Trauma and Service Members Returning Home after Deployment
- Upon returning home from a war zone, you may notice that you feel differently from how you did before.
You have seen and experienced a lot, and upon returning home it is normal to notice changes in yourself. Things that you used to enjoy before may not be as pleasurable to you anymore, and you may notice yourself seeking out new activities and support systems.
- It may seem like everything around you stayed the same, but you no longer understand how to fit into your home environment, and you may notice that your friends and family members don’t seem to understand what you’re going through.
Try to help your family and friends understand that you need time to readjust to your lifestyle at home. Others might not understand why you have changed or that you are having difficulty getting back to your old self again. You have experienced so many new things that it might not be possible to find your old sense of normal again, but rather to find a way to understand yourself by including and incorporating what you have been through into a new way of living.
- You might find it tempting to look for ways to lessen the stress of having to adjust to being back home after a deployment and coping with the thoughts and feelings you are having, such as through drinking or taking drugs.
Although it might seem like these ways of coping are helping you, they are only making things worse. Alcohol and drugs cannot solve problems, they can only numb or minimize the pain until you are sober. If you find yourself drinking more or taking drugs, find a professional who can help you develop healthy ways of handling your thoughts or experiences. You might be afraid of appearing weak or be afraid of others finding out, but a professional can help you take back control over your thoughts and behaviors without risking things getting worse. Most of what you talk about with a therapist will be kept confidential.
- Remember that it’s okay to ask for help. You have been through things that many others might not understand, and seeking support is an important way to ensure that you are able to manage things in a healthy way.
For more information on PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), Combat Stress, and TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury), please look at the Resources section of this web site.
