Relay To Prevent 22

Veterans return home from military service with both visible and invisible wounds. The visible wounds are identifiable, but it is the invisible wounds that go unnoticed and often untreated. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a pervasive and debilitating condition caused by traumatic events involving exposure to, or threat of, physical harm, death or sexual violence to oneself or others. Symptoms include re-experiencing symptoms of flashbacks, nightmares/night terrors, severe insomnia, depression, anxiety, hyper-vigilance, panic attacks, distrust, avoidance behaviors, negative cognitions and mood, suicide ideations, and various other issues. Veterans experience physical and chemical changes that occur in their brains that result in the cognitive part of their brain no longer communicating with the emotional response part of their brain causing troubling images to be stuck and reactions to be uncontrolled. These issues are also compounded by additional challenges of Traumatic Brain Injury and other physical injuries. Veterans will often self-medicate and exhibit self-destructive behaviors. 22 Veterans commit suicide each day, Equine Therapy saves the lives of Veterans every day. Relay to Prevent 22 gives you an opportunity to raise funds to support Equine Therapy to prevent Veteran Suicides.