, just like you are assuming things about yourself they are making assumptions too. They don't know any better than you do. Put yourself in their place and understand you'd probably do the same thing if you didn't know what it was.

You do not have to go into details with them but if you trust them, then find what helps you understand it better and share it with them. Just begin the conversation by telling them you need help and for them to listen. 

If you don't have anyone you trust, then search online for groups that focus on the cause of your PTSD because they will understand what you survived better than other groups. If you cannot find one, then search for groups focusing on PTSD in general. Any support is better than no support at all because at least you'll understand you are not alone in what you are dealing with. Sit back, read, or listen to what they have to say, and then if you feel comfortable, try to open up. If not, then move on to another group until you find one you feel comfortable with.

Do not give up trying to find a mental health professional. If you have to wait months for an appointment, take it. There is only so much you can do without their help but at least you can begin to heal until you find one. Also, keep in mind there are online providers to help you too.

Learn surviving the unexpected before you need to know what PTSD is

Residents Trained During First Wave of Pandemic Experienced Less PTSD

Apple Valley News
Lori Solomon
Aug 25, 2023

FRIDAY, Aug. 25, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- First-year residents training during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic were significantly less likely to screen positive for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) versus residents training before the pandemic, according to a study published online Aug. 22 in JAMA Network Open.

Michelle K. Ptak, from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues examined changes in PTSD symptoms among first-year residents training before and during the first pandemic wave (March to June 2020). The analysis included participants in the Intern Health Study (2018 to 2019 [prepandemic; 1,137 participants] and 2019 to 2020 [during the pandemic; 820 participants]).
read more here

Now that you've read that, understand that #PTSD can be prevented with knowledge before it happens, while trauma cannot be prevented, no matter how hard you try. After traumatic events, we understand what it is like to have our "normal" reality shattered. We enter into a new reality of life as a survivor of it. We have 30 days to fight the symptoms and begin the healing process. As soon as that happens the less residual changes we have to live with. After 30 days, if the symptoms are not gone or at least weaker, we may need professional help. The only way to know that is to find a mental health professional to evaluate us. (Good luck on that one when they are hard to find now.) The thing is, you do need to see one as soon as possible. It is what you do between now and when you can that can make all the difference in the world. You can begin to heal by learning what it is as soon as you figure out you've changed. Learn from others who have begun their journey into life as a survivor. The thing is, as soon as you realize you are not alone and there are many more out there just like you, it can prevent a lot of the bad stuff that can come if you know nothing about it.

One of the biggest things is anger. Considering how many thoughts crash into each other, the longer we face people judging us almost as much as we judge ourselves, anger feeds off anger. We think about the fact it happened to us and then we think about everyone we know judging us because they have no clue about what we don't even understand. How can we explain it or expect them to understand if we don't? Anger is fed when we get frustrated because waiting to get over it doesn't work, but in fact, lets it get worse claiming more and more of the person we used to be. It gets very uncomfortable having a stranger living in our heads when our bodies look the same. That's the stranger they don't understand. They get angry too because they want us to just get over it and go back to the way we were before. We want them to understand us, and at the same time, we know we'd probably react the same way they are. 

Is anger a real thing that is different from normal anger? Yep!

Anger, The Forgotten Emotion Unveiled: How Trauma Influences Problem Anger

Neuroscience News

August 26, 2023

While we know a lot about sadness and fear, anger still has an uncomfortable place in society. Most of us don’t know what anger is for, or the difference between healthy and problem anger. Summary: Anger remains a misunderstood emotion, often stigmatized and mishandled in society.

Researchers revealed a significant link between problem anger and trauma experiences, with anger serving as a common, yet overlooked symptom of PTSD. The study also highlights disparities in how men and women experience and express problem anger, particularly after trauma.

Understanding the nuances between healthy and problem anger could pave the way for better mental health interventions and societal attitudes toward this complex emotion.

Key Facts:

Problem anger is a common but poorly understood symptom following trauma, affecting up to 31% of trauma-impacted populations like veterans and first responders.
Healthy anger motivates action and should not be equated with aggression or violence, which are choices rather than emotional reflexes.
Social gender norms result in differing expressions of problem anger in men and women, making it more difficult for women to openly express their anger.
read more here

So, the message here is simple. Get help to prevent more from happening to you. Even better is to learn all you can about surviving the unexpected before you need to know. 

