Australia’s largest post-traumatic stress awareness convoy stopped at Wagga’s Bolton Park yesterday to shine a light on a stigmatic condition.
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What is a personal battle for some, post-traumatic stress disorder has been described as a disease that does not “discriminate” and can have a flow on effect to those around them.
Former Australian cricketer and Vietnam war veteran Tony Dell said he knew nothing of the disorder until he was diagnosed with it himself.
“My story goes back to 1967 when I was in Vietnam with 2 RAR and I came home in 1968 and for 40 years I had PTSD without knowing it,” Mr Dell said.
“I always thought that the rest of the world had the problem and that I was fine, but I was finally diagnosed in 2008 after some interaction with military people.
“It’s probably the least understood of all the major illnesses and you could have 20 people that have been diagnosed with PTS and there could be 20 different ways of making them better.
“It will never be cured because the trauma and the abject fear will remain, but you learn to manage it,” the veteran said.
Mr Dell said that the disorder did only affect his life, but also those closest to him.
“I had sleepless nights, grinding of teeth, night sweats, bad dreams, an aversion of crowds – which I still experience – there’s suicidal thoughts and also some addiction to alcohol and drugs,” he said.
“I had relationship difficulties and my family left me; although my wife died, my three kids are probably my best friends because they now understand PTSD.”
Research assistant at the Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation, John Gilmour, said there is “often” a flow-on effect with the family.
“The family have probably been living with someone who is very withdrawn, who is anxious and depressed and been misusing substances,” Mr Gilmour said.
“These things can flow on and lead to having an affect on the family which is why getting help and not just for the person suffering from PTSD, but actually for the whole family, is so important,” Mr Gilmour said.
Also a part of the convoy, veteran Gemma Morgan said she felt the huge stigma of PTSD following her operational service in the British army.
“I was diagnosed with PTSD in 2007 and this was before Iraq and Afghanistan, at a time when no one spoke of this disorder,” she said.
“There was huge stigma attached to any kind of mental illness in the British military, I felt like an outcast that had a contagious disease.
“My world started to unravel, my health unraveled, there were family and relationship breakdowns and it really impacted every aspect of my life.
“I’ve rebuilt my career, my life and my family and being on this convoy is an opportunity to tell my story and break down the stigma,” she said.