Often brought on by traumatic events in the theatre of war, PTSD can cause crippling anxiety, intense flashbacks, night terrors, and behavioral changes. When a military man returns home to his wife and kids in this condition, the strain on the family can be crippling.
I spoke with three strong, amazing women over the past few weeks. Each one of them has a husband in the military suffering from PTSD or a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
While not all these stories have happy endings, there is hope for our brave servicemen suffering from PTSD...and hope that their wives can raise awareness about their plight. (Some names have been changed to protect the privacy of the families involved.)
I spoke with three strong, amazing women over the past few weeks. Each one of them has a husband in the military suffering from PTSD or a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
While not all these stories have happy endings, there is hope for our brave servicemen suffering from PTSD...and hope that their wives can raise awareness about their plight. (Some names have been changed to protect the privacy of the families involved.)
Elizabeth
Elizabeth's husband Dale has been deployed twice to Iraq. The first deployment, in 2003, was when Dale first developed PTSD symptoms, but the second tour in 2004 worsened his condition even further.
"The military culture is to not admit to anyone you have PTSD," she reveals. "Don't let the TV commercials fool you: if you are actively serving, you admit to nothing! Though there are a lot of support groups available, it's something I know a lot of personnel will not join until they have left the military."
Despite secretly seeing a civilian therapist, Dale is still plagued by nightmares.
"I have unintentionally been struck while he had some violent dreams. I also cannot tap him awake at night [because he thinks he's] being attacked, so he swings."
But if the nights are hard, then the days can be even harder. Elizabeth says that one of the most difficult things about living with her husband is seeing him lose interest in the things he once loved.
"He can't enjoy things like fireworks, or be anywhere with spontaneous loud noises," she laments. "Watching war movies will trigger a weeks worth of nightmares. I want him to talk about and deal with the things that he holds on to, but its not always easy for me hear."
Despite the hardship, Elizabeth is committed to Dale. She doesn't see him as "broken," and she wishes the rest of the world wouldn't use that word to describe him, either.
"I wish people would understand what PTSD is, and that it comes in many forms. PTSD does not mean he beats his children or abuses alcohol. He works hard, loves his family, and tries so hard to cope."
"The military culture is to not admit to anyone you have PTSD," she reveals. "Don't let the TV commercials fool you: if you are actively serving, you admit to nothing! Though there are a lot of support groups available, it's something I know a lot of personnel will not join until they have left the military."
Despite secretly seeing a civilian therapist, Dale is still plagued by nightmares.
"I have unintentionally been struck while he had some violent dreams. I also cannot tap him awake at night [because he thinks he's] being attacked, so he swings."
But if the nights are hard, then the days can be even harder. Elizabeth says that one of the most difficult things about living with her husband is seeing him lose interest in the things he once loved.
"He can't enjoy things like fireworks, or be anywhere with spontaneous loud noises," she laments. "Watching war movies will trigger a weeks worth of nightmares. I want him to talk about and deal with the things that he holds on to, but its not always easy for me hear."
Despite the hardship, Elizabeth is committed to Dale. She doesn't see him as "broken," and she wishes the rest of the world wouldn't use that word to describe him, either.
"I wish people would understand what PTSD is, and that it comes in many forms. PTSD does not mean he beats his children or abuses alcohol. He works hard, loves his family, and tries so hard to cope."
Ashley
Lana and Elizabeth both argue that there just aren't enough mental health resources to aid both PTSD sufferers and their family. Combine that lack of resources along with an atmosphere that doesn't encourage an open dialogue about PTSD, and many military wives are at a loss.
Ashley Wise is helping to change all that. Like many other military wives, she also faced hardship when she married her husband Rob, a loving man that was already struggling with PTSD.
In 2004, Rob had been right at the heart of a roadside bomb explosion. By all accounts, he should have died that day. The impact, Ashley eventually learned, helped to bring on PTSD, as well as a traumatic brain injury.
Not long after they were married, Ashley began to worry about Rob, recalling one incident in particular that unnerved her.
"He had gotten out of bed on a different night and stood in the dark yelling at the wall—all the while sound asleep. He kicked in the door to our son’s bedroom and lifted his hands like he was holding a gun."
The trigger for this incident? Finding a candy bar wrapper hidden under the couch, left by the couple's young son.
Then, last October, things got worse.
"He took two cases of beer and all of his guns, got a hotel room, and I saw all this come across our bank statement," she recalls. "I called him, and he was slurring his words, saying 'I don't think I can do this anymore. I might do something stupid.'"
Rob didn't do anything "stupid," but he did start drinking more. Fed up with the lack of support from the military, Ashley decided to take matters into her own hands and raise awareness about PTSD.
Her solution was both elegant and eye-catching: she uploaded a photo onto her Facebook page of her bare back, with the following poem scrawled across her skin:
"Broken by battle,
Wounded by war,
I love you forever,
To you this I swore:
I will quiet your silent screams,
Help heal your shattered soul
Until once again, my love, you are whole."
(Click image to enlarge.)
