Most Americans look at the Fourth of July as a time to celebrate. And many people choose to celebrate the holiday by popping off fireworks. But for veterans, the loud booms of firecrackers can be triggering.
Rodger Meier is a Veteran and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). He said that fireworks, especially illegal ones that explode into the air, can be harmful to combat veterans.
“It triggers memories. It triggers reactions, things that take them back to some of the things that they actually experienced during their time in combat,” Meier said.
Dr. Tam Nguyen with Sutter Health says treatment for PTSD is exposure, through thinking or a physical environment. Nguyen says quarantine restrictions during the state lockdown may have reinforced avoidance behaviors which can be harmful to someone's s progress in recovering from PTSD.
“It reinforced avoidance as the primary safety mechanism. So, while it was really important for all of us to adhere to those public health guidelines as a response to COVID, it may have inadvertently or secondarily made for some people with PTSD symptoms worse,” Nguyen said.
This Fourth of July, Meier wants people to be aware of their surroundings and to be on the lookout for VFW signs that may be in the neighborhood. That sign is a sure way of knowing that a veteran lives nearby and may be triggered.
“The biggest issue is most times veterans don’t talk about PTSD and you don’t know,” Meier said.
Meier said also to try different alternatives than fireworks to celebrate the fourth, like attending a bar-be-que or a parade.
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