Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month

Floor Speech

Mr. DesJARLAIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to tell my colleagues about H. Res. 631, which supports the goals and ideas of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month. PTSD is a condition affecting more than 5.2 million Americans.

Our heroic servicemen and -women face daily atrocities and dangers on the battlefield. When they return home, adjusting to everyday life can be a brutal challenge, and living with PTSD can become a waking nightmare. Without treatment, PTSD can lead to alcohol and drug abuse, flashbacks, depression, and suicide. Sadly, because of the stigma surrounding mental health in our country, less than 40 percent of returning military personnel seek help.

My first job out of medical school was at a VA hospital. I witnessed firsthand the toll PTSD takes on our soldiers and their loved ones.

I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 631. Show our brave men and women in uniform that we have their backs like they have ours.

Thank you to Bob Mims of Tennessee's Fourth District for his continued efforts on this critical issue.

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