The following is an opinion post from Ken Falke and does not represent the views or an endorsement from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Falke is a 21-year Veteran of the U.S. Navy Special Operations Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) community and retired master chief petty officer. He founded the Boulder Crest Foundation and is co-author of the book, “Struggle Well,” both of which focus on thriving in the aftermath of trauma.
Today, approximately 140 Americans will take their own lives. About 20 of them are military Veterans. More first responders will die by suicide this year than will in the line of duty, and teenagers are taking their own lives in record numbers.
Our nation’s mental health system is broken and, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association, our mental health system is in need of disruption and innovation.
The science of posttraumatic growth has been around for nearly 40 years, and the applied practice and teachings of posttraumatic growth has made strides in the last 10 years. We have seen what right could look like: a system without labels, without drugs and without diminishment.
Posttraumatic growth describes the ways in which the struggle that follows traumatic events can often serve as a catalyst for growth and transformation. Posttraumatic growth is both a process and an outcome.
The mainstream mental health system has codified the problematic notion that times of trauma and struggle are permanently diminishing. Those struggling are taught they should learn to live with their “new normal” and rely on pharmaceuticals to feel less trauma. This in anathema to what is known about Veterans, successful approaches, and the importance of a growth mindset.
Posttraumatic growth restores a sense of hope and agency to the lives of those struggling, and it provides them with an incentive to do the hard work of making sense of their post-trauma life—because life can and should be better and more meaningful than before.