PTSD: What’s the hubbub?
Scott Jimenez, MDiv
, DMin, BCC
This is a blog about PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder. There may be a family or families in our congregation that have a son or daughter in harm’s way. Maybe some came back broken in some way. Or perhaps in reading and discussing this, someone may realize they have this, speak up, and want assistance.
Many of us have ideas of what PTSD is, and of what it does to Veterans, and truth be told, many of our ideas are formed by the media and movies. The media–“If it bleeds, it leads” has no moral compunction or obligation for presenting a balanced nuanced picture. So, some may ask, “Are Veterans with PTSD dangerous?” The answer may shock you. “Not any more so than the average person is. Are you dangerous?” Well, “yes” for some, and “no” for some. Although we all have a capacity for evil, I will leave that discussion for another post, thank you.
The reality is that Veterans interact with society on all levels every day. They may sell you a car, may service your car, may write your insurance policy, may set the actuarial tables on that policy, may be the CEO of that insurance company, may be the police officer checking to see if you are OK in the accident you just had (from texting while driving–SHAME!) In truth, there is no job a Veteran with PTSD cannot do.
But perhaps this doesn’t answer the question, which may be, “Am I safe?” This question, in light of the recent global attacks, is a valid one, born of fear. My answer is, “Who would you rather have next to you in times of stress, someone who is trained to act under stress or someone who is not?” Even before a Veteran is exposed to trauma, they are highly trained to work under stress, under ‘what if’ situations. Training and retraining, until it becomes second nature and one reacts instinctively. Most likely, in a situation that produces incapacitating fear, the Veteran won’t and may be the one protecting you.
But there is a cost. For many, traumatic experiences have a visceral effect soon after the event. But, like a scratch on the skin, it doesn’t take long for the body to heal itself, and while the wound may leave a scar, the effect on the body is negligible. The difference is, of course, the wound we are talking about is spiritual, moral, or a “soul injury”, and the scars aren’t always visible. But, the scars can heal.
Turning off the mental scars is not easy. Some try different coping mechanisms. Some have intrusive memories of things they have seen, things they have done, or things they failed to do. It is these intrusive memories that can become problematic. Imagine, trying to sleep, but unable to, due to one dream, a nightmare really, that comes every night. You know it’s coming, you know the dream, you know the ending, and you know you wake up in a cold sweat. So, you don’t sleep. Wouldn’t you do almost anything to get a good night’s sleep? That helps to explain why some Veterans try drink or drugs, if for no other reason to forget or to not remember, for a time. This self-medication causes its own problems.
My own research has found that several factors help in the severity and length of PTSD. These factors are faith, family, and friends. People look to faith to make sense of that which doesn’t make sense. People can always use a friend. Research show that many people come to church simply because they are invited. When families are distant, the Church can become a family. The good news here is that the Church can help. Are there Veterans in your midst? How do you know? Do they feel welcome? Do you write to your congregation’s service members that are in ‘harm’s way’? Does the church have ‘Welcome Home’ events for the community for when they return? Do you provide services for those who are left behind? Sometimes cutting the grass, changing a tire, or fixing a faucet can be for others like encountering a ministering angel. Do we become the Body of Christ, a family, to those that need a family? Do we remember them and their needs? Can we be the friends, like John Wesley urged, who hold each other accountable? This necessitates a level of trust that has to be nurtured, so words of love can be spoken.
Thank you for your article. PTSD has finally become more known and acknowledged in our communities. The church can have such an important role in the lives of those impacted impacted, both the person and the families struggling to understand and cope.
Please remember others who also suffer from PTSD. I have helped raise adopted children who have experienced abuse and neglect. These children struggle to cope from day to day to day with the flashbacks and episodes that threaten to derail dreams for the future. The parents and caregivers grapple with how to help and heal.
Thank you for your article. Please keep writing.
Your article is good, but it doesn’t go far enough. Veterans are not the only people who develop PTSD; in fact, they’re not even the majority. PTSD can develop as a consequence of auto accidents, criminal assaults, domestic violence, and many, many more causes unrelated to military service. Add the unofficial diagnosis of Complex PTSD (which can result from extended verbal and emotional abuse among other things) and you’ve got a heckuvalot of PTSD that again, is unrelated to military service.
I myself am being evaluated for PTSD/Complex PTSD in preparation for EMDR therapy due to multiple emotional traumas that have built up their effects over a lengthy period of time, including the loss of my son to leukemia (I know a number of bereaved parents who are dealing with PTSD-like symptoms in the wake of their child’s death) and extended emotional abuse from my now ex-wife. I am on multiple Facebook groups for mental illness support and know many people who have developed PTSD–again, generally people who have not experienced the traumas associated with military service.
The outreach to veterans you speak of is definitely needed, and I would encourage that. At the same time, the Body of Christ has a responsibility to minister to non-military victims of PTSD, many of whom are sitting next to them in the pew, perhaps afraid to identify their need due to the continuing stigma against those with mental disorders. Please, on behalf of me and the many, many others like me, include us in your vision of ministry to those with PTSD (as well as the other mental disorders 1 out of 4 Americans suffer with EVERY YEAR). Thank you for your consideration.
Thank you for a short but insightful blog on PTSD. Though certainly complicated, I agree that faith, family, and friends go a long way in healing and adjusting. As a chaplain who served full time in the National Guard, I applaud your encouragement to the Church to reach out. Certainly all who struggle with PTSD need support and I believe our military veterans need that special touch.