May 31 2010
MEMORIAL DAY THOUGHTS
Memorial Day weekend is upon us. For some of us it means a weekend at the beach. Going to barbeque and picnics with friends and families. Unfortunately, for many American families Memorial Day can bring on the grief of the loss of a loved one who was in the military. These men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice, leaving behind parents, spouses and children whose lives will forever be changed. Soldiers are usually in the prime of life, with new families and parents who never wanted to outlive their children. The loss of a soldier may have been recent or many years ago, but family members may have a harder time around holidays such as Memorial Day where much of the news coverage and even advertisements mention soldiers and the armed forces.
If you or someone you love has lost a family member, it is good to know that there are skilled therapists and counselors like the ones at Life Skills Resource Group Orlando that can help you to work through the grief you are feeling. They can teach you the skills to cope with your loss, and to practice self care. When one is grieving it is easy to forget to eat, or to lose sleep. You may throw yourself into your work and become detached from your friends and family. You may feel as though no one understands what you are going through. Please consider seeking the guidance and support of one of our skilled therapists, or also utilize the services offered through local veterans’ assistance programs to find support groups.
However, even when soldiers make it back to home safely, some may suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. PTSD is a kind of anxiety disorder that can occur after you have been involved in a severely traumatic event that threatened your safety or life. PTSD Symptoms can involve flashbacks of the event, avoidance or “numbing” and extreme arousal, or feeling fearful all of the time. It is important if you or someone you love experiences symptoms of PTSD that you contact a counselor or therapist to discuss your symptoms.
