After being involved in a jet crash while serving as a U.S. Marine and suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Silouan Green found comfort in poetry.
Green, a writer and musician, spoke to students at the L.A. Pittenger Student Center on Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11, about his experiences with PTSD. He was first in his flight class and was the “toughest kid in school,” but after his accident, he lost the will to live.
Green suffered a broken back and nerve damage in the crash, but the injuries weren’t all physical. He had suicidal thoughts, was depressed and said he was ready to put a gun to his head. Green said he wanted to go back to being the toughest, but believed he was weak.
“I just didn’t want to be here,” Green said.
He had always had a love of writing, ever since he was young and kept a journal. Green said writing poetry, music and memoirs helped pull him out of his suicidal thoughts. One day, he decided to sell his belongings and buy a motorcycle to travel around the country and write. Green has written two books, called “Sycamore Hill” and “Who Am I?”
Green spoke to raise awareness for veterans who suffer from PTSD. He stressed that veterans from all eras can experience PTSD, which is a mental condition that can be triggered by a traumatic event. According to the National Center for PTSD, there are four symptoms of PTSD: reliving the event, avoiding situations that remind one of the event, negative changes in beliefs and feelings and feeling keyed up or jittery.
Green started a program called The Ladder UPP, a mental method to help people climb out of depression and dark spots in their life. He said his method helps people achieve goals, build a new future and create a structure to live their life by.
Everyone, no matter what they may or may not experience, should do something that matters in life, Green said. He encouraged people to engage with individuals with PTSD by taking them out for coffee, going on a walk, talking with them about their experiences and looking out for them. He said it’s not therapy or drugs that heal people, but friends who have the patience to never give up on a person who is suffering.
Michele Whitehair, a junior journalism major, said Green gave her inspiration on how to help people suffering from PTSD or depression.
“[No one wants] to look weak. People just kind of hide that, but I don’t think you should be hide that,” Whitehair said. “I’d like the idea of [what Green] said, just being there and talking to someone or take them out for coffee, but it is hard since there’s an elephant in the room and you don’t want to address that right away, but just be like, ‘Hey I’m here for you.’”
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