ArtFriend

I was thinking about my father this morning because of Veteran's Day. He was at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed and he was injured (shot in the shoulder).

My mother always thought that his alcohol abuse was due to PTSD. Many soldiers from that time never received any counseling or therapy for PTSD. They didn't even called it that. It was called Battle Fatigue. Battle fatigue is vague and doesn't even come close to describing what these people had to cope with after the war.

My father was a troubled soul and he really was never able to come to terms with life after the war. He died prematurely at age 45 from alcohol related heart disease.

I think it is a tragedy the way vets are treated (not not treated). National disgrace!

Thanks for listening

LBrain

I know my dad was a bit different too. Witnessing kamikaze attacks and such while working on the flight deck. Had to screw with one's head for sure.

He drank a lot.

Aellyce

Thanks for sharing this, ArtFriend. I'm sorry to hear what happened to your dad...

Yes PTSD (war-related or otherwise) is a very real and debilitating condition. I don't have experience with it or a loved one having it, but for a while I worked at a VA hospital part time, and we were studying PTSD with a few colleagues, the subjects were vets... Many heartbreaking but also brave stories. Unfortunately the prevalence of substance abuse is one of the highest amongst these people, and few receive effective treatment for their mental health and their addictions.

Soberwolf

Some of the vets stories break my heart