Post-Traumatic Growth

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BERGMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Smucker), my good friend and fellow freshman classmate from the 115th Congress. In Memory of Randy Alan Walker

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BERGMAN. Madam Speaker, I am honored to lead this Special Order today to discuss post-traumatic growth. I repeat: Post-traumatic growth.

June is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month, and today, June 27, is National PTSD Awareness Day.

Post-traumatic stress is a serious condition that impacts far too many members of the communities that we love and serve and especially among those who have served in uniform.

Raising awareness of PTSD has helped in our efforts to reduce stigma, recognize the struggles faced by many, and encourage those in need to seek help. However, it is also critical that we balance the story we tell about times of struggle and trauma.

For far too long, society has focused exclusively on the negative impacts of trauma and struggle and pushed a narrative dominated by ideas of dysfunction, disorder, and diagnosis. This language can feel debilitating, a label far too heavy to carry.

The result is we are left feeling permanently diminished and damaged and victims of the worst experiences of our lives.

It is time to change the conversation, to shine a light on the possibility of growth in the aftermath of trauma and how struggle can be a catalyst, a positive catalyst, for profound growth and transformation.

Last year, in partnership with the Boulder Crest Foundation, I introduced H. Res. 496, a resolution to proclaim June 13 as National Post-Traumatic Growth Day. This June 13, Boulder Crest launched the Choose Growth initiative, focused on proliferating the notion of post- traumatic growth, or PTG, across our country.

This initiative is intentionally brand and organization agnostic. The objective is to spread the word of growth, possibility, and hope to every corner of our country.

Through the Choose Growth community, we will increase support and awareness of the possibility of growth in the aftermath of trauma. We will encourage individuals to share their stories of turning their personal struggles into strength and positivity.

The initiative aims to foster a supportive community that embraces growth as part of the healing process. We must ensure that all of those who struggle, no matter who they are, and those who love and care for them, realize that how things are isn't how they have to be, and that growth and strength are possible in the aftermath of trauma.

There is much more for us to do here in Washington and around the country in support of those who have experienced trauma. We hope you all will join us in raising awareness of post-traumatic growth as we continue these efforts.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bacon), a fellow classmate from the 115th Congress and fellow General officer.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BERGMAN. Madam Speaker, I thank General Bacon for his words.

One of the first steps to healing is to be able to share stories. When you think about previous times of conflict in our country, the ability to de-stress was a lot simpler than it is now. I will deal with that here in a couple of minutes.

The topic of post-traumatic growth is an opportune time to discuss the promise of psychedelic-assisted therapies to treat mental health disorders like PTSD.

Just a couple weeks ago, I spoke here on this floor in support of two amendments that I had led with my friend Congressman Lou Correa of California in support of psychedelic-assisted therapies at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Both amendments were passed unanimously by this Chamber.

Psychedelic-assisted therapies have the potential to be the first genuine advancement in the treatment of veterans' mental health in decades. It is a true breakthrough therapy potential.

Unfortunately, just recently, the FDA's drug advisory committee recently voted against recommending approval of MDMA-assisted therapy to treat PTSD.

Many of us in Congress, and especially among those of us who have served in uniform, were deeply disappointed and frustrated by this, what I believe and what we believe to be, shortsighted decision.

The advisory panel chose to ignore the voices of veterans whose lives have been forever improved by MDMA-assisted therapy in favor of those who have been on a mission to discredit--and I repeat discredit--this promising treatment at all costs.

That is shameful. We can accept a ``no,'' but it should be for the betterment of the greater good, in this case, of helping veterans and those who need different kinds of help. It should not be a shortsighted and potentially uninformed bureaucratic decision.

I have had the opportunity to personally meet with many of the researchers involved in this study and the veterans whose lives have been forever changed by these therapies in such a positive way.

That experience made the potential of this treatment clear to me, and many of the veterans told me that they would not be alive today were it not for this therapy.

I am confident that this will be a speed bump in our overall efforts to truly heal the invisible wounds like PTSD that millions of Americans face today.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Iowa (Mrs. Miller- Meeks), who is another fellow leader in uniform and an esteemed member from the Iowa delegation.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BERGMAN. Madam Speaker, in closing, I am extremely grateful for all of my colleagues who have spoken here today and shared their stories and also celebrated the people who have gone through tough times, whether it be, if you will, something as simple as weather related, but, more importantly, the stresses related to life.

We are the greatest nation in the world because we treat people right, and we expect the same in return.

I am grateful to have had the opportunity to raise awareness of post- traumatic growth, and I want to repeat that: post-traumatic growth, a positive way forward and not a negative ending.

It is my sincere hope that those of us in Congress and Americans across our country can work to help those who have experienced trauma, that they can find growth, purpose, and connection.

I say as a veteran and a marine: Our veterans never quit on us. We will never quit on them.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source