Fireworks might be a celebration for some Missourians, but for many U.S. military veterans, they want to avoid feeling like they are in a war zone.
Lindsey Ward is the Missouri Veterans Commission’s suicide prevention manager.
“The sounds, the smells, the bright lights can trigger traumatic events that have happened in the past and kind of bring up those negative feelings or anxiety,” she told Missourinet.
Ward encourages people to be a good neighbor, friend, and relative to those around you that you may – or may not know – are bothered by fireworks.
“It doesn’t just impact combat veterans,” she said. “Post-traumatic stress can affect veterans who even experience things that happened during a training event, or just anything that at that time the person responded to as a traumatic event that created this extreme stress.”
Ward recommends checking out the VA’s website, which includes tips about dealing with trauma and fireworks. Other resources are at your fingertips.
“An app for your phone, called PTSD Coach and another app called Mindfulness Coach, which can kind of help with some grounding skills and some coping skills,” said Ward.
Ward urges veterans to come up with a safety plan by preparing in advance to deal with the stress in a safe and healthy way. She also advises them to lean on a family member, friend, or doctor for help to come up with a plan.
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