Page 618 - Total War on PTSD

transitioning Veterans with TBI. “We are all part of the race that is modern existence. We text, we Instagram, we communicate in short bursts of conversation to save time – and we believe in instant gratification,” states Gordon. And, she continued, “In our military, a second can literally be the determination of life or death, and decisions must be made in fractions of a second.” Rieman reiterated, “The things that keep you alive in war kill you as a civilian. You’re told that you’re invincible and you can defeat any enemy.” Thus, for many Veterans, de-conditioning them from this way of thinking is a process that takes time, particularly when they are working on defeating the enemy within.
Because of the fast-paced nature of the world we live in, many Veterans may experience frustration at the lack of a quick-fix for their mental health. Encouraging Veterans, whether they are struggling with their mental health or not, to simply take time to pause and reflect on what they are going through is one of the many steps that can be taken before a veteran reaches the crux of suicidal behavior.
First, pausing promotes reflection on intentional choices rather than simply reacting to circumstances that may feel beyond ones’ control. Second, scientifically speaking, pausing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps us to feel calm by reducing tension and anxiety. And, finally, once our nervous system calms down, we have more capacity to avoid reacting out of habit or raw emotion and instead choosing a more thoughtful and reflective path forward. To paraphrase Nelson Mandela, our choices in life should reflect our hopes, not our fears.
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