An Introduction to PTSD Awareness Month

During boot camp for the U.S. Marine Corps, I distinctly remember drill instructors joking about recruits having to go see “the wizard” if we became a mental health risk. The joke was that, if you see the wizard, they will make you “disappear.” That was my first introduction to mental health in the USMC. I was later taught suicide prevention as an NCO through a 10 minute video, while seeing guys I served with come back from deployments struggling to manage their alcohol use or outbursts of anger. But we never talked about it. Nobody acknowledged the struggles of our fellow Marines.

Since my time in the USMC, I have committed myself in my clinical training to learning as much as I could about Veterans’ issues. I completed my internship training at the Boston VA Healthcare System and my postdoc at the National Center for PTSD. Despite all of my training, though, the toughest challenge I face in working with veterans goes back to the silence I remember in my unit. The stigma around mental health keeps many veterans from walking through the front door to get care.

The month of June is PTSD Awareness Month, and I can think of few better opportunities to help break down the walls of stigma. This month, every Monday we at Frost Call will be sharing tips, suggestions, and information about PTSD to support our Veteran community and clear up some misconceptions about PTSD that can form in the silence of stigma. PTSD affects 15-20% of Veterans, and can play a large role in risk for suicide. There are evidence-based therapies that can be helpful — but only if we can get the help to Veterans. Want to know more? Interested in supporting our mission? Join our discord community at www.frostcall.org/discord and keep up to date with our social media posts on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. DM me on Discord @TerriblySorry if you have specific questions. Remember, no Veteran deserves to “disappear.” Your community is here waiting for you.