July is about basking in the sun and enjoying your time with friends and family. One of the biggest events that we celebrate this month is the fourth of July. Fourth of July is about celebrating and honoring our brave service members who have and continue to fight for our freedoms.
While that sounds nice on paper, let’s discuss how our usual fourth of July traditions are actually harmful to the exact service members we’re honoring, and how we can adjust our festivities to make them feel more celebrated and comfortable.
The Wounds of War
It’s no secret that when our service members are discharged and return to normal civilian life, it’s difficult and feel impossible to find their place within regular life. Physical wounds aren’t the only wounds they suffer from. PTSD and other mental health problems.
According to a study, nearly 1 in 4 active duty members have experienced PTSD. Did you know that there are five types of PTSD? They range from Normal Stress Response, Acute Stress Disorder, Uncomplicated, Complex, and Comorbid PTSD. I can’t imagine what it’s like for our soldiers to deal with the things they witnessed.
I’m sure we’ve all heard the term PTSD, but few truly understand the toll it takes on the sufferer and their loved ones. There are many triggers for people who have PTSD, once a trigger occurs, their mind forces them to react and think like they are still on the battlefield and need to protect themselves. Their current reality melts into their past trauma and becomes their new reality for that moment.
How Fireworks Trigger PTSD
Hearing explosions that leave death and destruction in their wake, knowing there’s nothing they can really do to help their fellow soldiers or stop the destruction. Nobody should ever have to experience what our service members go through, but they make the sacrifice for us.
Now think about when they return home with PTSD, and they hear the fourth of July fireworks. It can trigger their PTSD, as the booming sound of the fireworks replicates the explosions they had to face on the frontlines. But we don’t really think about that, do we?
We celebrate the fourth of July to honor our service members, but we don’t really stop to think about how our celebrations are triggering the same people we’re honoring. Our service dogs are also under severe stress when hearing fireworks go off, and some dogs will escape their homes and end up missing as they try to escape the noise.
The way we celebrate is unintentionally causing them to re-live their most traumatic times. Since this holiday is about celebrating both veterans and active-duty members, let’s talk about some alternative ways to celebrate the fourth of July that will help them feel appreciated.
Celebrating the Peaceful Way
Now, this article isn’t meant to discourage anyone from celebrating this fourth of July, but there are plenty of ways to celebrate that aren’t going to trigger our service member's PTSD, and instead, can really make them feel appreciated for the sacrifices they make.
If You Can’t Escape the Fireworks Try These
The first thing you can do to ensure a more peaceful fourth of July celebration would be to not partake in fireworks. They may be beautiful to look at, but it’s not worth it if it’s going to trigger someone’s PTSD.
If you know someone in an area where they can hear fireworks, see if you can offer them earplugs, and noise-canceling headphones, spend the duration of the fireworks with them so you can remind them that they are safe and try to take their mind off of the fireworks, or find a designated safe space for them until the fireworks are over.
Volunteer and Support to Help Our Veterans and Active Duty Members
The next way you can celebrate the fourth of July is to see if there are any volunteering opportunities at your local VA or other programs that help our veterans. Taking time out of your day to spend with them is a remarkable feeling for both parties. You’re letting them know that they aren’t alone and that they’re appreciated.
Look in your local community to see if there are any veteran-owned businesses that you can buy from and support. You can also check to see if there’s a local organization that partners with active duty members to receive care packages. It’s a nice gesture to make them feel less alone. They have sacrificed so much for us to live comfortably, so let’s be there for them, and do our part to bring even the tiniest bit of joy into their lives.
Don’t Forget About the Families
Another great way to celebrate is by celebrating and spending time with the families of veterans or active-duty members. The families also make sacrifices and deserve to be appreciated as well. If you’re having a BBQ or any other type of outdoor event, reach out to any families you know who have a member deployed. This is a tough time for them as well, so making sure that the families feel invited, welcomed, and supported is a wonderful thing to do.
Have a Great Fourth of July
Now that we’ve discussed some additional ways for you to celebrate the fourth of July that will help and benefit both our veterans and active-duty members, I hope you’re able to incorporate these into your festivities.
We should do our part in helping them feel like they belong and that they matter to us. That they aren’t forgotten about, that they still have purpose and are loved. They’ve done so much for us, so now it’s our turn to do something positive for them.
To all of our veterans, active-duty members, dogs, and their families, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You are all important, you are all loved. Have a safe and happy fourth of July.
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