Arm Yourself

No, I'm not talking weapons.  

I'm talking knowledge.

You know what they say - the more you know, the more you know.

And it's time to be in the know.

Considering there is a movement to change the way we see mental health in general... well, this fits right in!  By "this" I mean learning about PTSD.  Yes, I have had that term tossed my way in the past, but it didn't stick.  And until recently, my knowledge of this condition was very limited and not very accurate.

For example....

Did you know that around 10% of women, and 5% of men are diagnosed with PTSD at some point in their life?*  I was kind of surprised to find that out, as I thought the percentages would be higher considering the amount of people in the military!  My therapist has often said that kids can grow up with the same parents, in the same house, and each have a completely different experience.  Most of the kids do well, get on well with their parents and all that.  Then there's me.  Off in the corner.  The odd one.  I'm working to see myself as more unique and less odd. 

I also found it interesting that while there are thousands of soldiers in the military that have seen horrific acts of all sorts, not all soldiers end up with PTSD.  Experts say that anywhere from 10% - 30% of military veterans have PTSD.**  Learning this (sort of) helped me understand how my childhood could differ that vastly from the childhood of my siblings, even though we all grew up with the same parents in the same house.

Lots to chew on...... lots to think about...... and as always, lots to learn!

 *Information from NAMI

**According to the Department of Veterans Affairs