Service Members: Fireworks Aren't Fun Anymore
HOUSTON, July 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- This week in America, the time-honored traditions of family gatherings, parades and fireworks will be on the agenda. However, for some of our service men and women, the days leading up to July 4th aren't fun anymore.
For many, it is incredibly hard to distinguish the sound of a firework from the sound of a gunshot or an explosion. The smell of sulfur, the sound of a firework whizzing up into the air, and even flashing lights in the sky are significant triggers for many service members dealing with Post Traumatic Stress (PTS). According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs, between 11-20% who served in Operations Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Enduring Freedom (OEF) are impacted by PTS.
Hearing a Vietnam veteran describe how he puts his house on lock-down, closes the curtains, and retreats inside with headphones on makes you begin to think differently. Hearing a young dad and post 9-11 veteran say that the only way he can spend the holiday with his family is to leave the city limits and hike up a mountain to a safe place where they can see but not hear the fireworks brings a lot of perspective. Listening to the military couple who desperately wants to take their kids to Disney World but can't, because every night there will be a fireworks display is truly heartbreaking.
Lone Survivor Foundation Team Leader Jennifer Street, LSCW has put together a few strategies for our service members to make it through this holiday with less anxiety.
ARTICLE: https://lonesurvivorfoundation.org/fireworks-arent-fun-anymore/
While some of these things are easy to implement, others require training and support. There is no shame in seeking help. Post-traumatic stress is a normal psychological (mind) and physiological (body) reaction to an abnormal experience (like combat). You are not crazy. Your brain is responding as it should to protect you, but it may need help to realize it doesn't have to do that anymore.
For more information about how Lone Survivor Foundation can help, please visit us at LoneSurvivorFoundation.org/servicemembers
ABOUT LONE SURVIVOR FOUNDATION:
Founded in 2010 by retired Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, Lone Survivor Foundation ("LSF") provides therapeutic retreats for service members and their families affected by Post Traumatic Stress, mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Chronic Pain, Military Sexual Trauma, and Care Partner Stress.
LSF's progressive retreat program utilizes a holistic approach to helping the entire family unit, all at no cost to them. Retreats provide tools and techniques that are immediately applicable to combat stressors in daily life.
LSF is hosting 31 retreats at their Texas retreat facility in 2018, serving almost 300 veterans and family members. To learn more about LSF, call 832-581-3592, visit www.lonesurvivorfoundation.org, or connect with LSF on Twitter: @ls_foundation or on Facebook: @lonesurvivorfoundation.
Media Contact: Vanessa Forse, Director of Marketing and Donor Relations
(832) 581-3592 ext. 111
[email protected]
SOURCE Lone Survivor Foundation
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