[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9947]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          NATIONAL POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AWARENESS DAY

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, today is National PTSD 
Awareness Day. Today and during the month of June, we raise awareness 
for those suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder.
  After a trauma or life-threatening event, it is common to have 
reactions such as upsetting memories of the event, increased jumpiness, 
or trouble sleeping. If these reactions do not go away or if they get 
worse, you might suffer from PTSD.
  There are organizations and resources that can help both individuals 
and professionals to discover ways to identify and manage PTSD symptoms 
and explore effective treatments.
  PTSD is especially prevalent for those who have served in the 
military, though not all of our military servicemembers suffer from 
PTSD. A non-servicemember may be exposed to a single trauma--for 
example, a car accident--that can also cause the symptoms of 
posttraumatic stress disorder.
  Mr. Speaker, before I came to Congress, I worked as a rehabilitation 
therapist, and I have seen incredible strides that people with injuries 
can make with access to appropriate rehabilitation. There is help and 
support for those who have posttraumatic stress disorder. As a nation, 
we must stand ready to support them.

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