I have been a student of PTSD for 49 years since the Eastertide Offensive in Vietnam. I was a Gun Fire Control technician, thumb on the trigger for a few thousand rounds of 5"/54 ordnance. I witnessed a massacre that I could not stop, was ordered to STFU and lived under death threats for my last year of active duty if I mentioned the crime. Saw another massacre of fishermen during a Sea and Air Rescue mission for a downed pilot in the Gulf. Declare Conscientious Objector status, relieved of gun fire duty, but kept around to try to break me and deny my honorable discharge status. I came out bitter and angry and my marriage lasted less than 5 months.
I vowed to my loved ones that I would not succumb to suicide and leave them with survivors guilt. It has been a long row to hoe in keeping that promise. PTSD management is a lifelong battle that 40 Veterans per day lose from suicide and drug overdoses. I lost two Vet buds last year to suicide, both totally unexpected with no indication of the severity of the pain they suffered under.
It was only a few years ago that I became familiar with the Moral Injury concept to explain much of my personal challenge in PTSD management. Both my Veterans Service Officer and my VA Psych Doctor have also come to conclude that most of the PTSD warriors they deal with are dealing with their Moral Injuries.
We are developing a Moral Injury Recovery program and have had some success, mostly in providing the first safe, open space for total honesty in sharing. The program is a work in progress. Insights and input would be appreciated. I am new here as of today. I cannot post our Moral Injury Recovery syllabus here do to copyright restrictions but would love to hear of others doing the hard work. I am in touch with Danish spouses of PTSD warriors working on Moral Injury Recovery as well.
I vowed to my loved ones that I would not succumb to suicide and leave them with survivors guilt. It has been a long row to hoe in keeping that promise. PTSD management is a lifelong battle that 40 Veterans per day lose from suicide and drug overdoses. I lost two Vet buds last year to suicide, both totally unexpected with no indication of the severity of the pain they suffered under.
It was only a few years ago that I became familiar with the Moral Injury concept to explain much of my personal challenge in PTSD management. Both my Veterans Service Officer and my VA Psych Doctor have also come to conclude that most of the PTSD warriors they deal with are dealing with their Moral Injuries.
We are developing a Moral Injury Recovery program and have had some success, mostly in providing the first safe, open space for total honesty in sharing. The program is a work in progress. Insights and input would be appreciated. I am new here as of today. I cannot post our Moral Injury Recovery syllabus here do to copyright restrictions but would love to hear of others doing the hard work. I am in touch with Danish spouses of PTSD warriors working on Moral Injury Recovery as well.