Jessica Lynch Still Struggling With PTSD And Nightmares 12 Years After Capture

Almost 12 years after being captured in Iraq, former POW Jessica Lynch is still having nightmares. Lynch said in an interview with CNN that she dreams of being chased through the woods by her Iraqi captors. She said that she can only fall asleep after repeatedly checking to make sure the doors in her home are locked.

Jessica Lynch was captured in 2003 after the supply convoy of her unit, 507th Maintenance Company, came under fire during the Battle of Nasiriyah. Nine service members were killed, including her best friend, Lori Piestewa. Several of her fellow soldiers were also taken into captivity. With her legs crushed and her back broken, Lynch was taken to an Iraqi hospital where she was kept in captivity for nine days. She was later rescued from the hospital by U.S. Special Forces.

Since Lynch left the Army, she graduated from college with a degree in education. She said she met the man of her dreams in 2005 and had a daughter in 2007. Focusing on her physical recovery, Jessica still needs a knee replacement, and she still has other surgeries ahead. She realized that although she was recovering physically, she wasn’t recovering mentally.

“I put up this wall, this barrier, it was my way of dealing with things. In the beginning, I was able to block everybody out, whereas now it’s getting harder… to deal with.”

This year, Lynch decided to do something about the insomnia, nightmares, and stress. She began to see a therapist and discovered she was still suffering from the loss of her friend, Lori Piestewa.

“I still don’t understand. Why did they kill her and not me? Why am I here, and not her? If I was to go back in time, I would want to switch places with her.”

As previously reported by Inquisitr, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is the result of suffering a traumatic event. In the case of veterans, they are often given antidepressants and other medication to treat them even though most have no physical problems.

Although Lynch struggled with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, she is getting better. She teaches school in her hometown in Elizabeth, West Virginia, and although she was told she would never have children, she has a daughter, Dakota, who is now eight. She still struggles, reported KFOX TV, particularly over the loss of her friends.

“PTSD is something that I just kept inside and didn’t want to share those feelings, but for some reason, this year, it just hit me hard. I broke down. I didn’t want to get out of bed. I didn’t want to talk to nobody. I just wanted to be left alone.”

In spite of the physical pain, Jessica Lynch is optimistic, and she’s glad she served her country.

Do you struggle with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder like Jessica Lynch has? Have you sought help?

[Photo Credit CNN]