PTSD and Fireworks: Fostering Understanding and Support for Veterans
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Fireworks are a traditional part of American celebrations, including July 4th, concerts, and sporting events. These dazzling displays light up the sky and unite people in joyous gatherings.
But for America’s veterans, fireworks can be a traumatic experience. The loud noise, explosions, crowds, and even the smell of fireworks can evoke memories of combat and trigger post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, including anxiety, stress, and nightmares.
Understanding the link between fireworks and PTSD is crucial to helping veterans participate in and enjoy celebrations with fireworks.
In this blog, we explore PTSD and its triggers, its impact on veterans, coping strategies, and how families and friends can help someone with PTSD during fireworks displays.
Table of Contents
PTSD is a mental health problem experienced by people after a life-threatening or traumatic event. For veterans who have served in the military, these events can include deployment in a war zone, exposure to the horrors of combat, training accidents, and other experiences.
PTSD is a normal stress reaction to these types of events. According to the National Center for PTSD, seven out of every 100 veterans will have PTSD.
PTSD symptoms are both emotional and physical. Veterans may relive an event through nightmares and flashbacks. Other symptoms include jitteriness, difficulty sleeping, being easily startled by noise, or unhealthy behaviors such as excessive drinking, drug abuse, smoking, or aggression.
Specific triggers and cues, such as fireworks, can serve as trauma reminders. Veterans with PTSD may avoid activities that remind them of an event, including July 4th celebrations, or they may experience negative thoughts before such an event.
Writing in the Federal Practitioner, Cynthia Geppert, who began her psychiatric residence at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), explained the visceral reaction many veterans with PTSD have to fireworks. Regarding July 4th: “The instinct of many veterans is to avoid the holiday altogether: Many patients I knew sought refuge in remote mountain campsites often to find that even there they were not safe from revelers.”
Combat veterans are adept at identifying potential threats in their environment, so the sensory experiences associated with fireworks can provoke a sense of danger, triggering emotional or physical responses.
For example, fireworks events are typically characterized by loud noises, bright lights, and smoky air, often accompanied by loud music and large crowds. For veterans with PTSD, these sights, sounds, and smells can trigger memories of combat exposure, gunfire, and explosions, leading to the resurgence of trauma-related emotions and physical symptoms.
There are four types of PTSD symptoms that veterans triggered by fireworks may experience. These include:
A veteran must exhibit all four symptoms to be diagnosed with PTSD.
Physical symptoms of PTSD can include:
Emotional reactions to PTSD can include:
Veterans can take steps to manage firework-related PTSD. The key is to learn how to prepare for and respond to potential triggers rather than reacting to them. Support from family and friends can also reduce PTSD symptoms and help veterans understand that, although fireworks may remind them of a past traumatic event, they are not a threat in the context of celebrations like Independence Day.
Instead of avoiding fireworks events, veterans with PTSD can prepare for them by planning ahead. It’s helpful to gather information about the event beforehand, such as the start time of the fireworks and the availability of a safe place nearby. Noise-canceling headphones can also help reduce the impact of loud sounds, such as explosions.
Other mitigation actions include scheduling enjoyable and distracting activities around the event and sharing PTSD and fireworks concerns with others.
In the event of unexpected fireworks or sudden PTSD symptoms, veterans can use grounding techniques to manage their PTSD. Engaging in deep breathing and mindfulness exercises can help reduce anxiety levels during these events and enable veterans to stay grounded in the present moment without constantly being on high alert for potential threats.
Sharing concerns with friends and family can help veterans plan and manage firework-related PTSD. There are also several resources available from the VA that can help, including the PTSD Mobile Coach. The app teaches veterans how to deal with trauma and triggers. It can be referred to when facing stress-related events, like fireworks. It also provides direct links to support and help.
Veterans with PTSD must have the support of their families and friends. When they encounter triggering events, loved ones can provide words of encouragement, reassure them that they are safe in their current environment (whether it’s a party, concert, etc.), and engage in calming activities such as shared breathing techniques and mindfulness.
Here are some tips to help families and friends support veterans during fireworks celebrations:
When talking to veterans about their feelings and comfort levels regarding fireworks, it’s important to approach the conversation with sensitivity and empathy. This will help create a safe and supportive environment for veterans to share their concerns and preferences. Asking open-ended questions, actively listening to their responses, and showing understanding and respect for their experiences are all helpful practices.
It’s important for individuals or groups who are hosting a fireworks event to offer support to veterans.
Local VA medical centers are a useful resource. They often issue announcements with useful tips that educate citizens on the PTSD-inducing impact of fireworks. They also offer resources for veterans to help them navigate these traumatic events.
Below are some ways to create a calm and safe environment during fireworks events, large or small.
Using quieter alternatives like laser light shows or silent fireworks can mitigate triggers and provide a more inclusive environment for veterans with PTSD. Drone displays, lantern parades, confetti cannons, and LED light installations can also create visually compelling alternatives to fireworks.
Other options include community gatherings centered around a fire pit or bonfire.
A firework-less July 4th is also increasingly viewed as a greener, safer alternative to fireworks.
Event organizers should ensure that all attendees are informed in advance about the presence and timing of any fireworks display. This will allow veterans and anyone else who may be sensitive to loud noises to make necessary preparations.
There are many resources available for veterans to help prepare for potentially triggering events like firework displays, manage symptoms of PTSD, and access mental health treatment. These include:
The sound, sight, and even smell of fireworks can trigger PTSD in veterans who were exposed to traumatic events during combat, including gun violence, explosions, and training accidents. Symptoms of fireworks PTSD can be physical and emotional and include nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety, avoidance behavior, aggression, racing heartbeat, and more.
Here are some tips to help support veterans during fireworks celebrations:
• Understand potential triggers for veterans and be aware of how loud noises and bright flashes can evoke traumatic memories.
• Communicate with veterans in advance to discuss their comfort level with fireworks and make a plan together.
• Create a safe space for veterans during fireworks events by using noise-canceling headphones or finding quieter locations.
• Be understanding and compassionate and encourage open dialogue with the veterans to show your support.
Everyone is different, but practicing coping skills such as deep breathing exercises, mindfulness, and grounding techniques can help calm down a triggered PTSD episode. Distractions and meaningful activities can also help encourage positive thoughts. Sharing feelings with a friend, family member, or counselor can also help reduce stress and encourage a calmer state.
America’s birthday is important to every citizen. However, for many, these celebrations can give rise to debilitating trauma and PTSD. Through awareness and supportive actions, veterans, their families and friends, and community event planners can ensure that our nation’s warriors can manage and mitigate triggers during fireworks events and overcome the distress of PTSD and fireworks.
At Acuity, we offer a range of mental health case management and behavioral health services to help veterans with PTSD receive the right diagnosis, care, and treatment. Our services include mental health screening, advocacy, education, non-medical counseling, treatment plans, fit-for-work and return-to-work evaluations, assistance with workers’ compensation, and more. We follow all the necessary regulatory standards, including OSHA and HIPAA, to ensure that our services are safe and effective.
Learn more about our comprehensive care services or contact us today.
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