June is PTSD Awareness Month: What are the signs and what crowd does it affect?
When it comes to PTSD, it's no joke that some things are hard to forget and let go of.Going through trauma is a common thing many people experience.According to June is PTSD Awareness Month. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), records show that around 60% of men and 50% of women experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. The California Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that Kern County, which has almost 50,000 veterans, has a total of approximately 60% PTSD. NAMI's symptoms include avoidance, cognitive and mood symptoms, the feeling of guilt, numbness, worry and depression. Arousal symptoms, such as trouble sleeping or bursts of anger, are another. Guy Anderson, a Combat Veteran who served in Afghanistan, said his experiences have led to PTSD and slowed down his life. If you or anyone you know are suffering from PTSD, call NAMI at (800) 950-6264.
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When it comes to PTSD, it's no joke that some things are hard to forget and let go of.
Going through trauma is a common thing many people experience.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), records show that around 60% of men and 50% of women experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime.
And from that large portion of people, a small part will develop PTSD.
NAMI said symptoms include avoidance, for example, staying away from certain places that remind you of the event.
Another can be cognitive and mood symptoms, the feeling of guilt, numbness, worry and depression.
Arousal symptoms is another, which includes being startled by something that resembles the trauma, such as trouble sleeping or bursts of anger.
But a certain group of people in Kern County experience PTSD on another level.
According to the California Department of Veterans Affairs, Kern County has a total of almost 50,000 veterans.
Guy Anderson, a Combat Veteran who spoke with Eyewitness News, said he's lived in Bakersfield his whole life before serving in Afghanistan.
“It’s the kind of stuff it's so surreal, that it's something you see in movies, you see in TV shows but you just never think about it being real life right? Until it is," said Anderson.
It’s been a few years since he’s returned back home, but his experiences haunt him until now.
It all caused him to develop PTSD, and the trauma has slowed down life.
“On my last deployment, somebody had planted an M67 frag grenade in one of our toilets, so that way when you sat down to use the restroom, you're done. One of the black water truck guys just happened to find it and called it in so EOD was able to dispose of it,” he added.
Anderson’s home was full of memories from the years he served.
Pictures of his friends and medals he was honored with covered the wall, although looking at it can take him back to memory lane that wasn't good.
“When you're around all of that so much, its just its painful, and especially when you watch your best friends dieit sucks.”
If you or anyone you know experiences symptoms that can lead to PTSD, call NAMI AT (800) 950-6264.