Saratoga Warhorse

My nephew, who served a couple of tours in Afghanistan as an CAF (now RCAF)fireman, is out of the services now and is suffering from PTSD. He had a number of friends get killed. He is keeping his employment as a fireman in the Fort McMurray area, and his family is still together. He has a strong wife.

Every once in a while when there is a blog, somewhere not necessarily here, about veterans experiencing PTSD, will be a posting similar to "this stuff is being exploited there are too many of these guys looking for a free ride". Unfortunately these comment seem to be based on a perceived history of returning veterans from previous wars.

Things are much different now! Physically disabled casualties are not killed but saved with the vastly better medical treatment when wounded. Emotionally disabled casualties are returned in greater numbers now.

They do not self-destruct while in the theater of battle. Suicide and using enemy fire as a means of escape is less likely. But as the video advises there are many people returning with that part of their psyche which allows one to exist in Western Society not functioning properly

Just as some people are able to withstand physical pain and physical limitations there are people and different situations which allow the psyche to make the necessary adjustments on return from the theater of war. But not all returnees can.

Thanks for the opportunity to say this a bit louder Kate et al. Cheers;

PTSD is not to be sneezed at as a crippling condition. You don't need to have been a combat veteran to suffer from it, but combat vets often suffer from it badly.

If you got it, it makes your life hard. Battle wounds plus PTSD = double tough, because it interferes with your physical recovery.

Being around animals helps. Sometimes helps a lot. There's a lot of nonsense passing as science that speculates as to why that might be, but animals do help a lot of people. Just one of those weird things in life.

I am somewhat of a PTSD cynic. Everyone suffers stress on the job and people in any field suffer from the same symptoms. Suicide is a disturbing problem among young people and alcoholism and drug addiction are nearly universal among oil patch workers. If one looks at the 5 suicides or presumed suicides relating to the Afghan deployment the majority were not by people in combat. I think there are some things about the military that frig people up. In prior wars soldiers self-medicated on booze and sex - there wasn't much of that available in Afghanistan.

Its amazing how animals can heal people. Like dolphins the disabled childen.
Dogs or cats soothing the souls of millions.
To bad we have the rank smell of organizations like the Humane society, that would shred this tangible link to our furred friends asunder.

As for animals helping in healing, I think in part it's because of their uncritical, unconditional love as well as the fact that touching and being touched are healing.