I’m a Veteran Without PTSd.
Staring back at the man in the mirror, Colt* reflects on the way time has taken its toll on a once wrinkle-less, no-grey façade.
“When I joined the Army, I was young, reckless, and full of all sorts of terrible ideas! I was eager to see the world, do cool shit, and proud of the brothers I stood beside.”
A now retired member of the Army’s Ranger Regiment, Colt accepts that time in his life as a chapter that is now closed – a time that, while he experienced things that most people could only fathom in a movie, he has left them in the past.
Over the course of two decades, Colt has filled out an immeasurable number of questionnaires from doctors and clinicians within Veteran care, attempting to diagnose him with a form of PTSd.
“The questions are always the same – just worded differently:
‘Danger of being injured or killed? Check.
Firefights with the enemy? Lots.
Witnessing someone killed by incoming rounds or explosions? Right beside me.’
I used to think something was wrong with me – because there was nothing wrong with me. None of these events or questions made me feel like I was loitering in that life.”
When his time in the military was over, Colt was fortunate to come home to a wife, a decorated Law Enforcement professional, who was ready to receive him in every capacity. Oftentimes able to openly discuss his experiences and share his anxieties.
“It wasn’t until I started to see more of my former teammates and guys I knew coming forward – talking about their struggles with addiction and PTSd that I began to question why I was the odd man out.”
Many people wrongly assume that PTSd is inevitable for anyone who chose a career on the Frontlines (Mil, LEO, First Responder). While it’s common to have flashbacks, nightmares and other stresses after a traumatic event, most people can find outlets that help them to recover.
One of the biggest obstacles for those who are living PTSd, is the fact that’s it’s considered a disorder. With many arguing that if we remove the ‘D,’ we can possibly remove the stigma. The stigma that many think is a lifelong diagnosis; however, it doesn’t need to be.
When talking about trauma from the front lines of war or the street, this duration can go on for a long time. The team at Warriors Heart, a private treatment facility, exclusively for Warriors, providing care for addiction, chemical dependency & PTS for active military, veterans, law enforcement and first responders, works through the trauma with their evidence-based and experiential modalities, to where the event is no longer hijacking the lives of these Warriors.
Traumas that can lead to drinking, isolation, irritability, and more. “The understanding is that we don’t forget the event and that it happened, but it no longer controls our behaviors,” stated Lisa Lannon, Co-Founder of Warriors Heart.
Taking on several different names throughout history, it’s been referred to as shell shock, battle fatigue, soldier’s heart and, most recently, post-traumatic stress disorder; with an increasing number of supporters advocating for dropping the “D” in hopes to reduce the stigma associated with PTSD. Many argue that an “Injury” can be overcome, while a “disorder” implies something permanent.
Fear and stress are vital to a person’s safety; they trigger physiological “fight-or-flight” responses that help people protect themselves from harm to their own lives or those of others.
In most cases, fear and stress will resolve naturally, but for some people, the emotional distress persists long after the traumatic event has passed.
“There are many different forms of PTS,” added Spooner. “You can’t simply look at someone suffering from trauma and expect to treat them the same. Volunteer PTS, which is most common in Military and First Responders, requires a much different level of care than that of victim PTS. The trauma is different; therefore, the healing must be as well.”
While the images of traumatic events of war (both foreign and domestic) are seared into the brains of our heroes, there remains a sense of control and detachment that separates Colt (and those like him) from those with PTSd.
“I have had my share of nights filled with nightmares and drinking,” claims Colt. “I found music was one of the most therapeutic things for me, along with prayer, and finding a group of friends I could always talk to.”
There is a well-known saying among veterans and first responders, “The only one that knows what a soldier is going through is another soldier.”
In the end, the whole process forced Colt to re-examine what the true definition of trauma really was. Some question whether they are truly deserving of health and happiness, while others find purpose in their experiences by giving back in the form of mentor, advocate, or a simple touchstone during another’s rock bottom.
Regardless of how strong you are, how fit for battle you might believe yourself to be, some battles require a force. Warriors Heart knows first-hand the magnitudes of being in battle, and provides a place where that mentality, warriors helping warriors, resides in the hearts of every member of the team. Other warriors and team members personally connect with those who have reached a point in their life where they think they have nothing to live for; showing them that strength is found in this unique facility, that simply and truly believes in the power of the warrior community, the power of each human who walks through the door of Warriors Heart and the power of each graduate who proudly emerges through the gates after graduation.