Post-Traumatic Stress


With the trial of Chris Kyle's alleged killer beginning today, I'm sure there will be a lot of stories about post-traumatic stress and its alleged connection to this case.

PTS (or PTSD) is a serious mental ailment that afflicts a significant number of people; it's not just a combat-related problem, though lately it's been associated with the stresses of war. Whether it is an appropriate diagnosis in this case and what relevance, if any, it has, remains to be proven.

We don't know enough about mental ailments in general, let alone how to treat them. Because of that, there is still a heavy stigma associated with PTS. It would be unfortunate if that stigma were to be magnified because of the trial.

PTS does NOT turn people into killers. From what I understand, if people suffering from PTS are harmful to anyone, it is to themselves. I don't know what the outcome of this trial will be, but I do know that Chris felt strongly that people in need of assistance - be it medical, job-related, or whatever - deserved respect and a hand up.

A hand-up, not a hand-out; respect, not excuses. We are all responsible for our actions.

I trust that the jury in Texas will be able to deal with the evidence and the complications of law, and determine the truth in this case.