Growing up, my father was diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and dealing with his particular issues was difficult on my entire family. My dad would wake up in the middle of the night with nightmares and cold sweats. When I was around, five or six, I realized that, my dad had a problem but I had no idea what it might have been. My mother told me that being around large groups of people disturbed my dad so we did not go to large events. There are many people suffering from PTSD and now that the solders coming home from the most recent conflict have awareness of the problem and it can be dealt with sooner. When my dad came home from Viet Nam, there was not any kind of treatment available to him because there was not any kind of diagnoses back then. While growing up my family just kept moving forward, understood my dad’s limitations, and dealt with them as they came.
According to the article Iraqi Children Suffer from PTSD, children living in the Iraq area suffer from PTSD just as much as the soldiers returning to America do. Dr. Haider Maliki, a psychiatrist, “claims that about 15 percent of Iraqi children show signs of PTSD. However, according to Maliki, many families do not seek help fearing humiliation or dishonor” (Dulcinea Staff, 2008). According to the article, new clinics are opening to help deal with the PTSD problem. Children in Iraq are just as important and need the same help that is offered everywhere else.
Dulcinea Staff. (2008, August 26). Iraqi children suffer from PTSD. Retrieved from http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/international/Aug-08/Iraqi-Children-Suffer-From-PTSD.html
Soldiers of the Vietnam war did not get the hero recognition nor the medical help they needed for their issues incurred during the war. They have had to fight for many years and go through extensive testing to get properly diagnosed and treated. I know some veterans who ended up with drug and alcohol problems by trying to self medicate. Thankfully they are getting the treatment they need. Your family is to be commended for sticking it out and caring for your father, who was ill due to the service of our country.
ReplyDeleteAs a veteran, I thank you.
C. B.
You will be amazed at what makes people upset and stressed. I, personally, do not like being in large groups of people nor do I like a lot of noise. So if you experience those type of behaviors, its best to stay away from the crowd. I surely hope your dad learned to cope with the Post-tramatic stress disorder the best way possible.
ReplyDeleteHello, Bobby
ReplyDeleteI know that when you were a young boy to see your dad going through Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was very stressful for a young boy to deal with because back then there was no kind of treatment for people suffering with PTSD and I know it had to be hard to deal with not being able to go around large groups of people to keep your dad from being disturbed when he was around them. I know your family is glad to know now that there are treatments for people and their family that are suffering from PTSD.
Jannell