The deadly shooting in California on Wednesday night is re-opening the conversation about post-traumatic stress disorder, and its affect on our nation's veterans.
The gunman, a Marine veteran, is believed to have suffered from PTSD.
Action News Jax Courtney Cole spoke with a local veteran and a psychologist who talked about how vital it is to receive treatment.
"When I didn’t care about the risk anymore, that’s when I knew that I had an issue,” said James Rutland.
Rutland served in the U.S. Army for 12 years as a mechanic.
He deployed to many different places, but it wasn't until he was leaving for Fort Bliss, Texas, that he saw his medical records.
“The very top of the page said pre-existing conditions and mine said PTSD. That’s when I found out they thought I had PTSD,” Rutland told Action News Jax.
Rutland said he believes his issues came from his year-long deployment in Iraq.
"I just see this friend of mine, possibly, another service member, who I would consider a friend at a time of need, he's hurting and I don't how to help him...I'm just dealing with his pain and trying to keep him alive,” said Rutland.
Dr. Lynn Wadelton, a psychologist at First Coast Therapy Group in Ponte Vedra, told Action News Jax PTSD requires a lot of treatment.
She said that’s where many people fall through the cracks.
"It doesn’t have to be right after the incident, it could be months later before it shows up. But what you will see as the observer is a real significant change in the person’s personality,” Dr. Wadelton said
PTSD can be treated through medication, careful amounts of gradual exposure, and therapy programs.
K9s for Warriors is one of those programs.
Dr. Wadelton believes putting enforcing something similar to March Man Act for post-traumatic stress could help a great deal.
“In Florida we have something called the March Man Act for family members who have a loved one with a substance abuse problem. When the loved one’s not cooperating with going to get treatment, the family can go to the family court judge and say they have a substance abuse problem, they don’t have insight into their problem and they’re not seeking help. The judge can subpoena them to come in – or order them to come in — and be interviewed by the judge and the judge can court order them to treatment,” Dr. Wadelton explains, “We need something like that for mental health. So that you don’t have to say, I’m going to kill myself or someone else to get any help.”
Rutland encourages any veterans watching tonight take advantage of programs and resources available offering help, like K9s for Warriors.
He says being paired with his dog in 2016, affectionately named Dunkin, saved his life.
“I wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t. If I didn’t have him I was headed down that path,” said Rutland.
For more information about the K9s for Warriors Program, click here.
Cox Media Group
