That is the problem with wanting to forget. There is so much they need to remember that is behind the pain they feel that they need to remember and make peach with it instead of trying to forget it.
Among the many veterans I have met over the years the one man standing out on this is Medal of Honor Vietnam Hero Sammy Davis. I interviewed him in May of 2012 when he was at a Nam Knights fundraiser for Homes For Our Troops.
He said "We're supposed to talk about it."
For returning veterans, forgetting is impossible
Kentucky Live.com
Colleen Kottke
Published: October 14, 2013
Gannett Wisconsin Media
GREEN BAY, WIS. — When Simon Bertholf, Matt Rose and Tony Phillips were sent overseas, they had no idea the events they experienced in the Middle East would haunt them a decade later.
While they appear normal to the casual observer, each has been forever changed by the death, atrocities and pain witnessed firsthand during their tours of duty, Gannett Wisconsin Media reported (http://gbpg.net/1hFXKUv).
"Just because we look fine doesn't mean there isn't anything wrong," said Navy veteran Simon Bertholf of Virginia Beach, Va. "I can be talking to someone for a short time and be absolutely sure they have no idea of what I'm struggling with. But that doesn't mean that when I'm alone or asleep or actively engaged in something that takes all of my focus, that those things don't come back."
Bertholf, 40, said symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) appeared soon after he returned from his third tour of duty in the Middle East. As a Special Forces soldier, Bertholf was often tasked with handling the fallout after roadside bombings. It would be years until he was formally diagnosed with PTSD.
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Veterans need to stop trying to forget and make peace instead is amazing post ,, I also try to forget all such bad things which happened in the past
ReplyDeleteGood things and bad things are a part of your life. Don't try to forget them but make peace with them and move on with them. It can be done.
ReplyDeleteForgetting them does not resolve them and the bad memories win.
Among the times I faced death, my ex husband tried to kill me. That memory does not haunt me anymore. It only comes back when something triggers the memory but then it only lasts as long as I allow it.
I know as horrible as it was, it is a part of my life. I've been married for 29 years to husband and best friend. My first husband didn't destroy me even though he tried.