Printer Friendly Page
MICHIGAN VIETNAM VETERAN TALKS ABOUT COPING
WITH PTSD -- On new vets: "We need to help them
in any way we can. PTSD is not something to be
ashamed of. It's not their fault."
Vietnam veteran Robert Stade spends
time with fellow vets at the American Legion in Gladstone
recently. During an interview, Stade talked about coping with
posttraumatic stress disorder for the last 30 years. |
Story here...
http://www.dailypress.
net/stories/articles.as
p?articleID=11168
Story below:
-------------------------
Area veterans coping with posttraumatic stress
disorder
By Julie Knauf -
jknauf@dailypress.net
GLADSTONE — Robert Stade, 59, Gladstone, says he is working hard to get
his life together. After decades of living with posttraumatic stress
disorder (PTSD), the Vietnam veteran has sought help for his symptoms
and encourages other people do the same.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, PTSD is an anxiety
disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal
in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. Traumatic
events that may cause PTSD include violent personal assaults, natural or
human-caused disasters, accidents or military combat. Veterans, like
Stade, have struggled with the disorder for years — previously regarded
as “soldier’s heart,” “shell shock” and “battle fatigue.”
“We’ve had PTSD around for a long time, especially in war veterans,”
said Pamela Balentine, Ph.D. of Gray Matters counseling in Escanaba.
Balentine has counseled several veterans with the disorder. Symptoms,
she said, are both physical and psychological and include severe panic
attacks, anxiety, nightmares, flashbacks (recurrent and vivid
recollection of a traumatic experience, sometimes with hallucinations)
and avoidance of particular people, places, smells, sounds or objects
that trigger flashbacks. “The spectrum (of PTSD) is wide, from minor
annoyance to completely debilitating,” she said.
“PTSD screwed up my whole damn life,” said Stade. At 19, he served as a
M-60 machine gunner in the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). “It
was pretty gruesome,” he said. “You see all this stuff and it makes you
lose a part of yourself. It took a part of my soul that I’ll never get
back.”
Following a 12 month tour in Vietnam, Stade returned home, angry and
emotional. He fell into a deep depression and suffered from low
self-esteem. At night, he was plagued by nightmares; during the day,
certain sounds and smells would cause horrific flashbacks.
Stade’s symptoms made it difficult to for him to find work, manage
stress and mend relationships — his marriage ended after just six months
and he’s still attempting to re-connect with his only child, a son.
“(People) didn’t know as much about PTSD when I came home (from
Vietnam). Other guys and I were left to basically fend for ourselves,”
he said.
Today, thanks to group therapy and antidepressant medication, Stade has
a new lease on life — one he hopes other veterans struggling with PTSD
can achieve also.
Treatment for the disorder varies from person to person, added Balentine.
“I cannot stress enough that one size does not fit all,” she said.
Individuals suffering from PTSD may receive help via group therapy and
medication like Stade, or cognitive behavioral therapy, desensitizing to
certain triggers and developing better coping skills. Regardless of the
type of treatment, “the American Psychological Association recommends
people (get help) as soon as possible.”
Some individuals may be hesitant or embarrassed to seek treatment for
PTSD. “They may believe only the weak get help but that could not be
farther from the truth,” said Balentine.
“People need to be aware of what vets are going through,” agreed Stade.
“We need to help them in any way we can. (PTSD) is not something to be
ashamed of. It’s not their fault.”
Julie Knauf, (906) 786-2021, ext. 152
-------------------------
Larry Scott --
