Those of you who are regular readers of this blog know that I frequently write about PTSD. So when I saw the link to this article in my Twitter stream (from @armysupporter) I immediately posted the beginning of the article by Al Tompkins here:Last week, a woman named Linda Bean called me to ask if there was anything I could do to get journalists to more aggressively cover military-related suicides and how to prevent them. She wanted me to urge you to take some simple steps to help families of soldiers know where to turn for help.
Read the interview now.
I could hear the pain in Bean's voice when I talked to her. Her son, Coleman, finished two tours in Iraq. In September 2008, at the age of 25, he took his own life. Coleman, who had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, reached out to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and to non-military mental health providers for help but didn't follow through on plans to get counseling.
His story is one of many. On average, 18 veterans per day take their own lives.
I interviewed Coleman to hear her thoughts on the role journalists can play in helping people gain a better understanding of PTSD and its effects on veterans and their families.
And if you want information on how to recognize the symptoms of PTSD, see www.insupportofourtroops.com/ptsd-info/
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Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. Her newest project is www.FilmsThatSupportOurTroops.com.
Phyllis' company MillerMosaicLLC.com does power marketing that combines traditional marketing principles and Internet marketing strategies to put power in your hands.
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