With the approach of summer, many of us are looking forward to fun in the sun, family BBQs, and celebrating our country’s independence. Communities across the country are preparing for a day filled with celebrations. From parades to barbeques, yard games to fireworks, there are many activities to look forward to.
As fireworks light up the nighttime sky, most of us celebrate, but for our veterans who suffer from PTSD, the booms echo the sounds of war, bringing with them painful memories. Sudden loud noises and flashing lights meant to symbolize freedom now turn into a source of distress. This article will help you understand why the 4th of July can be especially difficult for veterans with PTSD, provide helpful tips for managing holiday-related triggers, and offer guidance for those who want to support the veterans in their lives. With the right tools and support, like that found with intensive outpatient treatment, our veterans can find a path to peace, even on the noisiest night of the year.
Understanding PTSD in Veterans
Post-traumatic stress disorder, often referred to as PTSD, is a mental health condition that develops after a person has witnessed or experienced a traumatic situation or event. Examples of traumatic events that can instigate PTSD include accidents, abuse, violence (combat violence/war), and natural disasters.
The effects of living with untreated PTSD can disrupt a person’s daily life and cause devastating consequences. Symptoms sometimes develop immediately after an event or can manifest months and even years after the event. Symptoms can include (but are not limited to):
- Flashbacks.
- Nightmares.
- Intense anxiety.
- Avoidance (people, places, activities, etc).
- Negative changes in mood (hopelessness, shame, guilt, fear, emotional numbness).
- Heightened alertness (easily startled, trouble sleeping, anger, irritability, aggressiveness).
PTSD is more common in the veteran community, especially those who have been deployed, due to the nature of military service. For many, their time in the service exposed them to combat, putting them in life-threatening situations and burning graphic images into their minds. While many people who suffer from PTSD feel that it’s a weakness, the reality is that it is a natural response to extreme stress or trauma.
Why Fireworks Are a Common Trigger
BANG! BOOM! CRACK! If we close our eyes and use our imaginations, most of us can picture the bright flashing lights, the loud boom as fireworks explode, and even the smell of the explosives in the air. While many of us look forward to the 4th of July with joyful anticipation, many veterans feel differently.
The bright flashes, sudden noises, and smoke in the air all mimic combat experiences that can activate the brain’s fight-or-flight response. These sensory triggers can cause flashbacks, panic attacks, or heightened alertness. Even the celebratory sounds of yelling and clapping can feel threatening or be overwhelming.
For our veterans, this festive atmosphere can feel isolating and scary. Understanding triggers is the first step in managing them and reclaiming the 4th of July as a time of celebration. Let’s take a look at strategies veterans can use to cope with triggers during the holiday.
Coping Strategies to Manage PTSD During the 4th of July
Plan Ahead: The good news about the 4th of July is that we know when it’s coming. Planning ahead of time allows a person to avoid environments that will trigger symptoms from PTSD. The following list provides planning tips:
- Check local community events. Knowing when and where fireworks are happening ensures that you won’t find yourself in an unexpected situation.
- Plan a quiet alternative to loud celebrations. A night at the movies or a camping trip to the mountains can keep you at peace while the rest of the country is partying.
- If you are comfortable doing so, talk to your neighbors ahead of time about your concerns and see if they are willing to limit their personal displays.
Create a Safe Place: If you prefer staying in your own home during the 4th of July, create a safe, quiet place to ride out the holiday. Try soundproofing the room by hanging heavy curtains or blankets over the windows and using a white noise machine. Make sure to have comfort items ready, like a weighted blanket.
Prepare a Kit: While you are busy soundproofing your home and talking to your neighbors, take the time to prepare a self-care kit. This kit might include earplugs, sound-canceling headphones, favorite music or movies, sleep masks, fidget toys, or stress balls.
Grounding Exercises: These simple mental and physical techniques can help bring a person back to the present moment, especially during times of distress, anxiety, or PTSD-related flashbacks. By shifting a person’s focus away from the traumatic memory and redirecting attention to the here and now, they help calm the nervous system and regain control. The following are examples of grounding techniques you can use to get through the night of the 4th:
- Deep Breathing (inhale for four counts, hold for four counts, exhale for four counts, repeat).
- Holding a cold object can have a grounding effect through physical sensation.
- Describe to yourself your surroundings in detail (colors, shapes, textures), and remind yourself you are not in danger.
- Movement is a great way to reconnect with your body during moments of stress. Walking, stretching, or jumping are examples of movements that can be done easily at home.
- Listening to calming music.
- Completing a puzzle.
- Journaling.
Lean on Support Networks: Leaning on support networks, such as trusted friends, family, or veteran support groups in your area, can provide emotional strength and companionship to help work through triggers during the 4th of July. If you’ve attended an intensive outpatient (IOP) treatment program, connecting with peers from therapy can offer understanding and encouragement, reducing the feelings of isolation and supporting a calmer holiday experience.
While these coping mechanisms can go a long way in helping veterans manage PTSD symptoms, support from loved ones plays an equally important role.
How Loved Ones Can Help
Whether it’s offering a calming presence, creating a supportive environment, or encouraging participation in an IOP treatment program, family and friends can play a powerful part in a veteran’s journey towards peace and healing. If you have a veteran in your life who could use your support this 4th of July, use the following guide to provide support in practical ways.
Understanding: First, take an active role in helping your loved one by educating yourself about PTSD. This will better enable you to empathize with their experiences and avoid judging them for something you don’t understand.
Communicate: As the holiday approaches, ask your loved one how they would prefer to spend their holiday. By communicating early and openly, you can respect their need for a low-trigger environment and help them achieve it.
Safe Space: Offering to host a quiet gathering can help your loved one with PTSD feel less isolated during the holiday and maybe even enjoy it. If they would rather stay home, you can offer to help soundproof their home or speak to neighbors. Either way, you can actively help create a safe place for them to ride out the booms.
Check In: Check in and offer companionship before, during, and after the fireworks, letting your vet know they have support and a listening ear.
Encourage Professional Support: If your loved one has not sought professional help, suggest IOP treatment that offers flexible therapy sessions, personalized coping strategies, and holistic healing. Some may even offer specialized veteran programs, like our Ogden IOP treatment at Diamond Recovery Center.
Hope Beyond the Noise
While the 4th of July is a time to honor freedom, for many veterans, it is also a time filled with intense anxiety and painful memories. However, veterans can move beyond the boom by using coping strategies like planning quiet alternatives, creating safe spaces, and leaning on support networks. Families and loved ones also play a supportive role by establishing an understanding of PTSD and encouraging intensive outpatient treatment if needed. This Independence Day, let’s not just celebrate our country’s freedom; let’s help the heroes who fought for it find freedom from their inner battles and quiet the noise.
