Like everybody, veterans will experience grief when they lose someone that has given meaning to their life. Quite often these losses pile up over the period of time they serve, which is a compounding loss that many others may not experience.
Unfortunately, this also means that they often do not express their grief outwardly if they are convinced others cannot understand.
This paired with the thought that many lack the capability to understand the relationships themselves can be detrimental long-term. As a result, it typically manifests in a variety of negative ways, often in addictive behaviors, anger, or chronic loss of sleep.
Hidden sorrow refers to grief that occurs when you do not or cannot openly let others know about a death, mourn, or receive support from them.
Hidden sorrow can occur if you don’t recognize your connection to someone who died or the gravity of the loss.
Soldiers are taught to handle anything that comes their way and to live in survival mode. By disconnecting from their emotions, this aids for greater chance of survival and military success. However, being stoic can cause problems that severely impact the health of survivors and limit their lives. Such symptoms include:
• Prolonged grief or hidden grief
• Onset or recurrence of Major Depressive Disorder
• Onset or recurrence of Panic Disorder
• Possible increased vulnerability to PTSD
• Alcohol and other substance abuse
• Smoking, poor nutrition, low levels of exercise
• Suicidal ideation
• Onset or worsening of health problems
Although there is ample research concerning the psychological toll of war, much of it has focused on the association between combat exposure and PTSD. Further research focuses on the impacts on families, however there is limited exploration of the nuanced nature of grief experienced by veterans and how this is made more complicated by social or cultural demands.
If you or someone you know is experiencing the grief unique to veterans, let them know that some of the best ways to work through their experiences is through writing or art. This allows emotions to be processed without having to articulate it verbally to another individual or group, which presents barriers for many veterans.If you would like to learn more about what services are available to assist veterans with grief, especially as they near the end of their lives, don’t hesitate to reach out at to us at Cook Family Funeral Home.
Article Submitted by:
Tim and Alison Dinan, Owners
Cook Family Funeral Home, Cremation Service, and Hillcrest Cemetery
206-842-2642
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