On or off the battlefield, the strained and war-weary men and women who have either served, or are serving in the military today are often faced with emotional scars. This has been a familiar problem throughout the centuries, where soldiers have suffered from such afflictions as anxiety, sleeplessness, nightmares, stress and depression. But today, more than ever, these normal responses to the physical and emotional hardships of war are labeled as a “mental disorder” called “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder” (PTSD).
Not long ago, war trauma was treated with compassion, understanding and love. But today, the willingness to empathize with the warrior and listen to his experiences has been replaced by a psychiatric pop-a-pill “quick-fix” mentality that employs antidepressants, antipsychotics, stimulants, sedatives or anti-anxiety drugs.