Linas Grybinas Presents: "The Climb for PTSD"

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, better known as PTSD is not a new phenomenon. Current studies from the NIMH show that PTSD has continued unabated through all wars: • 31 percent of Vietnam veterans suffer from PTSD • 10 percent of Gulf War (Desert Storm) veterans suffer from PTSD • 11 percent of the Afghanistan War veterans suffer from PTSD • 20 percent of Iraqi War veterans suffer from PTSD • Roughly two and a half million service members have served in Iraq, Afghanistan or other theaters since September 11, 2001. The young men and women of our armed forces are tasked with defending our freedom and can be sent anywhere in the world to do so. They are uprooted from their families at a moment’s notice, usually more than once. They are sent to combat arenas where they live in poor conditions that lack many of the amenities we take for granted in our daily lives. They are shot at by people intent to kill them, are asked to shoot to kill other human beings, see close friends killed, maimed or wounded, hear their friends anguished cries of pain and are frequently unable to do anything about it. They are subjected to small arms fire, mortar fire, RPG fire, artillery barrages, many times while at “safe” operating bases. They may be hunkered down in their bunker or under a humvee wondering which one of the fifty mortar rounds fired at them this morning just like they have been fired for the last 10 morning is going to get them. Or they might be tasked with taking an X-ray of every single body, enemy or friendly that is brought on base to check for IED’s, all the while not knowing if there is one and if one is going to explode while they are taking the X-ray. For one year during each deployment they live every day not knowing if it will be their last. It is a wonder that not all veterans end up suffering from Post Traumatic Stress. Due to the negative stigma that regards those admitting to suffering Post Traumatic Stress as being “weak” it is very likely that the number of veterans seeking help are lower than the total needing help and that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates of those suffering from Post Traumatic Stress is much lower than the actual total. While it is eminently terribly to experience what our armed forces members must endure, they are not the only ones subject to falling victim to PTSD. Natural disasters, violent crime and other traumatic events can also lead to PTSD. Every person affected by PTSD affects other family members and according to the National Institutes of Health, 7.7 million Americans either directly suffer from PTSD or affect others by their PTSD. There is evidence that PTSD can run in families and that there are structural differences in certain areas of the brain in PTSD sufferers versus control groups. Our veterans and all people suffering from PTSD need our help. Their families, who have to deal with the terrible outbursts of anger, the uncertainty of the depressions, the nightmares, the flashbacks and inability to control impulses, need sources of therapy and relief. PTSD support groups, family and marriage counseling for the adults and children are just some of the solutions. In many cases, the parents need time to re-connect and heal first before they are able to help their children, so extended summer camps for the kids are a must so the parents are able to go through aggressive counseling to improve their condition. We could in no way ever approximate the terrible experience that our combat veterans live through that lead to PTSD. But I would like to honor them by undertaking monthly events that at least attempt to symbolize lifting the burden they carry in defense of our country from their shoulders to mine. In each event I will carry someone heavier than myself up a flight of stairs. In each event the person or persons I carry will be veterans that suffer from PTSD. The lifting and carrying of a wounded veteran up a flight of stairs is to symbolize the lifting of their burden and bringing them to a “higher” healthier level. By doing this I hope to earn donations for each stair that I climb to help our veterans who suffer from PTSD and to honor all veterans who have served the United States. A penny, a nickel or dime per stair would be a wonderful donation that would allow us to treat hundreds of veterans. A greater amount per stair would allow us to treat their families. Anything per stair would be greatly appreciated. Every event will be videotaped for transparency. If willing, the veterans will share their stories. In many, if not most cases, veterans with PTSD are very wary of sharing their story which is part of their PTSD. It is extremely difficult for them to even agree to volunteer to be carried for these events, so please honor all of them by following and sharing the videos of all of our monthly events. Filmed and Edit By: Alex Phelps Music By: Hanz Zimmer - Chevaliers de Sangrea