Not all bad news on PTSD

It's no secret that I keep popping my cork on what is going on that is bad but today I was reminded of how much things have changed for the better for veterans in the last few years.

In 1982 when I got into all of this no one was talking about it and it was very lonely. Families didn't have any more clue of where to turn for help than the veterans did. The Internet was still not really known and self-help books were not done on PTSD. All there was to read were clinical books. Sometimes we could find some reports in newspapers, magazines like Time, but no one was talking about any of it. It was still very lonely in 2000 when I was trying to find a publisher for my book, but at least there were books with personal accounts proving to others that PTSD didn't have to end anything. What we're getting today is relatively new.

Now today, I was in training with a mental health facility and will be again tomorrow. I've taken so much training over the last couple of years that I'm stunned by the number of people wanting to take an active role in addressing PTSD, especially working with our veterans. I'll post more about this training over the weekend.

I have had many conversations with police officers and sheriffs when I travel and more of them are being made aware of the unique needs veterans have. They know most of the veterans getting into trouble are carrying around a load of pain inside of them and they are not close to criminal types but get into a lot of trouble because of what they went through. Another good thing just as there are veterans courts opening up all over the country.

Mental health workers are acknowledging most of the homeless veterans ended up that way because they didn't get the help they needed.

All good things happening.

The best thing about all of these training sessions is that most of the people taking these classes and going to conferences are working for the VA. It all makes me more hopeful for the sake of our veterans that sooner instead of later, they will all get the help they need to heal from what was asked of them.

I'll post tomorrow if time allows.