Cats and dogs were out when Iraq war veteran Todd Combs considered pets as a way to cope with the crushing impact of his military service. Like thousands of other former servicemembers, he struggled with depression, PTSD, and suicidal thoughts, but his family’s allergy issues prevented him from bringing a furry companion into their home […]
PTSD
Posted inReflections
What Caused Maurice’s PTSD: The Vietnam War or Being Black in America?
The partner of a Vietnam War veteran wonders what role race and war played in his PTSD diagnoses.
Posted inReflections
A Navy Veteran Is Determined to Find His Own Way Through PTSD—Without VA
After a frustrating series of appointments with VA, a Navy veteran tries his own treatments for PTSD.
Posted inReflections
The Fight After the Fight: My Dad’s War Didn’t End When He Left Vietnam
The daughter of a Marine who fought in the Vietnam War talks about what it’s like growing up with a father who suffered from PTSD and cancer.
Posted inReflections
Four Siblings Joined the Military. Almost 30 Years Later, Only Two Remain
Army veteran vows to keep living after one brother was killed in the Iraq War and another committed suicide after returning with PTSD and injuries.
Posted inReflections
‘The Dog Chooses the Human.’ He is the Anchor that Brings Me Back from the Demons of War
Navy veteran credits his dog with helping him manage his complex post-traumatic stress disorder after deployment to Afghanistan.
Posted inNewsroom
Homegrown Trips: Desperate for PTSD Relief, Veterans Turn to Each Other for DIY Psychedelic Treatments
Veterans are building underground communities around illegal psychedelics to help deal with PTSD brought on from military service.
Posted inReflections
The Ripples of War Are Only Beginning to Spread. Is America Ready?
Twenty years after America invaded Iraq, a veteran and spouse imagines the war’s costs will only grow.
Posted inReflections
The War Doesn’t End. But as Long as He Keeps Fighting, I’ll Fight for Him, Too.
Hunched over the table, he speaks of regrets, failures, and thoughts of suicide. It’s good that he can talk to me. He used to keep these thoughts secret.
Posted inReflections
I Was a Shitbag. Now, I Help Carry Others Through Their Darkness.
Two months later, he thanks me for listening, for still being Doc. I took care of them over there, I can take care of them back home, I tell myself.
Posted inReflections
Nobody Leaves War Emotionally Healthy. The Path to Recovery Is Unique to Each Person.
Traveling to Iraq left me with a continued understanding of wartime trauma but not why some people’s paths end in suicide.
Posted inNewsroom
Second Suicide Battalion: Where Military Justice Weaponizes Mental Health
Rampant disregard for the rights of the accused is not just commonplace, it is deeply entrenched in the military justice system.