PTSD and Grimm Reailty

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
August 21, 2023

Having to be home so much due to some personal things, I've been discovering series I never had the chance to watch. A couple of weeks ago, I found the Grimm series.

 Grimm

Portland detective, Nick Burkhardt, has seen some gruesome crime scenes, but nothing prepares him for the strange visions he begins seeing: seemingly regular people momentarily transforming into hideous monsters. A visit from his only living relative reveals the truth. Nick has inherited the ability to see supernatural creatures, and as a "Grimm," he is tasked with keeping the balance between mankind and the mythological. A reformed "Big Bad Wolf" becomes his greatest (and also reluctant) ally and confidant. It's not long before his work as a policeman leads Nick to the criminals he once thought were only found in fairy tales.—L. Hamre

I am a fan of horror as long as the good guys win in the end. What got me hooked was the horror of this series it was also about friends standing by your side to help you defeat the demons you have to fight. After all, that is how we heal #PTSD.

Over the weekend I was binge-watching the 3rd season when I saw The Red Menace. I wasn't ready for it to include Juliette's friend having to hide at her house because she was running away from a violent husband. Watching it, I had to take a lot of deep breaths. It brought back memories of when my first husband tried to kill me and then stalked me. To me, he was the demon I had to fight. That's how he became my ex-husband and how the marriage lasted less than two years. (I've been with my second husband since 1982.)

The thing is, we do heal from what we survive, no matter what it is. The grim reality is that we still have scars, and every once in a while, the memories leak out of those cracks and come alive. The more we heal, the less time they take away from our current reality. After that episode, I ended up watching a comedy for a break. Today, I went back to watching it and not fearing what I'd have resurrected.

Kathie Costos author of

The Scribe Of Salem

The Visionary Of Salem

13th Minister Of Salem

suffering after surviving doesn't last as long as being able to help others

This report about the fires in Maui is a few days old. We know the number of dead has gone up since it was posted. What it has in it is too important to not share, beginning with this,

"People who develop any of these issues are at very high risk for suicide," Berkowitz said. "People with PTSD or any of these trauma-related disorders will often be more irritable, have angry outbursts and that can lead to physical aggression and issues. Substance dependence is not an uncommon outcome of this." (KABC News)

If you have #PTSD you know what it is like when you discover it can happen to you, because it did.

Woman recalls harrowing scene of Maui fires as death toll climbs: 'People died in their car'
KABC
Josh Haskell
Friday, August 11, 2023

Research has shown wildfires and the subsequent smoke can lead to increased rates of anxiety and depression and become worse among people who already have these conditions.

Dr. Steve Berkowitz, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, said wildfires and other natural disasters may also impact the ability of people with mental health conditions to receive care.

Many residents were forced to jump into the ocean to escape the flames.

LAHAINA, Hawaii (KABC) -- Many longtime residents of Maui are having a difficult time processing the devastation they have witnessed after dangerous wildfires ravaged the small Hawaiian island.

At least 59 people have been killed and a majority of the historic town of Lahaina, which was once the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii, has been destroyed, according to officials.

During a press briefing on Thursday, Gov. Josh Green called the wildfires "likely the largest natural disaster in Hawaii's state history."

Many residents who have lost everything are now sheltered at a local gym. The aftermath of the wildfires is already having a significant impact on people's mental and physical health.

Thao Tran, who has lived in Lahaina for 30 years, described it as a nightmare.
read more here

Death toll from Maui wildfire climbs to 96, making it the deadliest in the US in more than 100 years

No one admits they fear it can happen to them. It's often harder to admit it after it happened and you need help. The thing is, if you read this site, then you know how healing it is to help someone else understand what it is like to be grateful you survived because you found healing. No one else will understand them unless they are survivors too. If you come across their posts on social media and they are looking for support, right now the most helpful thing you can do for them is be an example that the suffering after surviving doesn't last as long as being able to help others. That lasts a lifetime.

"This is a nightmare that I'm not going to wake up from." Brenda Marles

West Palm Beach VA Medical Center 'failed' veteran who died by suicide, lawsuit says

WPTV
By: Dave Bohman
Jul 27, 2023

This is a case about not listening to the needs of a Marine veteran who was reaching out to get help

WPTV
Brenda Marles describes the heartbreak of losing her husband to suicide and why she is suing the West Palm Beach VA.

