War is started but never finished

A war can start in many ways, whether it’s the hijacking of a plane, bombing of a peaceful city, or even the words spoken from a powerful figure. The beginning of a war can create controversy for years after its commencement, but the content of a war lives within a person for the rest of their life. A piece of paper or the shaking of hands may indicate the so-called ‘end’ of a war, but there is no finish line for those who had to experience it firsthand. This is where PTSD would come into play. Soldiers that have witnessed the grueling pain of war with their own eyes are most likely going to have some form of war related stress. In a sense, the war is still continuing in their minds, just not physically. In this photo, the man shown is clearly experiencing some form of distress while his eyes are covered by a medical bandage. The medical bandage represents aid or a longing for help because it is used in times of need. The reason why his eyes are covered is because the eyes are known as ‘the window to the soul’, and they are being covered. The significance of this is that we are blocked from seeing into his thoughts. Even more than that, he is blocked from seeing the real world. The sense of being locked in your mind represents PTSD because you are forced to face your thoughts. The man in the picture is screaming because he is closed off to his reality, which is frightening. He is being forced to focus on his inner thoughts and memories, which cause him to unleash powerful emotions. Also, there is tension in his forehead, which is often a sign of stress. If a vein is visible in someone’s forehead, it could likely mean they were screaming or shutting their eyes tightly. Tension in the face can most often be associated with some form of anger or aggression. In this photo, he could have possibly been reliving a haunting memory from war, which is why he would be exuding great amounts of emotion. The emotions that this man is expressing causes him to relive the memories of war because they could be similar to the feelings he experienced in the war itself.

Lavine, Robert. "Ending the Nightmares." The Atlantic. N.p., 12 Feb. 2012. Web.