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After they are removed from combat, former soldiers often experience nightmares, flashbacks, outbursts of anger, and the inability to sleep (Cohen 1).
Beah experienced all of these symptoms when he and some of his comrades were removed from the fighting and taken to a rehabilitation center. Years of exposure to and participation in acts of brutal violence had created what Beah referred to as a "void" inside of him (4). As his memories of war began to surface, he would have hallucinations of blood pouring from the water faucet or the shower, and in the few hours that he was able to sleep, he would dream of his throat being slit by a faceless enemy (9-10). The mere sound of civilian voices "enraged [him] so much that [he] would punch the wall" (8).
PTSD makes recovery from war extremely difficult for those who survive the violence, and can be very difficult to treat. Harvard Men's Health Watch identifies four practical approaches to helping someone suffering with PTSD: allow the sufferer to talk about the traumatic events, provide companionship even if it is not immediately desired, encourage physical activity and daily routines, and help the sufferer develop feeling of confidence to replace the feelings of helplessness (4). Beah benefited from many of these approaches during his stay at the rehabilitation house. Esther, a nurse in the center, provided him with a trusted confidante to whom he could recount the horrors of his experiences. She also provided him with a daily distraction -- writing down and memorizing lyrics from Bob Marley songs. This simple activity "left [him] little time to think about what happened in the war" (14). Slowly but surely, these activities began to heal the symptoms of Beah's PTSD.
The final important step required for Beah's healing was the establishment of a...
Dr. Judith Broder, of the Soldiers Project, says that many soldiers who are removed from fighting want to return: "The big motivation is to be with their band of brothers" (qtd. In "Revolving Door," 3). For Beah, the first step away from this bond was creating a temporary sibling connection with Esther, a step that was difficult but constituted a huge leap in his healing. Final resolution came when his uncle appeared, offering a fresh start in a loving home (17).
Beah was lucky to have found himself in an environment where the damage done to his mind and spirit was recognized and treated appropriately. Many former soldiers are not so lucky. But despite his good fortune, Beah could never replace the one thing that he had lost for good -- his childhood. This is the true and irreconcilable cost of war for child soldiers. No amount of treatment can replace innocence lost, and no amount of time can replace the joyful moments that they should have experienced in their youths. In the end, the best they can do is to tell their tale, as Beah has done, in the hopes that their stories can put an end to this tragic phenomenon.
Works Cited
Fleischman, Janet and Lois Whitman. Easy Prey: Child Soldiers in Liberia. New York: Human Rights Watch, 1994. Print.
Wessells, Michael G. Child Soldiers: From Violence to Protection. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2006. Print.
Beah, Ishmael. "The Making, and Unmaking, of a Child Soldier." The New York Times. 14 January 2007. Web. 17 May 2010.
"Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder." Harvard Men's Health Watch. Oct. 2002: n.p. SIRS Researcher. Web. 17 May 2010.
Cohen, Sharon. "Revolving Door of Multiple Tours Linked to PTSD."…
Works Cited
Fleischman, Janet and Lois Whitman. Easy Prey: Child Soldiers in Liberia. New York: Human Rights Watch, 1994. Print.
Wessells, Michael G. Child Soldiers: From Violence to Protection. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2006. Print.
Beah, Ishmael. "The Making, and Unmaking, of a Child Soldier." The New York Times. 14 January 2007. Web. 17 May 2010.
"Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder." Harvard Men's Health Watch. Oct. 2002: n.p. SIRS Researcher. Web. 17 May 2010.
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