[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 100 (Wednesday, June 25, 2014)]
[House]
[Page H5733]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AWARENESS MONTH

  (Mr. DesJARLAIS asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DesJARLAIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to tell my colleagues about 
H. Res. 631, which supports the goals and ideas of Posttraumatic Stress 
Disorder Awareness Month. PTSD is a condition affecting more than 5.2 
million Americans.
  Our heroic servicemen and -women face daily atrocities and dangers on 
the battlefield. When they return home, adjusting to everyday life can 
be a brutal challenge, and living with PTSD can become a waking 
nightmare. Without treatment, PTSD can lead to alcohol and drug abuse, 
flashbacks, depression, and suicide. Sadly, because of the stigma 
surrounding mental health in our country, less than 40 percent of 
returning military personnel seek help.
  My first job out of medical school was at a VA hospital. I witnessed 
firsthand the toll PTSD takes on our soldiers and their loved ones.
  I urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 631. Show our brave men and 
women in uniform that we have their backs like they have ours.
  Thank you to Bob Mims of Tennessee's Fourth District for his 
continued efforts on this critical issue.

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