According to her lawsuit, he went to the VA in January 2021 complaining "of anxiety, hallucinations, chest pain, insomnia, night sweats, and 'having crazy dreams.'"

The suit claims his PTSD was triggered in part by the Jan. 6 siege on the nation’s capital days earlier.

But after two visits to the West Palm Beach VA, the suit claims Rico Marles told his wife, "he did not believe anyone in the [Emergency Department] took his complaints seriously." Instead, "he felt 'brushed off.'"

After returning from his second VA visit, Brenda Marles said she fell asleep next to her husband. Then heard, "the sound of a pop."

Rico Marles shot himself.

Brenda Marles said her husband's suicide left her diagnosed with PTSD.

"This is a nightmare that I'm not going to wake up from," she said. read more here

I hate to read something like this. Not just because it is so sad, but because it is still happening. Veterans fight our battles and then have to fight the government for what they need to heal and recover. They give up and then it is up to the families to fight for them. That's what happened to us in the '90s. My husband is still here and the VA is doing everything he needs. Once his claim was finally approved they have been wonderful but it was a hell of a battle to get there. The thing that wounds my soul the most is this is still happening and Brenda Marles has to fight the battle as a widow and her own battle with PTSD after her husband committed suicide. WHY?

ENOUGH OF THE BS THAT DOES NOT WORK! Raise awareness THEY CAN HEAL PTSD!

2 motorcycle convoys are headed for Ottawa. One worries it will be mistaken for the other

CBC News
Avanthika Anand
Posted: Aug 05, 2023

The Rolling Barrage motorcycle rally, pictured in St. John's, N.L. where it kicked off this year's event on Aug 1. (Submitted by Scott Casey)

As two motorcycle convoys descend on Ottawa, the organizer behind one rally worries it may be mistaken for the other.

On and off for the last seven years, the Rolling Barrage cross-country motorcycle ride has come to the National Capital Region to raise awareness about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among military veterans.

This year, the ride's organizer Scott Casey said he's worried another motorcycle convoy might distract from his campaign.

The Rolling Barrage is expected to pull into Ottawa on Wednesday. When it does, Casey is concerned his riders may be mistaken for the Rolling Thunder motorcycle convoy, a group whose origin can be traced back to the self-described "Freedom Convoy" that occupied downtown Ottawa in the winter of 2022.

Rolling Thunder arrived in Ottawa Saturday, just days before Casey and his group.

"I honestly don't know what their mission is," Casey said. "Whatever they have planned... that serves absolutely no purpose to us whatsoever."

Upon returning from that tour, one of Casey's close colleagues died by suicide. That tragedy became the catalyst for starting The Rolling Barrage PTSD Foundation in 2016.

One year later, Casey launched the namesake ride, "for combat veterans and first responders, [to] specifically create peer support right across the country for those people and their families."

"PTSD and operational stress injury is essentially a moral injury. It can be treated, and it's a matter of finding the right piece of the puzzle that works for you," Casey said. "It's just a different injury. So it was important for me to be able to raise awareness [around] that." read more here

What the hell is going on, or more to the point, why is it still going on? How many groups need to begin because of yet one more suicide that didn't need to happen? How many more need to "raise awareness" about #PTSD before they themselves become aware of what works instead of what they want to do based on abysmal limited knowledge of what works?

Yes, they understand the suffering especially if they suffer from PTSD. Yes, they know that it helps to stop isolating and be around people again. What they haven't become aware of is the simple fact that veterans and all those hit by PTSD because of their jobs need to learn the most important lessons of all.

The first one is millions of survivors join the PTSD club no one wants to belong to every year from surviving as a civilian and most of the time, all it takes is one time to do it. How many times do they face trauma on their jobs? Once they learn how prevalent PTSD is, they begin to understand that no amount of training can turn them into machines able to withstand what PTSD does. No matter how much training they are given, how brave, dedicated and tough they are, they are just human after all. 

The second one is that they may not be cured but they can heal and more often than not, they can become a better person than they ever imagined when they do heal. Why? Because they turn around and help others heal too and that spreads a lot faster than bad news. 

