Image Credit: CFJC Today / Jill Sperling

By Jill Sperling

MENTAL HEALTH

Retired colonel sharing personal journey with PTSD to break down stigma

Oct 24, 2019 | 4:15 PM

KAMLOOPS — A Canadian Army veteran is in Kamloops tonight (Oct. 24) to speak about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), drawing from personal experiences after 34 years in the Canadian Army and Army Reserve.

Col. John Conrad wrote about his deployment to Afghanistan and the pain he experienced returning home in his latest book Among the Walking Wounded: Soldiers, Survival, and PTSD.

While the book focuses on the mental health of soldiers he served with, Conrad says the central message of the book, and tonight’s talk, will be helpful for many.

Image Credit: CFJC Today / Jill Sperling

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“It’s for anyone who has a loved one or has a concern about mental health injuries, or their own mental well-being,” Conrad said. “One in five Canadians will suffer from a mental health ailment at some point in their lives, and it is something that we need to talk about more.”

Conrad will have copies of his book available for purchase at tonight’s event, which will take place at the Xchange on Tranquille at 7:00 p.m.

It’s his hope that he can help break down the stigma of mental illness.

Image Credit: Contributed by Col. John Conrad

“We believe in electrons and technology so easily, but in terms of mental health injuries or angels, we have a hard time accepting that these things, these wounds are real,” Conrad said. “The Canadian Forces has done, since my time, they have done a lot of work to improve how we deal with the stigma of mental health, I want to be fair, but we’ve got a long, long way to go.”

Admission to Among the Walking Wounded: An Evening with John Conrad is by donation to the Canadian Mental Health Association.