She encouraged other military wives to share similar images, and with that, the organization Battling Bare was born. After only a few short months in existence, Ashley has already gotten 25,000 Facebook Likes, set up local chapters in every state in the US, and is currently setting up her organization as a 501 (c)(3).
Her ultimate goal is to raise awareness about PTSD and the impact it has on spouses and children, and eventually hold workshops based on a model developed by Operation Restored Warrior.
"I want people to know that PTSD is not a life sentence," she says. "It's not a death sentence. You can get better. It's frickin' hard, but it's possible. We just need to make sure that there's a support system in place for that kind of healing."
With the work of organizations like Battling Bare, there may just be a light at the end of the tunnel for military wives and their PTSD-suffering partners.
Ashley Wise is helping to change all that. Like many other military wives, she also faced hardship when she married her husband Rob, a loving man that was already struggling with PTSD.
In 2004, Rob had been right at the heart of a roadside bomb explosion. By all accounts, he should have died that day. The impact, Ashley eventually learned, helped to bring on PTSD, as well as a traumatic brain injury.
Not long after they were married, Ashley began to worry about Rob, recalling one incident in particular that unnerved her.
"He had gotten out of bed on a different night and stood in the dark yelling at the wall—all the while sound asleep. He kicked in the door to our son’s bedroom and lifted his hands like he was holding a gun."
The trigger for this incident? Finding a candy bar wrapper hidden under the couch, left by the couple's young son.
Then, last October, things got worse.
"He took two cases of beer and all of his guns, got a hotel room, and I saw all this come across our bank statement," she recalls. "I called him, and he was slurring his words, saying 'I don't think I can do this anymore. I might do something stupid.'"
Rob didn't do anything "stupid," but he did start drinking more. Fed up with the lack of support from the military, Ashley decided to take matters into her own hands and raise awareness about PTSD.
Her solution was both elegant and eye-catching: she uploaded a photo onto her Facebook page of her bare back, with the following poem scrawled across her skin:
"Broken by battle,
Wounded by war,
I love you forever,
To you this I swore:
I will quiet your silent screams,
Help heal your shattered soul
Until once again, my love, you are whole."
(Click image to enlarge.)
She encouraged other military wives to share similar images, and with that, the organization Battling Bare was born. After only a few short months in existence, Ashley has already gotten 25,000 Facebook Likes, set up local chapters in every state in the US, and is currently setting up her organization as a 501 (c)(3).
Her ultimate goal is to raise awareness about PTSD and the impact it has on spouses and children, and eventually hold workshops based on a model developed by Operation Restored Warrior.
"I want people to know that PTSD is not a life sentence," she says. "It's not a death sentence. You can get better. It's frickin' hard, but it's possible. We just need to make sure that there's a support system in place for that kind of healing."
With the work of organizations like Battling Bare, there may just be a light at the end of the tunnel for military wives and their PTSD-suffering partners.
Battling Bare is definitely worthy of your support!
Want to support Battling BARE? Follow them on Twitter. Like them on Facebook. Buy something from their Cafepress page. Check out their blog. Or visit their website for details on how to volunteer.
Thank you so much for this article. My husband will be deploying soon and this is one of my worst fears, that he will come home overwhelmed with PTSD.
wow, such an interesting article!
Thank you for this! I live in a area surrounded by every military branch available. They even offered to the community classes on how to deal with PTSD sufferers in grocery stores or out in public. So, yes even a box of cereal falling of a shelf can cause them to hit the deck. So glad I took the class and refresher course. Don't touch #1 rule. Calm voice of reassurance with key phrases. PTSD is a crisis of our population. [https://www.time.com/time/video/player/0,32068,1730959652001_2119284,00.html] - Time magazine's 'One A Day' fabulous article. We, Hubby and I are civilians, know something huge is happening and code red, when we see all the neighbors, military, crabbing their ditch bags and loved ones kissing them good bye as if it's the last time they might see them. What I find really sad is the women/Moms who are active and come back with PTSD for many can no longer be close to their children, and the children, especially when both parents serve, are left behind and many go and live with other relatives because Mom and Dad are no longer Mom and Dad but strangers.
Again thank you so much for the link to this wonderful organization and bringing awareness to this epidemic of many nations.
Brightest of Blessings
thanks for the article
This is such a beautifully written article. I have multiple family members who are in the military. My aunt actually met her husband while deployed. She is now done in the Army but her husband reenlisted so I always worry for them as well as their children especially when it's time for him to return. I will definitely share this organization with her and have her pass it on too. Since most of their friends and people they come in contact with are military families as well I'm sure this could help at least one family.
I Love this article, this really touched me.
I really enjoyed this article and it really touched me. I am dating a military man who is dealing with alot of the symptoms described in your article. He has been very distant lately and I want to be with him but just didn't know how to reconnect with him.. Thanks so much!
This was a great article..Being a Military guy I have seen the effects on both sides, To watch a loving couple fall apart becuse he is dealing with scars so deep and dark he cant bare to perform in the bed room, on the other hand I have seen where the men go into a rage during sex and this to can be scary. I think the greatest thing any of us can do is not put pressure on them and just be there. make them understand that you will be there for them when they want to talk, and make them understand that you want to know the details becuse you want to help them. way to go girls