Tim O’Brien, a great novelist, wrote the novel titled The Things They Carried in which the reader learns about the hardships of soldiers during the Vietnam War. As the story gets personal with each and every character, especially Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, there are some soldiers who cannot let go of their humanity, which is a hard thing to keep in a war zone. Because of this lack of humanity, so many soldiers face posttraumatic stress disorder when they return home. Many encounter challenges in everyday activities such as employment and relationships. Posttraumatic stress disorder is closely related to the Vietnam War as the highest number of veterans with PTSD have come from the Vietnam War. It is safe to say that multiple characters in The Things They Carried show side effects of posttraumatic stress disorder, supported by the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Department of VA. 

The Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs produced helpful information on what PTSD is and how it affects one suffering from it. As it is written, “posttraumatic stress disorder is a psychiatric disorder that can occur following the experience of witnessing of a life threatening event such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, or physical or sexual assault in adult or childhood” (1). People who suffer from nightmares and flashbacks typically can’t get away from their past, they seem to be living it repeatedly every day. This becomes the first set of symptoms one can feel when experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder. What makes it even more complicated is that, this illness can lead to so much more such as depression and substance abuse. The second set of symptoms includes isolating oneself from any situation or person that could act as a reminder. Lastly one might feel irritable, or startling easily keeping them on alert all the time and expecting the worst. This illness is experienced by 7.8 percent of Americans throughout their lives. Half of the men and women who have been deployed in war zones have experienced some form of posttraumatic stress disorder. With an overall thirty percent of men and women involved experience PTSD, and an additional twenty percent have experienced partial PTSD at some point. Veterans of the Vietnam War, where use of guerilla warfare began, has the highest reports of mental health issues. More than half reported they have experienced “clinically serious stress reaction symptoms” (1). In fact, Vietnam war veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder were found to have problems with interpersonal relationships and employment. In addition to increased acts of violence due to traumatic events experienced in the war zone. 

After the traumatizing death of Kiowa, Norman Bowker becomes suicidal and cannot successfully adjust to real life. Like many other soldiers from the Vietnam War, death becomes a part of everyday life, but still hurts just the same when a friend is killed in the line of duty. For example, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross blames himself for the death of his friend and comrade, Ted Lavender. Lavender was shot in the head while Cross was daydreaming about his love, Martha (2). Martha was Jimmy’s escape and he allowed it to be until it became a reminder of his friend’s death. This goes to show holding on to someone or something from “your old life” is detrimental to the success of you service and mental health. For this reason, Jimmy Cross disconnects from the real world, by burning everything related to Martha, to solely focus on his men. However, before Lavender died, he too was showing symptoms of PTSD, by self-medicating with supreme dope and tranquillizers. If thrown back into the real world, it would be hard to say if Lavender would be able to adjust based on his actions in the war zone. These men did not just face a physical burden of the weight they carried but also a psychological one. There was a deeper meaning behind Tim O’Brien’s description of each additional thing the men carried besides their mandatory gear. One man carried extra rationings most likely as comfort food, another relied on weed to relieve stress, and one even carried a pebble that held the deepest meaning of all. This pebble was the connection Jimmy Cross had to Martha, and became his good luck pebble. Who knew such a small object could have such a big impact.

It is important to note the significance of the person inside each and individual soldier. For example, Tim O’Brien had three identities in the novel The Things They Carried. First and for most Time the writer, a forty-three-year-old man who is writing stories about his past experiences as a foot soldier in Vietnam. The audience finds out some of the stories are invented while others are the complete truth. Then there was Tim the soldier, who was a character in the novel present in only three of the stories. He is the one in the war zone with men who have been there for a lot longer than he has. Finally, we meet Timmy the kid at the end of the novel who had to deal with a little girl’s death at such a young age, and constantly daydreams about her (2). Together Tim O’Brien author of The Things They Carry, ultimately combines the soldier and the kid together to create the character of Tim. This concept portrays a deeper meaning in the life of soldiers because each solider has a piece of their previous life with them at all times, and that side comes out during the conversation of war sometimes. The life of a soldier involves his pre-war life, traumatic war zone experiences, and the healing post-war life all of which makes that person into the man he is.

The Things They Carried reveals the power of psychological trauma felt by soldiers. For example, the paranoid way Jensen acts towards Strunk, the recurring nightmare experienced by O’Brien, and the actions of Norman Bowker when he returns home. Being in a war zone is something a limited amount of people experience, and should be treated with care. It is unknown if the soldiers mentioned in Tim O’Brien’s novel were offered care by the Veterans Assistance centers. In 1967 Veterans Assistance representatives were given the task to assist men in uniform before they were discharged, with the option of a toll-free telephone service (3). With the help of programs like the VA and other therapy options, veterans are able to get the help they need in order to adjust back to their normal daily routine. Norman Bowker was thrown into his life post-Vietnam War with a negative mind set and depressing thoughts. All factors leading to his suicidal thoughts, as well as other PTSD effects. To help acclimate veterans in the real world after war situations the VA changed its legislation in 1980. Allowing disabled veterans to help support those experiencing PTSD. Providing them with employment, due to posttraumatic stress is hard to do on your own. 

In conclusion, the Vietnam War and posttraumatic stress disorder are directly related and demonstrated in the novel The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien. As one of the longest and most isolated conflict in American history, the Vietnam War has left US soldiers mentally and physically unstable and completely unable to return back to everyday life. Posttraumatic stress disorder is an illness that not only affects soldiers but a widely diverse population. However, with the help of the Veteran Affairs’ Department, they are able to help smooth the transition for soldiers before arriving home. What would have happened if Norman Bowker received the necessary help to heal before returning to his pre-war life? Would he have been depressed and feeling suicidal? There is no answer because even after soldiers try to receive help, some experience too much trauma for one mind to absorb and will never be the same. This is a risk of going to war, and the fact that most of the veterans of the Vietnam War were drafted and not volunteers means they were not fighting for a cause they necessarily believed in and did not want this life for themselves. This life was forced upon most back then and posttraumatic stress disorder went along with it. 
