Stories of rebuilding lives after the trauma of war
The electric excitement of the Invictus Games in Toronto began at the opening ceremonies on Sept. 23, as emotional stories of athletes were shared on the Jumbotron and continued throughout the week as Prince Harry talked about the role that sport can play in the recovery of body and mind.
The focus on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and mental health support brought to the forefront the struggles of individuals and families affected by PTSD, depression, trauma and anxiety.
It’s encouraging to note that many books are now being written by those who have begun to rebuild their world after the extremes of war: “Among the Walking Wounded, Soldiers, Survival, and PTSD,” by John D. Conrad, highlights that for many soldiers, wars go on long after the last shot is fired; “Waiting for the First Light, My Ongoing Battle with PTSD” by Romeo Dallaire, a top political and military figure who was traumatized by witnessing genocide in Rwanda; and “Better Off Dead, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and the Canadian Armed Forces” by Fred Doucette. Doucette, a soldier in Cyprus and Bosnia, shares his efforts to help rehabilitate and support soldiers and veterans in obtaining proper diagnosis and treatment.
Therapy dogs were also present at the Games as research indicates that animals provide not only a helping role for physical injury but also offer huge psychological benefits as detailed in the following books: “Dog Medicine, How My Dog Saved Me From Myself” by Julie Barton follows the author’s story as she battled depression and made it to recovery with the help of a retriever named Bunker. “A Dog’s Gift, The Inspirational Story of Veterans and Children Healed by Man’s Best Friend” by Bob Drury, and “The Education of Will” by Patricia B. McConnell, an animal behaviourist who believes that trauma changes our brains, also share exciting research.
For many, regaining and managing mental health is an ongoing process and these recent books tell the story of not only individuals but also their families: “Listening to Ayahuasca, New Hope for Depression, Addiction, PTSD and Anxiety” by Rachel Harris; “Waking the Tiger, Healing Trauma” by Peter A. Levine, eAudiobook; “My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward” by Mark Lukach; “What My Body Remembers” by Agnete Friis; and “This Close to Happy, A Reckoning with Depression” by Daphne Merkin.
In the publisher’s preview of “Reasons to Stay Alive” by Matt Haig, the book is billed as “an accessible, life-affirming guide to helping yourself and others through mental illness.” The Library Journal says in his book “The Body Keeps the Score, Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma,” renowned trauma researcher, Bessel A. van der Kolk, shows, “how vast the population of sufferers is, and the devastating repercussions to society in general as a result of inadequate treatment.”