How about all these groups decide it is time to spread something veterans can find hope in instead of reminding them about how others took their own lives because they didn't find hope to help them stay alive one more day?

ENOUGH OF THE BS THAT DOES NOT WORK! Raise awareness THEY CAN HEAL PTSD!

Veteran died after setting himself on fire because his country failed him

This just goes to show that the US is not the only country failing at addressing #PTSD

IDF veteran dies two days after self-immolation due to rejection of PTSD recognition

Times Of Israel
By EMANUEL FABIAN
August 3, 2023

Defense Ministry offers condolences, says 33-year-old Bar Kalaf had mental illness unrelated to military service

Bar Kalaf, who set himself on fire in Netanya, August 1, 2023, and died of his wounds two days later (Courtesy)

A veteran of the Israel Defense Forces who set himself on fire after his application to be recognized as suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was denied died on Thursday, two days after the self-immolation at his home in the coastal city of Netanya.

Bar Kalaf, 33, was taken to Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan on Tuesday with severe burns on his entire body. He was declared dead on Thursday. There was no immediate comment from the hospital.

The Defense Ministry has said Kalaf’s application to be recognized as suffering from PTSD as a result of his military service had been denied.
read the rest of the article here because he is not the only one.

What is the worst thing you can say to someone after they survived

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
July 23, 2023

What is the worst thing you can say to someone after they survived something horrible? God only sends us what we can handle. Did it ever enter into their mind that they just told you God caused it to happen to You? What's even worse is that they just told you they think you must have done something to deserve it. Did they think it would help you to hear that?

The problem is, they didn't think at all. They didn't think of how God works miracles all the time and the fact you survived whatever you did is a miracle itself escapes their thoughts. DO NOT LISTEN TO THEM!

Don't turn away from God because people are stupid. Don't turn away from Him because in their twisted thoughts, their faulty prayers have no clear basis in facts. Don't turn away from Him because someone else thinks you were judged. 

There is evil in this world and terrible things happen to good people all the time but those things were not sent by God. The help that came was sent by God because He does no evil. Satan does. Hateful people do. Selfish people do. Good people come rushing to help someone they care about just as they help strangers they are sent to help.

It is time we stopped allowing people to cause us to regret we survived and let them cause more misery when we should be listening to people to help us heal.

Sorry for this short post but considering what I've heard way too many times, it is a good time to remind other survivors we should never regret what we survived and always be grateful that good people came to reassure us that God is watching over us, instead of doing bad stuff to us!

#PTSD was no judgment from God but His mercy sent us healing!

Here is a reminder of that from a long time ago. No one thought God did anything other than send good people to help a homeless veteran heal and a Marine finally find out his long lost father was loved!

suffering out here and dying when we could all be healing together

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
June 28, 2023

In 2007, I put up a post asking why the press wasn't on suicide watch.

To say I was terrified as to what I saw coming is an understatement. Now the day after #PTSD Awareness Day, 2023 seems as if this nightmare will never end. Why? Because almost every news report and post online focused on veterans with PTSD. Not the current military members. Not any of the other survivors struggling with PTSD and led to believe that what is going on with them can't be PTSD because "only veterans have it." Right now I'm wondering why the press isn't on real PTSD Awareness that can make a difference for all of us.

Back then, I didn't know that I had PTSD because I never read anything about someone like me. I am just a civilian but survived over ten events that have been known to cause PTSD beginning at the age of 5. While my life is rare, surviving is also rare, especially with how many times I did.

I never fully understood why I was so connected to the veterans and families I helped for over 40 years now. I assumed it was because of my Vietnam veteran husband. I knew what nightmares, flashbacks, mood swings, and paranoia were because I had gone through them many times. I also knew what panic attacks were and how they set off everything else. I knew what it was like to have them all pass and what returning to my "normal" life was like.

I can't tell you how angry I am that I spent all those years helping others heal but had to figure out how to heal on my own, feeling as alone as I did because the media never reported on other people like me.

So now, after all these years, with the rate of PTSD among Americans going up, along with suicides, I am asking still wondering how reporters still haven't figured out that there is a hell of a lot more people suffering out here and dying when we could all be healing together. The causes may all be different but the way to heal is side by side with someone else helping us so we can do the same for others.

