short-tempered. Eventually, Bill learned to mask his daily struggle with the aftermath of war from his coworkers, but Sara was still living on his pent-up roller coaster. “For a long time, he just held it together—we held it together. But there is a big difference between just holding it together and thriving.” Bill and his family are not alone in this new reality. According to the results of the 2015 annual WWP Alumni Survey, mental health conditions were among the most frequently reported health problems, with
76.2 percent screening positive for PTSD, 68.8 percent screening positive for depression, 67.4 percent screening positive for anxiety, and more than 42.5 percent experiencing TBI. The survey showed that, while many wounded veterans have significant health care needs, they too often have difficulty getting the help they require. While the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is committed to trying to meet this demand, WWP recognizes the VA cannot heal the invisible wounds of war alone.
Bill credits Warrior Care Network for teaching him not to avoid his daily struggles with PTSD. Instead, Bill says the Warrior Care Network provides him and his family with the tools needed to support each other, allowing a stronger, closer bond.
“If I had a message to put out there to other spouses and families dealing with this, it would be: Hang in there. Don’t give up. Get your rest and get back in the game,” said Sara. “Because if you keep working on it, it will get better.”
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