Blog 3- Mental Health Illness

Overall, I got most of the answers right on the self-quiz on the CDC website. I did however learn the statistics regarding 1 in 5 children experiencing mental health disease in their lives. Having four children myself, my first thought was on how this may or may not affect one of my own children in their lives. I also learned about the cost that mental health costs America a year. $193.2 seems like a significant amount of money that perhaps could be looked at closer. In learning more about the statitstics of mental health in America, I learned that over 40 million Americans have a mental health disorder yet 56% of Americans do not receive treatment for their mental health disorder.

I do know someone that has suffered and still struggles with mental health issues. He went to Iraq and served in the war against terrorism. He unfortunately came back with sever post-traumatic stress disorder. From difficulties coming back to civilian life after being in war, to nightmares, abusing alcohol, and anxiety with noises and large crowds. His life was filled with trying to forget the horrific sights and perhaps of things he had to do while in combat. He experienced almost dying when an IED (improvised explosive device) went off on the vehicle in front of him. He saw his friends and fellow soldiers hurt and killed.

Unfortunately, this is not something that he could easily forget or learn how to cope. Mental health is real for him and he struggles with PTSD symptoms every day. This impacted his life by struggling with alcoholism when he used alcohol to cope with his PTSD. He also experimented with drugs and landed himself in jail a few times while struggling with his addictions. He got into fights and became violent, he was always intoxicated, and he ultimately hit rock bottom. He was part of the 20% of soldiers who have come back to civilian life with PTSD. He also experienced divorce, losing jobs, and he was not involved in his children’s lives for some time.

I have learned about mental health illness from this individual because I previously did not know what mental health was. I was miseducated about what it was and how mental health could significantly affect someone’s life until I saw it myself. I also learned that family members related to this individual could also experience mental health disorders tied to that individual’s PTSD. Wives of solders deal with anxiety, panic attacks, and depression when helping with the struggles of their significant other. I learned that this term is called secondary post-traumatic stress disorder which occurs when wives or family members are significantly affected by that family member who has PTSD.

Wives of Soldiers with PTSD. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://theoakstreatment.com/ptsd/wives-of-soldiers-with-ptsd/

VA.gov: Veterans Affairs. (2007, January 1). Retrieved from https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/what/aging_veterans.asp

Farkas, T. (2018, July 4). Secondary PTSD and Military Wives. Retrieved from https://www.beliefnet.com/columnists/depressionhelp/2014/11/secondary-ptsd-and-military-wives.html