Are We Approaching PTSD as a Nation?

I am currently reading a book that I hoped, foolishly. would help me escape from this world wide pandemic. This Covid 19 has been pathetically,                          unnecessarily lengthened in this county by the inadequate, deceitful leadership from the White House and the GOP administration. 

I'm sick of war for many reasons, three of them will do:                                                                                                     It's 1815.    I am French.    and this is Waterloo.           Mel Brooks 

I'm sick of Covid for many reasons, three of them will do:

It's 2020.   I am American.  and this is the corona virus.  Susan Grout  

Although it's a very good read, unfortunately the book, Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey  is centered in the worst of World War I. The book is based on actual events although it's fiction. Cher Ami is messenger bird: a pigeon and Major Whittlesey is the brave man who tried in vain to save his regiment.  Reading this at night in my cozy bed has been a challenge because of the brutality and sheer idiocy of WWI. All of those dead and wounded young men, over 32 million by the war's end. Mustard gas that was used extensively in that war was/is so deplorable. Almost worse was the long, lingering debilitation from it. This and other poisonous gases gave life long consequences of breathing difficulties and skin problems to these men. You see where I'm going with this. 

Currently when our fearful leader contracted the corona virus [and unlike what any of us could expect if we caught the virus], he was given virtually every life saving device thrown his way, some even experimental.  Now he claims he is supposedly miraculously "recovered completely"! And to prove his prowess he's adding  "No contagion possible", and going out across the country as a super spreader. Of course if you believe this, by all means attend one of his rallies, mask less. Then stand next to someone in the crowd who is also supposedly not contagious and yell and scream and then breathe deeply. Then go home and hug and kiss the family and all your friends. After they are infected with the virus, see what treatments you and they are eligible for.  My oh my, how grateful you and they will be to you for bring them this surprise.

I believe many, many of those affected by Covid are in the throes of PTSD. Having lived through a nightmare that doesn't seem to miraculously disappear, now depression and worry set in overwhelming the survivors and their families. Brain fog, breathing difficulties, and in some cases, organ failure. In our country with more than 340, 000 deaths due to the virus, let's for a moment think about all those left behind. They either contracted the virus themselves and with difficulty recovered or watched from afar as a loved one got the virus and suffered all alone in a hospital and then died. Either way, there is going to be scarring and a residual torment for survivor or the grieving ones.

The aftermath of death from the virus for friends and families has been horrific. Because of  possible contagion there was no possibility of a large memorial or even allowing friends into your house for comfort. This is so profoundly awful.  I speak as a sister who is grieving my little sister. Fortunately for our family she died in 2019 and we were able to mourn as an enormous group and believe me it helped. How sad and sorry I am for families all across the world who have been unable to hold memorials.

This virus has ravaged the country. Sadly, if only that truth of how devastating the virus is/was acknowledged and we took immediate precautions our death rate would be a fraction of what it is. If only Trump acknowledged how virulent the virus, wore a mask to all important meetings and urged all Americans to do so, the numbers of deaths would have been a fraction of what is now.   How sad for those of us who lost a loved one to Covid, how sad that the country has continually been in lock down due to an inept administration. 

Tomorrow or soon, what are the best methods from recovering from the PTSD that is also now ravaging this country.

susansmagicfeather 2020 copyright Susan R. Grout all rights reserved