On Thursday, June 27, the Marshall County Area Veterans Memorial Committee will dedicate a bench and statue in honor of the military men and women who have had or are currently suffering with symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The program will begin at 7 p.m. on the west lawn of the Marshall County Courthouse in Warren. The memorial is located at that location. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs for the 30-minute program, which will further recognize PTSD with added emphasis on military veterans affected. American Legion clubs and military honors will be included.
June is PTSD Awareness Month. The United States Senate established June 27 as PTSD Awareness Day in 2010 to raise awareness of the mental health issues that can develop after exposure to traumatic events. PTSD can be triggered by various events and may show up immediately thereafter or after a period of time has elapsed. The designation is an attempt to emphasize the need to diagnose and treat those individuals and families impacted by PTSD. While as many as 44 million Americans are believed to have suffered a traumatic event in their lives, approximately 6 to 8% will develop PTSD. While there are numerous events that trigger the disorder, the rate is generally higher among certain groups of the population.
This program is a chance to support one another as the public acknowledges the need to better treat emotional and mental health. If you need help or support dealing with mental health issues, there are agencies available to assist you in northwest Minnesota. The Department of Human Services number is 1-800-282-5005. Individuals can also call, text or chat online with the crisis/suicide prevention line by dialing 988. For military veterans the Wounded Warriors’ PTSD phone number is 1-888-997-2586.