New Jersey Stage 2016: Issue 9 | Page 23

members telling their stories of how they deal with PTSD. The stories were extremely moving and heartbreaking. There were two stories that really touched me. The first was seeing a video of a veteran who had served 3 tours in Iraq and was dealing with severe PTSD. He wouldn’t play with his son anymore and his son was extremely sad. It broke my heart for what they had both he could do odd jobs for them so he could make a living. PTSD is a relatively new condition, but one that soldiers of every war have probably faced. PTSD didn’t get recognized until the 1980’s so yes, it is relatively new by that name. However, soldiers have been experiencing it since the days of the Greeks. It is clearly talked about in the Iliad His son in the video said – “My dad’s home but he really isn’t and it sucks! lost. His son in the video said – “My dad’s home but he really isn’t and it sucks!” The other story that touched me was a veteran coming home from Afghanistan and not being able to find work as his PTSD meant he could not drive anymore. In order to support his family, he would go to his neighbor’s houses asking if NJ STAGE 2016 - ISSUE 9 Achilles. Shakespeare clearly makes a reference to it in Henry IV part 2 when Kate keeps talking to Hotspur about why won’t he sleep anymore. During the Revolution, men were called cowards when they would not fight anymore or thought as crazy. In the Civil War they were said to have “soldiers heart.” In INDEX NEXT ARTICLE 23