Soldier's Heart: the Aftermath of War Today, we call it Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Before that, troops came home with Vietnam Syndrome.
Three wars earlier, we had Battle Fatigue or Shell Shock.
But in more poetic times, there was Soldiers Heart.
I wanted to share this with those of you who know this is a reality with open eyes and open hearts we accept the truth.
Soldier's Heart: PTSD Support
We, the ghosts of your past, speak to you from our pain. We are your grandmothers, grandfathers, mothers and fathers in a long line of veterans and their families who have been infected by the pain of war.
You return, riding the high of survival, men of courage returning to join families, country and your old lives. We want to tell you that the life you left, is not the life you are bringing home. Youve changed, become fired by a government that systematically erased your humanity - for your survival. Youve become a war machine, feelings tamped down into forgetfulness and your body programmed to survive and forget.
Forget? You may think so, but give it three months, three years, thirty years - it will rise to haunt you. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder reaches its insidious fingers into your lives and the ones you love.
We know - have been haunted for 26, 35, 50 years and are still dealing with the pain. Weve infected our families, not realizing weve lost some of our humanity, our wild child, so to speak - the part that feels, acknowledges, and finally begins to put it aside. Everyone of you may experience our feelings, to some degree, and we speak now to you: there is help through counseling with a Vet Center.
Weve taught you as parents, grandparents, extended family and government to suck it up. Well, weve sucked it up for all these years and remain emotional cripples. Just in the past few months, learning how to write through the WellArts Institute, how to express the fear, anger and pain, weve seen a glimmer of the light of healing.
We beg you, dont suck it up, share with your families. Break this chain of pain for yourselves - your wives - your children, and believe me, they will suffer right along with you and wont be aware of the reason for your anger or theirs. If you love them, love yourself - you owe it to everyone to talk, cry, share your pain. There are resources available to help you.
Men and women, you have learned how to survive one war - now, your personal war is beginning. We challenge you to fight this war as courageously as the ones in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Families - listen to them. Dont continue the cycle of your ancestors by putting your heads in the ground like ostriches, afraid to hear or share their pain.
Cut this article out of the paper, put it in a special place, and sooner or later you will need to hear our voices again, offering hope for your crippled spirits.
We leave you a small legacy. This website is for you - with resources and places that can be of help.
Be well. We care.
The writers of Soldiers Heart
Sharon Rothenfluch Cooper
for
Sean T Lewis
Will Campbell
Eran Deran
Pat Helmstetter
Colleen Helmstetter
Jason Hoffman
Ed Martens
Before that, troops came home with Vietnam Syndrome.
Three wars earlier, we had Battle Fatigue or Shell Shock.
But in more poetic times, there was Soldiers Heart.
I wanted to share this with those of you who know this is a reality with open eyes and open hearts we accept the truth.
Soldier's Heart: PTSD Support
April 11th, 2005
An Open Letter to the Men and Women returning from Iraq and AfghanistanWe, the ghosts of your past, speak to you from our pain. We are your grandmothers, grandfathers, mothers and fathers in a long line of veterans and their families who have been infected by the pain of war.
You return, riding the high of survival, men of courage returning to join families, country and your old lives. We want to tell you that the life you left, is not the life you are bringing home. Youve changed, become fired by a government that systematically erased your humanity - for your survival. Youve become a war machine, feelings tamped down into forgetfulness and your body programmed to survive and forget.
Forget? You may think so, but give it three months, three years, thirty years - it will rise to haunt you. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder reaches its insidious fingers into your lives and the ones you love.
We know - have been haunted for 26, 35, 50 years and are still dealing with the pain. Weve infected our families, not realizing weve lost some of our humanity, our wild child, so to speak - the part that feels, acknowledges, and finally begins to put it aside. Everyone of you may experience our feelings, to some degree, and we speak now to you: there is help through counseling with a Vet Center.
Weve taught you as parents, grandparents, extended family and government to suck it up. Well, weve sucked it up for all these years and remain emotional cripples. Just in the past few months, learning how to write through the WellArts Institute, how to express the fear, anger and pain, weve seen a glimmer of the light of healing.
We beg you, dont suck it up, share with your families. Break this chain of pain for yourselves - your wives - your children, and believe me, they will suffer right along with you and wont be aware of the reason for your anger or theirs. If you love them, love yourself - you owe it to everyone to talk, cry, share your pain. There are resources available to help you.
Men and women, you have learned how to survive one war - now, your personal war is beginning. We challenge you to fight this war as courageously as the ones in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Families - listen to them. Dont continue the cycle of your ancestors by putting your heads in the ground like ostriches, afraid to hear or share their pain.
Cut this article out of the paper, put it in a special place, and sooner or later you will need to hear our voices again, offering hope for your crippled spirits.
We leave you a small legacy. This website is for you - with resources and places that can be of help.
Be well. We care.
The writers of Soldiers Heart
Sharon Rothenfluch Cooper
for
Sean T Lewis
Will Campbell
Eran Deran
Pat Helmstetter
Colleen Helmstetter
Jason Hoffman
Ed Martens
