Commentary: Sometimes our patients are the best teachers

I asked Mr. I. if he had seen the movie “Jaws,” and he answered that he had not, nor had he wished to do so. I realized that the half-century anniversary of the disaster had triggered Mr. I.’s suicidality. I also learned a piece of history from World War II.

The above two cases, with similar symptoms of depression, nightmares, and suicidal ideation, demonstrate a common phenomenon that can occur among veterans during anniversary dates, especially if those events had disastrous consequences for their comrades in arms.

As I have written before, since the Trojan War, the stories of Odysseus-like veterans have been repeated through millennia, with their specific periods, battles, and survivors. These veterans have been and will continue to be the best teachers of history.

Dr. Rueda Vásquez, who is retired from the U.S. Army, served as a staff psychiatrist during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. He lives in Athens, Pa.