My dad said something to the effect of "if you were in combat, worked an ER or were a first responder to a [bleep] show you’ve got PTSD it’s all in how you are able to cope".
As the years went by one can see many events where the old man’s PTSD manifested itself. Once he was past 75 he started talking about his experiences in the war and his PTSD events after.
He said “it feels so much better to talk about these things, I wish I’d done it sooner. I guess I was afraid everyone would think I was a monster”. I asked him if anyone ever thought less of him after he spoke up “no, never, just understanding and empathy, although I’m not good at dealing with empathy” this last quote is paraphrased.
A good deal of the WW1 vets I met had "shell shock”. Worst PTSD I saw was in an uncle who never saw “combat”. He was in bomb disposal in London for the entire war. The blitz really rung him out.
so if yall know a vet, a copper, an ER staffer, paramedic, firefighter, etc and they start to talk STFU and listen, really listen. That may be a moment of opening for them and your attentive listening may be just what they need.
i hope all yall are doing well and that you can take care of some folks and that there are folks taking care of you.
