June is National Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month. In 2010, the US Senate officially designated June 27th as National PTSD Awareness Day. PTSD Awareness Day was expanded to the entire month of June in 2014 intending to raise public awareness and reduce stigma.
About 8 percent of the population will experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder during their lifetime according to the National Center for PTSD. Individuals may develop PTSD when exposed to something traumatic like war or combat, physical or sexual violence, car accidents and more. After these events, the individual might have difficulties processing what happened to them which could result in unwanted symptoms. These symptoms might include:
- Nightmares
- Memories, flashbacks, thoughts about the trauma
- Anger, irritability
- Feeling hyper-vigilant or always on guard
Bringing awareness to PTSD means helping those who are suffering by sharing resources and staying informed on ways you can support them. Try to think of one thing you can do every day this month to help individuals with PTSD. This can include checking on a Veteran, sharing resources on your social media accounts or reading an article on PTSD.
One resource to save for learning more about PTSD and treatment options is www.ptsd.va.gov. A treatment option that has been proven effective is Accelerated Resolution Therapy. Accelerated Resolution Therapy or ART. ART International describes ART as an evidence-based type of therapy that promises rapid recovery by reprogramming how the brain stores traumatic memories. ORWF provides participants with multiple ART sessions at the programs along with several other approaches to use when trying to manage PTSD symptoms. Below are some other important resources available to educate yourself more about PTSD:
- VA National Center for PTSD https://www.ptsd.va.gov/index.asp
- National Institute of Mental Health https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/ptsd-listing
- ORWF Resources Page https://https://orwfoundation.org/service-members/resources/
The most important thing to know and share about PTSD is TREATMENT WORKS! For more information on how ORWF is bringing awareness to PTSD during the month of June, please visit our social media accounts or email programs@orwfounation.org.
