Video: Post Traumatic Growth

By Andrew Cuthbert

     The video:  Spoken word poetry that takes viewers on the emotional roller coaster that veterans with PTSD go through.  One in five veterans suffer from PTSD, and more than 23 a day are committing suicide. Something needs to change; therefore, the Post-Traumatic Growth movement shall commence.

     Andrew Cuthbert is a BSW student at Florida Atlantic University. He is a former Marine Corps Sergeant who served in the Iraq war from 2005 to 2006. Upon returning home, he experienced PTSD.  He went to the VA for help, but they provided medication and offered therapy at a later date. He began to do research and found that most anti-depressants and the anti-malaria drug named mefloquine (every troop that went over seas to Iraq or Afghanistan is prescribed this) list suicidal ideation as a possible side effect. He is becoming a social worker because he believes that veterans have the power to overcome PTSD without the use of medication just like he did. He used martial arts, meditation, exercise, and mindfulness practices to defeat PTSD and plans to use his experience along with his BSW to help turn PTSD into Post-Traumatic Growth.  He is currently working with the HELO Foundation as the resource director and is on the Board of the LCpl Janos V Lutz foundation to help prevent veteran suicide.