Have you never heard of shell shock??? The 'older generation' didn't have language to describe it, they used to bottle it all up, as that was the done thing!
Some might use it as an excuse but if you had a family member dealing with this on a daily basis and attempting suicide on many occasions you might think differently
Unless someone suffers with it they will never understand.
It wasn’t so common back then but was about but ones didn’t realise what it was , latest figures are that 1 in 4 will experience some sort of mental health issue that’s a high % age .
You have no idea what people have been through in their lives and without that knowledge you're in no position to pass judgement. You speak like a politician - knowing best about people they've never met while being incredibly out of touch.
Try growing up where I did and losing mates to drugs/knives/guns and live in that environment and then what you see in the armed forces and being unaffected afterwards.
8 of my mates are dead(all died through drink and drugs)all in their late 30s/early 40s...I've also had my fair share of drink and drug problems myself...I just dont play 'the victim' mate....
Sounds like you came through it and it hasn’t affected you permanently , sadly a lot of people are permanently mentally scared by this type of thing , I know a lot that have in going mental health issues due to this type of thing it’s not that they want to have theses issues but it’s the way what has happened or what they have done that has permanently affected them . I had a mate in the Fireservice who Witnesses a horiffic accident with 9 people being be headed in a RTC involving 6 cars and a lorry carrying a swing shovel , he couldn’t face life after that he turned to drink and drugs and eventually committed suicide , the rest of the crew who witnessed the same incident were fine , so it’s not a cut and dry case with any of us .
Someone asked me how did I get over seeing horrible things in the fire service and it had never crossed my mind. Then I realised after an incident, I just switch off and go through the motions and it doesn't really stick in my memory. Many folk in these jobs do it and don't really think about it or we wouldn't do the jobs.
So you've got better ways of coping than others. Great - for you. Not everyone can cope. A lot of people are affected very badly by things. You mention you had drink and drug problems, others have had abuse in their childhood which completely disrupts them. Without meaning to cause offence, nobody forced you to take drugs or get drunk, you did that yourself.
