The three elements below are key for everyone’s long, healthy and happy life. However, for those brave men and women who served our country proudly and protected our nation’s interests, healing them, as a whole, is a priority.
It’s all to clear that many of our brothers and sisters in arms don’t return from the front lines with physical or psychological trauma. Nonetheless, every single veteran does need a little help getting back in to his or her “old” life.
For veterans, caregivers and loved ones alike, its critical to understand that transitioning takes time, patience and love. We need to tend to these three key elements – mind, body and purpose – to ensure that visible and invisible wounds are healed.
Remember that for each and every one of us, our minds and bodies must be healthy; we need to have a purpose in life and remain connected to our family, friends and community.
Mind
The most common invisible wounds that many of our men and women have to do with psychological and emotional trauma inflicted during their time of service. From Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder to depression, many veterans suffer in silence from these injuries.
Often, ensuring that the mind is well taken care of and healthy, in fact, helps the body heal faster and better from physical injuries. The National Center for PTSD offers resources and information not only for PTSD but also for other psychological trauma.
Body
First and foremost, any service-related injury, trauma or disability must to be the priority when it comes to healing the body. Along with the Department of Veterans Affairs, there are fantastic public and private organizations (like the Wounded Warrior Project) that devote their time, efforts and resources to helping veterans manage their service-related injuries.
Purpose
Every person needs to feel as though they’re adding value to the world. Having a purpose in life – whatever that is – is key to living a fulfilling life.
For most people, the purpose of their life – what they wake up for every morning – is taking care of their family, connecting with friends and working.
However, we forget that many veterans that have left military life have actually left their career and their job. Returning to their previous career or finding a new one is especially difficult for veterans, but critically important to their overall healing process.
