The Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (DCoE) will host a live conversation on the DCoE page on Facebook from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. (EDT) June 27 to recognize PTSD Awareness Day.  St. Clair County veterans and their families are encouraged to participate.

The live discussion will feature clinical psychologist, Navy Capt. Anthony Arita, director of Deployment Health Clinical Center, a DCoE center. Arita will answer questions submitted on the DCoE page on Facebook from service members, veterans, family members, health care providers and the general public.

How to get involved:

• 1) Follow DCoE on Facebook
• 2) Log on to the page between 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. on June 27
• 3) Ask a question on the DCoE wall, Arita will respond as DCoE
• 4) Follow along by refreshing the page or follow #AskDCoE

DCoE uses live social media events to raise awareness on important topics and provide supportive resources. Last month, DCoE hosted a “Living Blog” for Mental Health Awareness month.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can occur after someone experiences or sees a traumatic event, such as combat, a terrorist attack, sexual or physical assault or abuse, a serious accident, or a natural disaster. Many people experience post-traumatic stress symptoms, but not everyone develops PTSD.

In 2010, Congress named June 27 as PTSD Awareness Day to raise awareness about the disorder and the treatment options available.