Bonfire Night: Colchester veteran says November 5 difficult for those with PTSD
The loud bangs can have traumatic effects on the soldiers who associate the noises with the heat of a battlefield.
Last updated 4th Nov 2022
Every year, the British public venture outside to enjoy the firework experience. But while the evening can make for night of wonder for a large chunk of the public, there are some people who face a night of severe anxiety.
RAF vet, Mandy Small is trying to raise awareness of the negative effects fireworks can have on former soldiers. During a 21-year service in the Royal Logistics Corp, her ex-husband, Chris, endured grueling tours of Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, Northern Ireland and Afghanistan. However, after taking voluntary redundancy, he failed to adapt to day-to-day life and started to struggle mentally.
The pair settled in Durham, but later separated and two-and-half-years after leaving the forces, Chris lost his battle with mental health.
During a discussion with ssafa, his ex-wife said: "I can only think Chris must have been desperate. He had changed a lot during his last two years of service and we initially separated because he was drinking too much and I found out he had been unfaithful. He hadn’t been officially diagnosed with PTSD but he was obviously struggling. Jamie was eight at the time – now ten – and it was incredibly difficult for him but he is really coping amazingly well."
Small has also had her struggles since returning to normality, After suffering an injury in a mortar attack in Iraq, the war hero developed PTSD. Consequently, Bonfire Night reminds her of being back in the army. Thus, the mother, who's now a mental health representative at Colchester Garrison, is trying to raise awareness of the issue.
She told Greatest Hits: "For me, and I know a lot of other people I deal with at work, it takes me right back. It's a very odd feeling, because you can be sat there watching TV, then the banging starts and you're instantly transported away from your sofa and back into a warzone."
However, Small believes there are alternative ways of making November 5 an inclusive event for everybody.
The vet explained: "One of our local primary schools had a display, and they did environmental fireworks, so you didn't have the big loud bangs. I think, honestly for people with PTSD, that's probably the way forward. Is there any need to have these massive bangs going off? Not that I want to spoil everyone's fun, because people enjoy Bonfire Night. But I think we can do it in a way that caters for everyone."