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"War
(combat) is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed
and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that
nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for
which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than
his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance
of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better
men than himself."
(John Stuart Mill)
HCM specializes in counseling services to military and law enforcement
personnel and their families. If you serve in either of these capacities,
in fire fighting, or providing emergency service, welcome and THANK
YOU! Our warriors deserve our greatest respect and highest honors!
Life in the aforementioned services is uniquely different from all
other occupations. Although it can be richly rewarding, it also
deals with a reality of life that other folks do not experience
and cannot comprehend. That reality can, at times, be overwhelming,
especially when it comes to talking about it to someone who has
not faced similar combat situations. Oftentimes, instead of finding
support when coming home from military or street combat situations,
we find ourselves the subject of scorn and criticism by folks who
cannot relate to our experiences.
When
the critic is the country or the employer we serve, or friends and
family members, we have a tendency to try to shut down. It feels
too much like insanity to be betrayed by the people for whom we
risk our lives.
However, shutting down does not help. To the contrary, it isolates
us from help. Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD) or Combat Stress
Disorder (CSD) have been the terms applied to military and law enforcement
personnel who have encountered life threatening situations. While
these terms DO NOT identify a mental disorder, the event is serious
enough to warrant a name. Trauma can have lasting effects that require
special attention. Symptoms are myriad, but are usually experienced
as a withdrawal from relationships, depression, and/or an anger
that can easily turn to rage.
If you or a loved one can see patterns of behavior that are of concern,
we can offer help and hope for breaking unhealthy patterns of life.
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