"I came home from Iraq in 2004 with grievous physical injuries...but my deep emotional wounds in some ways pose even greater challenges. As one of the thousands of vets who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, I carry around a burden that many people just can't understand. Often, I am baffled by my own behavior. Recently, a fellow Georgetown University student who sensed that I was having trouble grabbed me by the arm. 'Get your freaking hands off me,' I snapped. 'I'll break you down shotgun style!' The student was only trying to be helpful, yet I reacted as if I was under threat in Iraq. Why do I become so angry so quickly? Why do I threaten physical harm? Clearly, researchers still have a lot to learn about PTSD. But the more that people like me speak about our problems, without embarrassment or shame, the more the public will realize that this is our country's problem too."
-US Marines veteran Michael Jernigan
This article reminded me about a book that I read last year in English, Things They Carried. Talking about an aspect of the Vietnam war that many do not think of, PTSD being a common topic. This article made me think more about the effects of the war. The physical wounds, among many degrees of injuries, are nothing in comparison to the emotional trauma soldiers deal with. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a serious condition that effects the lifetimes of soldiers. When thinking about the war and rational, it is always an important factor to consider what the soldiers deal with.
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15 comments:
This isn't what most people expect when soldiers come back. I remember that I have watched several videos back in US history I believe of soldiers returning with happy faces. Sure, they are happy to return but to be in a war where death is all around should be pretty frightening. Its no wonder why there's no way to prevent it.
i can't even imagine how horrible it would be to witness everything that goes on during war. poor soldiers :(
I completely agree. Having a grandpa who served in war, I understand how it can affect them so negatively. I hope more people will also consider these sad consequences.
I agree with Lily. Many people think that soldiers aren't extremely affected by the war, but some actually are. I remember watching an episode of Real World and one of the people on the show was in the Iraq War and had PTSD. We need to start thinking about the effect that the war has on soldiers.
This is very sad and just like the post i have writteen! Violence needs to be stopped some way and some how this is unbelievable!Why do people have to go through this!We just need compramises!
i agree that emotional consequences of war have to be given more attention and thought, but i would like to clarify that because none of us have been in wars, or have PTSD/ war related injuries, it would be incorrect and unqualified to say that getting injured in war, (for example becoming paralyzed = injury), is nothing compared to the emotional effects of war.
Well Victor, wouldn't injuries incurred in war contribute to emotional problems?
Surely being paralyzed would have an effect on one's mental health. One doesn't have to be in war to figure that out.
This is exactly why i do not want to join the military, I would not want to come back home with such a personality. this also makes me shiver thinking that many thousands of soldiers have to deal with this.
I agree. Being in war will leave soldiers with scars that can't be entirely healed. Sure, they may seem happy to be returning. That is because they can finally return home. But that doesn't mean they will forget everything that happened. And many of these soldiers will have PTSD. Not only will they suffer from this, but their families also suffer with them, having to see them go through life like that. War not
only affects soldiers, but their loved ones.
Soldiers go through so much in war. My cousins have been in and out of iraq since it started. They have been lucky and have not suffered from PTSD, but they do have problems of their own. The effects of the war are very scary and serious. Some soldiers get lucky and don't have PTSD when they return, but others suffer from it severely. I wish that there was more help that people could provide for the vets, but until more people respect what the soldiers do for us and go through it seems impossible to make a big difference and help more than just a few soldiers.
Justine Roscoe
I agree with Lily and Yvonne. Everyone sees the soldiers as heroes who feel no pain, especially Marines. Marines are seen as the "Big Dogs" of the military because they are one of the tougher branches, but they're still human.
This is exactly why we shouldn't be in a war. It not only affects the nation's prsoperity, but it also takes a huge toll on its citizens.
Victor-
You're right to say "t would be incorrect and unqualified to say that getting injured in war, (for example becoming paralyzed = injury), is nothing compared to the emotional effects of war."
I made a statement based on this article and the book that I mentioned, but this doesn't qualify me to jump to this conclusion.
This is so sad and quite emotional. I think that a lot of times soldiers are forced to act tough on the outside, however, this act has a negative impact on soldiers because they are forced to bury their insecurities and fears.
My mom's a social worker, and she has had several clients who suffer from PTSD. She's told me about how difficult their lives have been because they are unable to move on. Unfortunately, the smallest of things sometimes trigger their memory. I admire what soldiers are willing to sacrifice once they enlist for war because even if they're done fighting it doesn't necessarily mean that they're done with war forever
Many people do not understand how hard it is for a soldier to come back from war, and how tough it is to be able to readjust to "normal" society. I have a family friend who has spent 3 tours in Iraq, and after coming home had familial issues because he still felt like he was in Iraq, which led to a short temper and caused a rift between him and his family. With a brother in the military, and many friends in the military, I believe that we have a duty to try and understand PTSD and to work as hard as we can to help soldiers who come back adjust to being home. Before we judge a persons' actions, we must be able to understand them first.
-Jane Hayashi-
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