http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUklwAeqAc4
“Unless you know what to look for, you just kind of shrug it off,” said Thomas, a Vietnam War Air Force Veteran, about his depression. When other Veterans reached out to help him understand what he was going through, he made changes in his life. You can do the same.”
The Vietnam veteran in the above video link tells a story that sounds very similar to my own past experience and that of many other of my fellow boomers who served and/or experienced trauma as a child in a post WWII home… http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DtUklwAeqAc4&h=VAQGsNO9F&s=1
When reflecting on my many visits with Vietnam veterans and post WWII families during our extended journey this past year, it was very common to hear stories of emotional challenges from boomers who were just beginning to get help. Many Vietnam veterans were drafted during the 60’s or joined the Armed Forces to serve America. These young men were often at risk with secondary PTSD http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/children-of-vets-adults-ptsd.asp from the circumstances of living with a parent who served in combat during WWII and the Korean War.
I waited until age 64 to realize that it was long overdue to begin my own journey of healing. Research and writing my book revealed a severe secondary PTSD condition as a child and a diagnosis while serving in the US Navy in 1965. I spent most of my life in denial experiencing the same mental health challenges as the veteran in the above video clip from http://maketheconnection.net/. And it was no picnic at the beach! I feel 100% better these days at the prime age of 66. It is never too late to seek help and find alternative ways to deal with the pain of anxiety and depression. Not seeking treatment is no longer an option… The baggage of experiencing traumatic events in life never go away, but it is possible to revisit the pain and begin a journey of healing that is most rewarding, especially in the later years of your life…
Steve Sparks
Author
Reconciliation: A Son’s Story
