Wheeling, W. Va. (WTRF) – When the 4th of July weekend rolls around, you can watch fireworks go off all over the valley for people to enjoy. But for others, the experience is not exactly pleasant.
For some veterans, it’s more stressful than anything else, and the post-traumatic stress they’re dealing with doesn’t help.
PTSD can happen to anyone at any time. Often you hear that fighting in the military can be the cause, but an accident, natural disaster or assault can affect someone just as much.
And according to director John Looney of the Wheeling Vet Center, it needs to be taken care of.
“PTSD can be very debilitating if left untreated.”
John Looney of the Wheeling Veterinary Center
He says trauma can cause unpleasant feelings. This includes sadness, depression, and anger, as well as lack of sleep.
But depending on how long those feelings last, Looney says those feelings of trauma can eventually turn into PTSD.
“It (the trauma) usually goes away in 6 to 8 months. PTSD goes beyond that. It lasts a lifetime.
John Looney of the Wheeling Veterinary Center
And if left untreated, the symptoms usually get worse.
“If you don’t deal with it, you tend to isolate yourself. It’s like you’re holding your thumb in that bottle of Seven Up, you can’t pay attention to everything and you get angry because someone distracts you.
John Looney of the Wheeling Veterinary Center
As the symptoms worsen, the triggers continue to linger, and for veterans with PTSD, fireworks can trigger these feelings.
Avoiding such triggers is one thing, but seeking clinical help is more important than anything.
“We can all talk about it. We can all admit to having had trauma in our lives, and we can talk about it. It’s something that, as a culture, we need to recognize and deal with, and we do.
John Looney of the Wheeling Veterinary Center
