As I scroll through my newsfeed, I see a multitude of opinions on the tragedy that occurred at Fort Hood today. There are so many differed views and what Ive come up with is that the ability to empathize prior to judging is just not there. Most people ask for prayers for the families.. many others attack the shooter and the operating procedures of the military bases. It is very difficult to understand the military lifestyle without LIVING that lifestyle. Many spouses who are not prior service themselves do not even understand the lifestyle from a soldiers direct point of view. It is not a typical 9-5 job. There is so much more to it than meets the eye. From a psychological standpoint (being someone highly educated in the psych field myself), depression, anxiety, ptsd, trauma, etc... are real beyond real. Yes there are many that abuse it, but there are also many who deny it. The military is not the most comfortable place to be vulnerable because at NO POINT IN TIME are you concerned for only yourself if you are serving for the right reasons. Selfless service is one of the core values and being able to say I need help is not something that many people can say. Many dont. Many recover, many dont. Because someone who does not suffer from any of these on a deep level cannot understand how someone can do something so crazy or outrageous... to me that means your brain functions properly (so to speak). But there are certain nerves and chemicals within the brain that are not able to function properly when someone suffers from one or more of these sicknesses. Literally, they are not in control of their actions because this amazing mechanism of a body we have is just not functioning properly. Certain areas of the brain are highly affected when severe trauma occurs and they just do not work without assistance such as medication or therapy. If someone is taking medication for an illness that is a chemically altering drug, that is what it does to create a balance within the brain. If (and Im not saying this happened here although it is reported that he was on medication) someone with a prescription for medication to alter chemical levels in the brain does not TAKE the medication, the brain is forced to overwork itself to the point where it can damage other areas from overcompensation. Logic may not always be up to par. The decision making process is severely impaired. So with this, I just say.. before you call someone crazy, or stupid or whatever other negative words that are circulating the country right now... try to put yourself in his situation. What is the root of the issue? What is the home life like? How deep is he in a state of depression, anxiety? NEVER EVER compare your experience with such an illness to the next persons but DO try to understand that there are circumstances beyond the 30 seconds, 5 minutes, 2 hours, however long a tragedy occurs. Understand that people are affected by surroundings on different levels and people are able to handle situations in different ways. While I am not defending this person in saying that what he did was not wrong... it was. But from a psychological standpoint, this does not happen overnight. It is ongoing and we as people have choices to make with the people around us. We can either break someone down with our words and actions or we can lift them up. You NEVER know what can trigger someone to their breaking point. It is easier said than done, but LOVE ONE ANOTHER! And use your words wisely... especially when you know seconds of someones life and nothing about them outside of certain circumstances. You never know who you know that suffers or has suffered from depression, anxiety, one or multiple traumatic brain injuries, post traumatic stress, post traumatic stress disorder, etc. You may have spoken to someone today or you may have just read words from someone who has suffered them all. We gotta do better.
Posted on: Thu, 03 Apr 2014 03:40:57 +0000
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