[Part of the Learning Series© by Marilynn Force, Ph.D., Regis University affiliate faculty member.] This week TIME Magazine and the Associate Press reported news of the military’s 2012 suicide data, which stated “the number of active-duty suicides in 2012 reached an all-time record—with the 349 self-inflicted deaths ‘far exceeding American combat deaths in Afghanistan’ during the same period.”
While the article points out the variance is due to the fact that combat deaths have dropped as troops are pulled from combat duty and return home, it also states “it means the work of friends, families, communities, non-profits, and government is nowhere close to being complete when it comes to caring for the troops coming home.”
We know how Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) overwhelms our Veteran and active Military population, but those who have suffered bullying, abuse, the experience of caretaking sick individuals, or an interaction that makes them feel they are going through a life-threatening event can develop PSTD as well.
As we enter a new year and start with a fresh perspective on how to address our cultural and community-oriented challenges, I thought I would take this opportunity to explain how one person that I know who has PTSD, recently handled the pressure of their syndrome.
Let’s start by re-examining the definition of PTSD from the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA). The USDVA National Center for PTSD goes on to state that “anyone going through a life-threatening event can develop PTSD” (p. 12).
The Definition of PTSD (2009) states that PTSD is a mental condition experienced when a “person has been exposed to an event, which may be outside the range of normal human experience: an etiological event which would markedly distress almost anyone.” In my opinion the Veterans Administration PTSD 101 course online, is the best resource for anyone to go to for help.
There are many theorists that talk about PSTD and its occurrence in various populations, Freire, Horsman, Sacks and Hamblin to name a few. They address the fact that PTSD is completely individualized and one person’s reaction will be very different to another’s. Whether someone develops PTSD is also very individualized and is not understood at this time.
But one thing is constant…the person who has PTSD can have a significant physical and mental reaction when triggered and threatened.
My Ph.D. is in Education, specifically Professional Studies. I have not studied PSTD as a Psychologist, but have focused my examination and research from the point of view as an educator. I have spent the last seven years studying how people learn and can perform to overcome the paralysis that PTSD or anxiety can have when someone is trying to accomplish a goal, especially a goal of obtaining an education.
So when a recent occurrence to witness a person with PTSD handle a negative, threatening, interaction and turn it into a victory presented itself, this scholar gratefully participated to turn the situation into a positive outcome.
I often talk about how special our Ignatian Pedagogy is for helping all those who choose to come to a Jesuit institution. Two of the many driving principles I have learned from the Jesuits, which influence my approach, is for all students to (1) love everyone and (2) as an educator to, as St. Ignatius taught the original Jesuits, “let the impediments which call the mind away from studies be removed” (Fitzpatrick, 1933, pg. 71).
The use of this Pedagogy as well as implementing Universal Instructional Design (UID) is continuously engaged to develop coping mechanisms that result in a positive outcome.
Instead of letting this event paralyze this person, it was a marvel to watch as this person called into action their network of support individuals. This varied group of individuals helped this person move from suffering a paralytic event to fully functioning within a short period of time. This individual recognized their physical triggers and realized they could not diminish their reaction to this event without help.
The key to successfully working through this episode was this person’s wiliness to disclose, share and ask for help from a trusted circle of professionals and friends. This action of reaching out became the catalyst for them to work through the event so the fear of the event did not impede this individual’s ability to successfully complete their goal.
Recently the actress Glenn Close visited Denver to bring attention to her Bring Change 2 Mind organization that was developed to help end the stigma surrounding a mental health problem.
Photo: Denver Post
In an article written by Dr. Patricia Fitzgerald for the Huffington Post, Dr. Fitzgerald discusses how stigma prevents those from understanding what another person is going through and conversely prevents the person with a problem from seeking help.
Close mentions in that article that one of the main goals of her organization is to eradicate the stigma surrounding mental health conditions, thus giving so many who suffer an affliction of hope in living a productive lifestyle that contributes to society.
The sadness of our nation was so profound in 2012. The survivors of the tragedy in Newtown Connecticut will need every consideration to be able to process their grief and work through the difficulties experienced. Many in the nation will need a new understanding and approach.
As we enter a new year we have a newfound opportunity for compassion and understanding for those who suffer and hope for living a productive life. This eternal hope is self-renewing so that our world can start anew.
It is time that we all observe that PTSD, anxiety and other mental disorders are present within our culture. We need to acknowledge that up to one third of our population (Wilson, 2008 & NIH, 2001) navigate anxiety without hope for fear of the stigma in being exposed. It is time to change the bias and see beyond the stigma so the brilliance of the individual can show through and that they may have hope.
Bibliography
Freire, P. (2000/1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed (trans., Myra Bergman Ramos). New York, NY: Continuum
Fitzpatrick, E. A. (1933). St. Ignatius and the ratio studiorum. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Hamblen, J. L. (2009). PTSD 101, National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Retrieved from http://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/ptsd101/Presenters/jessica-hamblen-phd.asp
Higbee, J. L., & Goff, E. (Ed) (2008). Pedagogy and student services for institutional transformation: Implementing universal design in higher education. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Printing Services.
Horsman, J. (2000). Too scared to learn: Women, violence and education. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
National Institute of Mental Health. (2001). Speaking out for yourself: A self-help guide.
Sacks, O. (2012) Hallucinations. New York: NY. Alfred A. Knopf.
Wilson, W. (2008). Joining forces America: Community support for returning service members. Minneapolis, MN: Capella University.
Marilynn Force has a Ph.D. in Education and is an affiliate faculty member who has been teaching for a total of 24 years, 18 of which have been spent at Regis University focusing on finance and accounting within the School of Management. She has also taught for Metro State College and Webster University. Ms. Force’s career has focused on all aspects of small business development, entrepreneurship, management, communication and the creation of effective learning processes and anxiety cessation within the academic and business environment so critical thinking can occur.
