ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. – The signs displayed by those suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder — commonly known as PTSD — share some commonalities, but the way each sufferer shows these signs is wholly unique to each individual. June is PTSD Awareness Month and June 27 is specifically designated as PTSD Awareness Day, a time to educate people on the signs and symptoms of this condition, as well as the support others can provide.
Stephanie Allers, program specialist in the U.S. Army Sustainment Command’s Ready and Resilience Division, has Army-specific certifications as a Master Resilience Trainer and hopes to be certified as a Mental Health First Aid Trainer within the next six months. Prior to starting her Army career, she spent the first half of her professional background in mental health counseling as a licensed practicing counselor.
In both phases of her career, she has worked closely with those suffering from PTSD – be it combat- or non-combat related. Allers said that thinking back to her time in clinical counseling, she can’t recall even one patient who was eventually diagnosed with PTSD that originally thought they had it.
“When I was a counselor working on a team with a neurologist, a psychologist, and a physical therapist, we would get all kinds of interesting cases,” said Allers. “There were never any two clients or patients whose cases looked even remotely close to one another. It was very diverse and there wasn’t a single individual out of the ones that were diagnosed who thought they had it.”
Allers said many of her patients believed they just suffered from anger management or sleep issues, and the root of their suffering went no deeper. The tendency for PTSD sufferers not to seek help is multifaceted.
“They try to ignore it and eventually, it usually gets very bad before someone seeks assistance,” said Allers. “The stigma surrounding any illness of the mind is starting to go away slowly, but it is still a problem with our society. People suffering from the condition use avoidance strategies and then all of those helpful things that a social system provides kind of disappear, and then people get isolated and that’s where you see it leading to the ugly stuff up to and including suicide.”
It is worth mentioning that outside of the military, the term “PTSD” is increasingly being replaced by Post Traumatic Stress, or “PTS” as the negative connotation of “disorder” is better described as a “condition”.
As Allers and other mental health professionals note, every person suffering from the condition is dealing with their own unique symptoms, but some of the most common are anger or aggressive behavior, sleep issues, dissociative disorders and difficulty concentrating. Allers said that in females, PTSD tends to manifest in anxiety, panic disorders, sleep disturbances, eating disorders and self-harm behaviors like cutting one’s body.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: National Center for PTSD and the 2022 Army Health of the Force Report, approximately 7% of service members and veterans either have been or will be diagnosed with PTSD. It is estimated that the military population has a PTSD rate that is approximately 1% higher than the general population.
“Even with these high rates, it is generally thought the statistics are inaccurate due to low reporting, lack of diagnoses and misdiagnoses, so all in all, the numbers may be significantly higher,” said Allers.
Aside from the stigma surrounding mental health, another big reason people don’t seek help is lack of access to care.
“When we talk about access, it could be they don’t have transportation to a clinic, or any organization that could offer assistance,” said Allers. “The VA does provide buses for veterans, but those are limited, not to mention that many PTSD sufferers are not comfortable hopping in a vehicle with another person driving, especially if the PTSD is combat-related. For a lot of them, the traumatic event that triggers their PTSD stems from when they were in vehicles or convoys, so that can be a major barrier for some veterans.”
Education is vital to understanding PTSD. Allers highly suggests families, friends, neighbors and co-workers of a person suffering with PTSD refer to a booklet developed by the Veterans Administration: https://www.ptsd.va.gov/publications/print/understandingptsd_family_booklet.pdf
“There is help out there and you can get better,” said Allers. “It is doable. I can’t count the number of times someone said, ‘How would you know? You’re not in my head.’ I’ve heard that so many times, but I let them know it can and will improve. It may not be easy, but it will get better with help.”
There are a wide range of resources that anyone suffering from PTSD can reach out to, whether it has the anonymity of a national organization, or the personal touch of a confidant.
24/7 Help Nationwide:
- Veterans Crisis Line: Call 9-8-8 then press 1; text 8-3-8-2-5-5 or chat online at https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/get-help-now/chat/
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 9-8-8 or chat https://988lifeline.org
- 911: Call for yourself or someone you know who is in crisis and needs immediate help.
In the Iowa/Illinois Quad Cities:
- The Davenport, Iowa VA Clinic/Community Resource & Referral Center
- CRRC - 415 North Perry Street, Davenport, Iowa, 52801, (563) 328-5800.
- Clinic - 2826 West Locust Street, Davenport, Iowa, 52804, Main number: 563-332-8528 Mental health: 319-338-0581.
- Quad Cities Vet Center, 465 Avenue of the Cities Suite 140, East Moline, Illinois, 61244, (309) 755-3260.
- Vera French Community Mental Health 24/7 Call Center, (563) 383-1900.
- Robert Young Mental Health Center, (309) 779-3000 or 24/7 Crisis Hotline (309) 779-2999.
- Family Resources, Inc. (Services for children, adults and families), (563) 326-6431 or http://www.famres.org
On Rock Island Arsenal:
- Contact the Employee Assistance Program, 7 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, (309) 782-4357 (HELP); Location: Building 56, 1st Floor, Room 104; After hours Emergency line: (309) 782-6116 (RIA Emergency Services will contact an EAP counselor to call you back promptly).
- Download the free WeCare Rock Island App, available via the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
At Army Sustainment Command:
- Contact the ASC Chaplain’s Office at (309) 782-4603.
- Contact a trusted officer/noncommissioned, supervisor, co-worker or friend.
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