What does a former WWII Prisoner of War have to teach younger men? A whole lot.
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He’s 92, a beloved father and grandfather who travels and lives a more invigorating life than many men half his age. But he’s a lot more than that. Norman is a veteran and POW who has lived with PTSD since serving in World War II, and he’s speaking out for others who are coping with their own traumas.
I had a chance to chat with Norman via email, after hearing his granddaughter sing his praises in my writing group. And he’s not just a veterans’ issues advocate, he also advocates for anti-racism and other social justice causes. You’ll see in the interview below that he calls himself “a feminist from birth”. Total hero.
While he focuses on supporting veterans in many different ways, the information he’s sharing about PTSD can help survivors of any sort of trauma. And Norman’s a living example of the hope that those who live with PTSD can have for a bright future. Hopefully we can all learn a bit from the messages he’s sharing.
JS: There aren’t many people over 90 on Twitter. What do you get out of using Twitter, and do you think other older folks are missing out?
NB: I began using Twitter as a tool for helping veterans who suffer from PTSD. Gradually I began to follow people who Tweeted about other subjects of interest to me: Fitness (I’ve been a weightlifter for 70+ years), Women’s rights ( I was a Feminist at birth), Politics ( I voted for one Republican in my lifetime. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower was a fellow WW II vet), Racial equality (I spent the first 42 years of my life in Memphis, where there was none), Veterans benefits (I’ve spoken and written about them, testified twice before the Congressional Veterans Affairs Committee, my wife and I are volunteer Service Officers and file claims nationally helping veterans obtain entitled VA benefits).
I have helped a few Twitterers with PTSD, but I feel that the other subjects I’ve Tweeted on have been a waste of time. And my sneaky mind has created another excuse for me to delay finishing two more books, which are resting in my computer. No, I don’t think people in my age group are missing out if they don’t use Twitter. Exercise, socializing and volunteer work can be so much more beneficial.
JS: What would you most like to tell younger veterans and other men living with PTSD?
NB:For combat veterans with PTSD, the emotional baggage you carry is not disposable. You will carry it forever but you can gradually lighten the load by avoiding denial. There’s no stigma to PTSD. It is an invisible wound. A wound just as serious, and no less honorable, than a bullet in your leg.
Do not self-medicate! Alcohol and drugs are the road to disaster. The best treatment you can get is available at your closest Veterans Affairs Medical Center. And work on becoming physically fit. No medication I’ve ever taken has helped me more than lifting weights in a gym. Free those endorphins and clear your mind in the process!
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To read more of Norman’s work, check out his article for The Washington Post, and read his book My Private War: Liberated Body and Captive Mind, a World War II POW’s Journey.
And of course, follow him on Twitter!
Photos via Twitter