June is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month and Emergence Health Network, together with its Veterans Services Department would like to use this time to shed light on the importance of understanding this condition. While most people make the connection of PTSD with our military community, it is important to understand that PTSD is not only developed by members of the armed forces. Anyone can develop PTSD when they experience or witness a traumatic event.
Non-combat PTSD can affect all ages, genders income levels, ethnicities, and lifestyles. Anyone who experiences, witnesses, or learns about an event involving actual or threatened death, sexual violation, or serious injury can develop PTSD and it can be debilitating.
In some cases, PTSD can disrupt an individuals’ daily functions and they can re-experience the event or have negative flashbacks, have nightmares, severe anxiety, irritable behavior, or angry outbursts, and not understand that these emotions are related to PTSD. It’s a condition that can impact the person and others around them, especially family members.
Getting help can prevent the symptoms from getting worse and that help is available. The important message here is that seeking help and treatment for PTSD can make a real difference.
As the Local Mental Health Authority in El Paso, Emergence Health Network wants to take time today, throughout the month of June and throughout the year to help raise public awareness about the issues related to PTSD, reduce the stigma associated with it and ensure that those suffering from the invisible wounds get the proper treatment. To learn more or to schedule an appointment call 915-242-0555.
