Days that Will Live in Infamy – “Anxiety Anniversaries”

For people who have endured serious trauma, the concept of anniversaries isn’t so special. “Anxiety anniversaries” act as psychological bookmarks in a person’s memory that takes them back to a specific traumatic incident that occurred during a certain time of year. Both the APA and the U.S, Department of Veterans’ Affairs touch upon anniversary anxiety and its effects on both civilians as well as veterans.

An article published by the APA entitled “Anxiety and Sadness may Increase on Anniversaries of a Traumatic Event” includes advice from psychologist Susan Silk, PhD, of APA's Disaster Response Network. Silk says that “anniversary dates of traumatic events can reactivate thoughts and feelings from the actual event, and survivors may experience peaks of anxiety and depression.” However, the article also covers other symptoms as well- although please note that every person’s experience is ultimately unique. These other side effects include anxiety, irritable outbursts, social detachment, and nightmares. Unfortunately, all of these side effects coincide with a more serious psychological problem known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. PTSD occurs when an individual has either witnessed or experienced a traumatic event, and has then displayed both physical and psychological changes as a result. PTSD can be an underlying cause of anxiety anniversaries, and the date or dates of the incident itself serve as a trigger factor for the overall disorder.

So why do humans create these annual events for themselves, a time of year that brings nothing but stress and anxiety?

In actuality, the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs explains how anxiety anniversaries occur “because of the way a traumatic experience is saved in memory. Memories of trauma contain information about the danger that the trauma involved. The memory helps us be aware of when we should be afraid, how we should look at such situations, how to feel in that situation, and what to think.”

But while these reasons sound both natural and beneficial to a person’s well-being, they jeopardize a person’s nervous system and “fight-or-flight” response. For an affected individual, these anniversaries cause the nervous system to kick into high-gear due to his or her subconscious’ expectation that the certain catastrophe will repeat itself during that same time of year. So how can this cycle be broken and a person’s life return to normal?

When referring to the panic itself, the APA recommends a few helpful and holistic methods of treatment. Probably the most important steps to take is to simply accept the feelings of distress and grief that an individual has during that particular time of year. Repressing anxiety or choosing to ignore the symptoms will only make them stronger and will probably present themselves in an uncontrolled and undesirable manner.

Other methods of coping are talking to close friends and family about any uneasiness during a certain time of year. Talking out problems and insecurities is one of the easiest ways to relieve anxiety, while at the same time alerting others that they are able to help in making that time of year a more positive experience.

Treating PTSD is slightly more difficult to treat, especially for combat veterans who have recently returned from war. The U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs reports that one in five combat veterans suffers from PTSD. Upon, veterans are equally as likely to have their own anxiety anniversaries, such as if they or a comrade suffered severe injury. Additionally, it is difficult for anyone to witness death and destruction on a routine basis, yet this is the lifestyle of practically every soldier. So when seeking relief from the constant paranoia, aggression, and war-related flashbacks, where are veterans to turn for rehabilitation?

One option is for veterans to visit their local VA hospital, but studies in 2012 revealed that VA physicians prescribed 259% more narcotics to veterans with PTSD than in 2002, instead of treating each veteran with his or her specified needs. For this reason, many veterans choose to seek treatment elsewhere, and luckily, other facilities exist.

In terms of seeking treatment for PTSD, veterans can enlist in multiple programs provided by a non-profit organization called Operation: I.V. The organization, a 501(c)3 founded in 2012, helps combat veterans heal from both PTSD as well as traumatic brain injuries. Its founder, Roxann Abrams, is a Gold Star Mother who lost her son SFC Randy Abrams in 2009. Randy took his own life after experiencing a PTSD flashback from his service in Iraq. As a result of her son’s death, Abrams founded Operation: I.V. so that combat veterans who served in either Iraq or Afghanistan have a place to receive treatment from the ten different rehabilitation programs the organization offers. Hyperbolic oxygen therapy, service dogs, and anxiety reduction therapy are only some of the services that can drastically improve a veteran’s mental health. The organization also supports job retraining, business mentoring, and educational assistance.

Hopefully with the abundance of treatment programs available, especially with the ones provided by Operation: I.V., veterans (and their families) can form hope for a brighter future.