Governor Gretchen Whitmer is a lifelong Michigander. She is a lawyer, an educator, former prosecutor, State Representative and Senator. She was the first woman to lead a Senate caucus. But the most important title she boasts is MOM. Inspired by her family, she’s devoted her life to building a stronger Michigan for everyone.
Search is currently unavailable. Please try again later.
The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer.
June 01, 2021
WHEREAS, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health problem some individuals develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, such as combat, extreme interpersonal violence, natural disaster, car accident, or sexual assault; and,
WHEREAS, a number of factors increase the chance that an individual will have PTSD, many of which are not under their control, such as having a very intense or long-lasting traumatic event, in addition to personal factors such as age and gender; and,
WHEREAS, if symptoms including intrusive memories, feeling on edge, or having trouble sleeping last more than a few months, there is a chance that it may be PTSD. Some individuals also try to avoid things that remind them of the trauma, even if it was something they enjoyed prior to the event; and,
WHEREAS, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD, about seven or eight out of every 100 people in the United States will have PTSD at some point in their lives, and about ten of every 100 women develop PTSD sometime in their lives compared to about 4 of every 100 men; and,
WHEREAS, there are treatments available for PTSD, including trauma-focused psychotherapies, which are the most highly recommended treatment. Such treatments help focus on the memory of the traumatic event and its meaning, and helps the individual process the traumatic experience through visualizing, talking, or thinking about the traumatic memory; and,
WHEREAS, the purpose of this month is to bring public awareness for PTSD and its symptoms, provide support to individuals with PTSD and their families and assure there are treatments available, and to continue to promote more research and treatment;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim June 2021 as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month in Michigan.