Hush the PTSD

This Christmas we are being invited to Hush the Noise but for some, that noise can be the deafening sound of past trauma. The Revd Richard Smith CF, Assistant Chaplain General with the British Army, shares these personal thoughts on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, also known as PTSD,

Thousands of soldiers and veterans are still dealing with the consequences of their service and particularly the conflicts in Northen Ireland, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. Sometimes these experiences are extreme, people can’t cope and these feelings continue to run in the background.

Soldiers are all different and everyone reacts in different ways, but the smells, sounds and pressure of Christmas can be overwhelming for those struggling to cope. Anxiety levels rise and proud people feel themselves disarmed by emotions and concerns that seem out of proportion to the current situation. Disturbing images from past conflict sometimes run like an old computer screen saver, which repeat, repeat and repeat when the brain is not focused on other things.

Soldiers like this (now often veterans, but normally still soldiers in their heads) often retreat from social situations. The large family gatherings around Christmas can be too much, it’s not that they don’t like to be with their families, but it can feel like a sensory overload.

After extreme experiences in conflict zones people’s perspective tends to change and they see the world in a new way. Sometimes this means they react in ways that are unusual, sometimes they might not react in the same way that others around them would.

Families with survivors of conflict will recognise some of these things, but like the iceberg, so much of what is happening is hidden from sight. What is seen is the bubbling over of the pot, the unconscious reaction (fight or flight), or the wince at something no one else even noticed (the flash of a camera or even a party popper). Such families are those who get hurt the most, but also those with the ability to care, to support and in time (lots of time) to help with the healing.

Hush the Noise – well that’s easier said than done, when the noise is inside. But with the assistance of charities like Combat Stress and others, soldiers can be helped. They are just trying to cope with the consequences of their service and live alongside those they love.

So please don’t judge, please try and be patient, and as a religious community, let’s try and support as many of these fine men and women as we can.

www.combatstress.org.uk

From the website above:

If you’re currently serving or have served in the UK Armed Forces, you can call our 24-hour mental health helpline. If you’re a family member or carer worried about the mental health of a loved one, or need to talk to someone yourself, you can call the helpline too.

The helpline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for veterans and their families.

If you need support please call 0800 1381619

Serving personnel and their families can call 0800 323 4444.

You can also text on 07537 173683 or email helpline@combatstress.org.uk

You can learn more about being an Army chaplain here.