Dealing With The Soldiers Home From War

If you are the spouse of someone who is currently serving overseas you are probably excited for the day they will be returning home. You might have heard that it is really soon and for that you couldn’t be happier. You are excited to think about the day they come home and life going back to normal. Well, the sad news is that once they come home things won’t be likely to return back to normal. At least not for some time anyway. If you are anticipating their arrival home then chew on these few things as you deal with a solider returning home.

Their perspective has changed. While it might not be pleasant to think about you can certainly say that you are not going to get back the same person who left. They have seen things that you can only imagine and wouldn’t ever want to. When it comes to the world around them they have their own thoughts and feelings on it and it may not be the same kind that they went to war with.

You have to be clear to them that you want them to feel comfortable at home and normal again but be ready for them to not feel normal anymore. You cannot imagine what they have gone through. They may need to sleep in a separate room or they might not like to be approached from behind. These might seem like quirks but they are essential to keeping them feeling safe.

Just know that making them feel better will take time and they may need to have the help of a licensed therapist. They need someone who has had specialty in dealing with soldiers who are returning home from war. With special help your loved one can deal with coming home form war.

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Filed Under: Operations, Volunteering Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Veterans

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War time can be an extremely stressful and trying time. Many soldiers experience events or witness things that are better left behind in the war zone. Unfortunately, those events don’t always stay in the war zone and live forever in the soldier’s mind. They often reply the event or what they saw over and over in the minds and it can lead to a lot of distressing problems in a soldier or veteran. The reliving of distressing events is known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD.

Many soldiers and veterans may be suffering from this disorder without realizing it. It is important for loved ones or friends to realize the signs of post traumatic stress disorder so that if their loved one is suffering from it they can encourage them to get professional help.

Here are the symptoms and signs a person is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.

Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Often times these people are reliving these events and have a problem with sleeping.

Irritability or Trouble concentrating on things.

Avoidance of talking about the event or area. Many times those suffering from the post traumatic stress disorder often will try not to refer to the place they were at or the event that occurred. When a person brings up the event watch for signs of irritability, anger or a number of issues that could be signs of post traumatic stress disorder.

Depression Symptoms. A lot of the symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder mimic those of depression. It can include mood swings, anger, suicidal thoughts, avoiding friends or loved ones, outbursts, sleeping a lot, fatigued and a number of other issues.

Noticing the signs of post traumatic stress disorder can help loved ones know if a veteran or soldier needs to seek medical help to treat the disorder. The sooner the problem is tackled the better chance they have of recovering.

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Make Peace Not War: Volunteer Organizations

Cover of "Peace Not War"
Cover of Peace Not War

People ask all the time if there is a way that they can help end the war or help soldiers fighting in the war for Americans. Helping veterans can be as simple as signing up to volunteer at your local VFW or veterans’ affairs office. Getting to know a veteran can be a learning experience and a can gain a person a plethora of knowledge. Every volunteer should know how to contact the American Red Cross for volunteer efforts. All of those offices have local branches and are a great asset to veterans and active duty soldiers.

Befriending and listening to a soldier home from war can help not just the soldier but the volunteer as well. Most civilians cannot fathom what the veteran has been through and being home from such a hostile environment can be a challenge to the soldier. Whether the veteran has been disabled or just in need of someone to tell their stories to; a volunteer is what is needed. Once the soldiers are home it is time for them to learn how to make peace not war.

Making peace not war is a state of mind in some cases when dealing with veterans. Gaining and going over hurdles in this challenge is hard won and can be respected by volunteers. Not all volunteers have to be physically with a veteran or active duty soldier. One can donate monetarily or household goods to support veterans and their loved ones.

Volunteering to make peace, not war and helping veterans, active duty soldiers and their families and loved ones is something that most everyone can do. There are so many ways and so many organizations it’s easy to find the right one with which to volunteer. All it takes it a bit of compassion and patience to help these veterans and soldiers feel safe and welcome in their own homes and hometowns

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