I am one of seven children. My family is a very close-knit bunch. I have a brother, Jeremy, who is in the Airforce. He has already served multiple tours in the Middle East over the past few years and in just a couple of weeks he will be leaving again to serve in Afghanistan. While my family and I pray for his physical safety while he is away, in my line of work I also tend to worry about the long-term effect on his mental health.
From what I have read regarding health concerns of returning military members, depression seems to be in every article along with anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, and other social disorders. I do not know exactly what my brother has experienced while serving in the military and I probably will never know how he truly feels. My wish for my brother is that if he begins to feel the onset of depression, he seeks help immediately. The most popular response from physicians would probably be to prescribe an anti-depressant. I would wish that my brother seek alternative treatments that are more natural and do not have the potential side effects prescription drugs have such as the treatments we pursue here at the Center.
I now have a second brother joining the military and he will be leaving on the 21st for basic training. I am very proud of both of my brothers and will support them and continue to pray for their well-being, physical and otherwise.
Do you have a family member currently serving in the military? How do they cope with their emotions and feelings when they return home? Is there really any amount of training that can prepare anyone for war?