In those days it was called ''shell shock''.
A term for something that many
soldiers who returned home from the Great War (WW I)
suffered with.
Though the war was over, for many of the returning
soldiers the war never ended.
It still raged in their minds, their souls, and in their memories.
Sadly, soldiers who suffered with shell shock were often
looked down upon. Even viewed as if it was a lack of moral
stamina and backbone that was the cause of their illness
rather than their experiences as soldiers.
According to Wikipedia ''some men suffering with shell shock
were put on trial, and even executed, for military crimes
including desertion and cowardice.''
The treatment of shell shock was often brutal, including
electric shock treatment in the hope of ''shocking'' the
sufferers back into their pre-war ''heroic'' selves.
Ten years after the end of WW I, there were over
65.000 war veterans still receiving treatment in Britain.
Though we no longer use the term shell shock, it is the forerunner
to PTSD. (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)
Shell shock, some say, was specific to combat experiences whereas
the concept of PTSD has developed to be more
wide ranging.
PTSD is a disorder characterized by a difficulty in
recovering after having experienced or witnessed a traumatic,
and or terrifying event.
Such as for instance: combat exposure, physical and or
emotional abuse, any kind of violence, any kind of
a serious accident, serious illness, loss of someone
important, loss of home, experiencing some form
of natural disaster, etc. etc.....
PTSD is a complex condition and it does not
fit into a ''one-size-fits-all'' definition.
Having said that, may I suggest that all of us who
suffers with it have one thing in common:
it interferes with our lives.
My beloved son suffers with mental health issues.
Due to his illness I have had to face many heart wrenching,
dangerous, and absolutely terrifying situations.
( I will not go in to detail as even writing this is making
my heart pound and my hands shake.)
Although today he is much better, every time he leaves
the house I become hyper vigilant, and
I have to fight off flashbacks and a racing mind.
Although PTSD is commonly (often) linked with war veterans,
unfortunately that does not mean the rest of us are ''immune''.
Here in Australia, 25% of people who are exposed to traumatic
events experience PTSD.
Sadly, there are a number of myths around PTSD.
Myth 1: Time heals all wounds.
Myth 2: People with PTSD are weak
Myth 3: Only soldiers get PTSD
Myth 4: Everyone with PTSD has faced some kind of dangerous
event.
This is how ''those in the know'' view it:
PTSD can take years to develop, it is an illness and not a
weakness, it can affect anybody who has experienced a traumatic event,
even the loss of a loved one can lead to PTSD.
''Everyone has a different capacity for trauma, which is
informed by a combination of risk factors including
neurobiology, past experiences and genetics.''
(SANE AUSTRALIA)
Considering the state of our planet right now,
with its COVID, wars, poverty, natural disasters,
homelessness, famines, refugee crisis's, etc. etc.
will mankind's paramount question become:
Will it be possible in 20 years for a human to live on earth
and not suffer with PTSD?
I reckon the time has come for us to be kinder and
more compassionate and understanding toward each other.
''Kindness is choosing to acknowledge and celebrate
the beauty in others, regardless of whether or not they
can find it in themselves.''
(RAKtivist)
about the image: ''Three colours, red, white and blue.''
Acrylic on large canvas. This is an ANZAC soldier
clinging to an Australian flag to help him stand up.
I donated this painting to a branch of RSL (Returned and
Service League of Australia) in Queensland, Australia.
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