PTSD still is considered “new” in the world of mental health

PTSD: knowing is the first step

The Gazette
Erin Foster
Jun. 22, 2023

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can greatly impact any person who has experienced trauma in their life. Often associated with the aftermath and symptoms many veterans experience, PTSD still is considered “new” in the world of mental health.

Erin Foster is director of the Linn County Mental Health Access Center , which opened in 2021 (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
First recognized in the early 80s, PTSD symptoms were referred and described as “shell shock” and “war neurosis.” Since the 1980s more research, education and advocacy around PTSD has had a strong focus on military personnel and veterans. More recently the concept of post-traumatic stress disorder has trickled into everyday lives of those not in the military as we now understand trauma can be experienced in my forms and places by anyone.

It is estimated that over 70 percent of adults will experience a traumatic event in their lifetime and more than 20 percent will develop PTSD. PTSD is believed to affect more than 5 million U.S. adults in a given year, and while it does not discriminate by gender, age or race, it does affect women at a slightly higher percentage and middle-aged individuals compared to youth and those over the age of 60.

Although PTSD seems to be more and more common, so are the treatments and services available. The best clinical treatment for this condition still is cognitive therapies. These therapies can use exposure therapy that allows individuals to learn new coping mechanisms when triggers appear. Specifically, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapies have great research around them and are gaining more popularity in helping those with PTSD.
read more here

On a personal note, if you read this site since the beginning, then you know the term "new normal" came from me. I cannot express how it feels to have those words being said as if it has finally become something we can live with, and not be ashamed we survived the cause of it.

#PTSD Awareness is when all survivors with it matter

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
June 14, 2023

The headline on this is, New initiative for those who struggle with PTSD but there isn't anything "new" about it. Ask anyone involved in helping survivors survive surviving and they'll tell you how long we've known what works. The other thing is, it says it is open to everyone but think about how many non-veteran people will reach out for help from them.

A new initiative called The Suicide and Trauma Reduction Initiative for Veterans also known as Strive is now making an impact not just for veterans but for anyone with PTSD.

"Its open to anybody anyone whose experienced a traumatic event that they think they have PTSD can possibly benefit frim a treatment like this and that's really what strive stands for is provide treatment to those who need it and continue to refine and make those treatments better through research." says clinical director of the STRIVE program.

This one is a good article.

Post-traumatic growth—how to flourish after a PTSD diagnosis

by Laura Kelley, CU Anschutz Medical Campus
June 12, 2023

No caring person would wish post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)—or the likely terrifying event that led to it—on anyone. But for those people who develop the mental health condition and find treatment, the skills and lessons they learn can improve their lives in unexpected ways.

PTSD and traumatic events often have long recovery periods. Talk about the growth that can come with treatment.

To be clear, many individuals with PTSD experience considerable distress as well as impairments across domains of their life—whether in relationships, work or school—but this does not tell the whole story. Recovery from PTSD is possible. For individuals who have recovered from PTSD, there is frequently a period of sizeable psychological growth. This growth can take many forms, including a greater appreciation for life, an increased focus on values-based living, a broadening of perspectives and an acquisition of new skills to better deal with day-to-day stressors as well as other traumatic events that may arise.
read more here

Stranger Things of PTSD

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
June 13, 2023

"It's OK to not be OK" is the line from Stranger Things that got to me. What isn't Ok is when you are afraid to talk about it. Sure, it may make sense since a lot of people don't understand what you're going through and say a lot of stupid stuff topped off with judging you. It happens no matter what the circumstances are. You do have to be selective about whom you decide to open up to. A close friend, a professional, or people in your family, usually can be trusted. Above listening to you, they can offer you support, and a lot of the time, they will seek ways to help you find a way out of the darkness you're in.

Strangers and people you aren't really close to, tend to not listen very well and offer very little help for you. Trying to open up to them, will tend to leave you shutting down with the ones in your life that have your back.

Max in Stranger Things and most of the main characters were trying to get through their lives with #PTSD. The outsiders didn't understand what dealing with the monster Vecna did to them until they had to deal with him as well.

That is the best lesson of all. No one will understand what you're going through unless you tell them and no one will understand it as much as those that went through it, or something like it too.

