Page 30 - Total War on PTSD

Sharing my stories, mainly writing about them, has helped a great deal in alleviating the sadness. On several occasions, I have had the honor of interviewing men and women who served in combat or field hospitals in Vietnam. I never press them for details, yet I have been surprised at how often these soldiers voluntarily share their stories of combat, trauma, and stress with me.
Their stories usually start with brief details about their war. And then, when they see that I am genuinely interested and that I am listening with sincere interest, their stories often come gushing out with all of the emotions that they felt at the time of the story’s happening. Along with those details almost always come tears — theirs and mine. It is not unusual after one of those interviews for the soldier to confide that that is the first time that they have ever shared that story with anyone since the war.
On every occasion that has happened, it seems that the soldier, even though he or she may be crying as they tell their story, begins to sit a little higher in their seat during the interview. It is as if some imaginary weight is being lifted from their shoulders. And, as I sit there listening, my mind relives my own experiences, which often seem to pale when compared to the stories that are being shared. I can feel myself sitting a little taller in my seat as well.
If you are one of those men and women who still carry the war with you, then I believe this book will help you to deal with your memories better and will cause you to sit a little taller and sleep a little better. And I hope it will inspire you to reach out to others who can’t seem to leave their war behind. You may be surprised to find that when you begin to help others with their struggles that your sadness will start to disappear too. That adage that, You never stand taller than when you stoop to lift someone else up is true.”
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