GREENSBORO, N.C. — Our veterans sacrifice their lives and time with their families to serve our nation and protect our freedoms. Many times, veterans can return with varying health issues and it can be hard for them and their loved ones to cope.
Jolene Cannady is a nurse practitioner at Crissman Family Practice. She joined us on WFMY News 2 at 5 to talk more about some of the things veterans face and how we can all help.
Cannady says some veterans face more challenges than others simply due to where they served. That includes agent orange exposure in the Vietnam war and exposure to oil well fires and uranium in the first Gulf War. For younger veterans, that can include potential brain injuries caused by IEDs and other explosives.
Cannady also says coming back home can be a challenge. Everyday life is very different from war and the transition back is not easy. Many veterans are also dealing with grief and guilt over losing other soldiers in combat.
Finally, there's PTSD. Cannady says it's an anxiety disorder and can cause people to be hyper-focused, be depressed, and have flashbacks. The biggest thing is to pay attention to veterans coming home and look for those symptoms.
Here are some resources for you or someone you know to help with veteran-related problems:
Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1 to talk to someone
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