Donald Trump is facing a lot of criticism today for his comments regarding veterans and PTSD. During a question and answer session in Virginia, Trump was asked if he would support a more holistic approach to treating PTSD. Trump responded by saying that he would. He also said the following:
When you talk about the mental health problems, when people come back from war and combat — and they see things that maybe a lot of the folks in this room have seen many times over and you’re strong and you can handle it, but a lot of people can’t handle it and they see horror stories. They see events that you couldn’t see in a movie. Nobody would believe it.
I was shocked by this statement and posted it on the Awareness Network’s social media platforms. The vast majority of people seemed to be just as shocked as we were. However, one fan of our Facebook page asked why we were twisting Trump’s words. Let me address that.
Words Matter
The stigma around mental illness is very real and can be especially limiting for men and people in the military. Some people celebrate Trump’s willingness to speak before he thinks. I can’t. Words matter.
When Trump suggests that people who suffer from PTSD or die from suicide are not “strong” and “can’t handle” their experiences, he is reinforcing a very harmful and very ignorant misconception. More than that, he’s contributing to stigma, which prevents service members from receiving the help they are entitled to receiving.
This is an epidemic that must be addressed and not dismissed. Roughly 22 veterans die from suicide everyday in the country. The relationship between PTSD and suicide is very real.
Trump is Wrong, People with PTSD are Incredibly Strong
Another fan of our the Awareness Network’s Facebook page summed things up perfectly. She wrote:
Not true! I suffer from it and I was a single mom with 2 kids. That’s not strong? If you don’t suffer from it, learn about it before you speak about it. It is an ugly, silent disease.
Note: The Awareness Network is a nonprofit working to end stigma and promote treatment with a focus on anxiety disorders and depression.
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