'Army Wives': Tim Nearly Kills His Wife While Suffering Through PTSD

I am not ashamed to admit I am a fan of Army Wives. I have been since it started. Friends make fun of it but I can't help it, I like it. Last night a young soldier suffering from PTSD and survivor guilt had a bad nightmare and in the process, repeated strangling someone to death. In reality, his hands were on his wife's throat. It was pretty powerful and it is something that does happen more times than most people know about. More wives are punched out over waking up a veteran from a nightmare in striking distance and end up calling 911. The veteran is arrested all too often ending up in jail over domestic violence and the spouse is left in shock. In a perfect world, the wife is safe while the veteran receives treatment and she is supported to understand what happened. This is not a perfect world and too many face fates left up to commanding officers.

'Army Wives': Tim Nearly Kills His Wife While Suffering Through PTSD
(VIDEO)
Huffington Post
Posted: 06/03/2013

A frightening scene that was all too real for many veterans and soldiers on "Army Wives." Tim was still readjusting to live back on base, but he was also struggling with some rather serious post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

In one scene he was dreaming that he was choking a man only to have the scene cut to the real world and find him choking his wife, Holly, in their bed. She was pleading with him to stop between desperate gasps for air. Luckily, she was able to get through to him in time.

TV Fanatic said that this storyline sends the message that 18-year-olds may not be ready to fight our wars. "We're essentially saying you're old enough to protect your country but not relieve your stress with a beer," they wrote. "'[Tim's] PTSD is beyond the help of friends and fellow soldiers, and if Holly doesn't demand he seek help, there could be a time when she doesn't live through the night. That's pretty heady stuff.”

While the storyline does tap into things that are really going on in the world, there is encouraging news. According to a study released this spring, the Army says that 80 percent of its soldiers diagnosed with PTSD remain on active duty and can be treated.
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