Now a confession: I'm going through something right now health-wise with my husband and have been trapped at home most of the time. I ran out of things to watch. I read something about Stranger Things and decided to try it. I binge-watched the series twice and got so hooked I may watch it again. It may be a trigger for you because of all the violence, but if you have someone in your life needing to understand that surviving often leaves scars, it may help them. Also good to notice who is surrounding those suffering and needing someone to listen to them, needed someone too.

Finding hope you can heal PTSD too!

Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
June 4, 2023

If you take away nothing else from the following stories about #PTSD and healing, let it be the beginning of your own search to find more hope that you can do it too!

Thriving beyond circumstances and diagnosis; Marshfield woman encourages normalizing mental health

By Emily Davies
Published: Jun. 2, 2023

“When I got ready this morning, I can’t, I can’t tell you. I didn’t know what it was like to live like this, to feel confident, and empowered, and strong, and less afraid. And I think that it’s great. I think everybody should be able to live like this.”

MARSHFIELD, Wis. (WSAW) - Not all wounds are visible; that is the message one woman from Marshfield wants to spread to normalize mental health struggles, in her case post-traumatic stress disorder.

Kristina Howey is the director of product development at Security Health Plan. She is also a mother, a military spouse, and not just a survivor of domestic violence, but a “thriver” as she channels the courage and strength to take care of herself, leaning on resources, to be her best despite her diagnosis.

PTSD is not as visible as a physical injury, but what you may notice is Howey’s service dog, Mava.
read more of Kristina's story here

Uvalde Marine veteran battling PTSD finds healing through physical fitness

KENS 5
Author: Alicia Neaves
June 2, 2023

"What they have access to now, the therapies, anything that they have now for those that are returning, it was completely different back in 2005," said Gonzales. "I don't think [PTSD] was really a part of what you would think about having to deal with coming back."

UVALDE, Texas — A Uvalde veteran found healing from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through exercise.

Now, he owns a business where he helps others in his hometown turn their life around.

Joe Gonzales is sharing his story with KENS 5 for PTSD Awareness Month. "What they have access to now, the therapies, anything that they have now for those that are returning, it was completely different back in 2005," said Gonzales. "I don't think [PTSD] was really a part of what you would think about having to deal with coming back." read more of Joe's story here 

PTSD Is Not a Character Flaw

Community News
By Brandon Carlson Correspondent

Jun 3, 2023

“A lot of people think PTSD is something that only happens to people who have been in the service,” said Althaus. “It can be from any kind of traumatic event. PTSD is not a character defect; it is a response to trauma.”

Memorial Day has passed and while we remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, it is also important to be reminded of those who have served our country and return home with their lives but have a different kind of scar.

According to the National Center for PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) is a mental health problem. PTSD can only develop after you go through or see a life-threatening event. It’s normal to have stress reactions to these types of events.

The National Center for PTSD says, having a very intense or long-lasting traumatic event or getting injured during the event can make it more likely that a person will develop PTSD. PTSD is also more common after certain types of traumas, like combat and sexual assault.

According to the National Center for PTSD, what happens after the event is just as important as the event that causes previous traumatic exposure, age, and gender can affect whether or not a person will develop PTSD. What happens after a traumatic event is also important. Stress can make PTSD more likely, while social support can make it less likely.

Gail Althaus, a mental health counselor from Jesup, has 30 of years’ experience with mental health issues such as PTSD.
read more of what Gail has to say here

My Arena visits Montana State Prison to talk about mental health and PTSD 

KPAX 

By: Claire Peterson 

Jun 02, 2023

“After researching it, and speaking with him, it was like, oh, this is a heck of an opportunity to show our staff that we care, that it's okay. We could tear down that stigma that seeing a counselor is a bad thing. It's not,” Salmonsen says.

DEAR LODGE — First responders can experience traumatic events on a daily basis, which is why one man has made it his mission to spread awareness. Travis Gribble’s organization, My Arena, is gaining steam speaking to law enforcement and first responder agencies across the state. He visited the Montana State Prison (MSP) on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, to talk about PTSD symptoms and prevention with the employees there. Gribble was invited by the warden of the prison, Jim Salmonsen, after an employee of the Critical Incident Stress Management Team recommended My Arena. read more of Travis's story here