As with war, trauma and stressor related disorders consequent to such experiences, may not be curable, especially if treatment is delayed or not forthcoming. Profoundly traumatic and morally troubling experiences will never be forgotten, never "go away." However, if we heed the lessons learned, though so often ignored, about the war experiences of veterans, there is hope. With early intervention and professional treatment, symptoms can improve significantly or, in a best-case scenario, even resolve. We must ensure, therefore, that healthcare workers be afforded a much needed R & R, the opportunity to "stand down," to meet with therapists schooled in PTSD, BOS, and Moral Injury, and allowed the opportunity to confront their experiences, introspect, and express their feelings. What is crucial is that trauma and guilt not remain static, allowed to fester, and become toxic. Rather, such experiences must be communalized and "worked through," preferably in a therapeutic group environment, with others who have "been there," who have themselves experienced the horrors and frustrations of the battle against coronavirus. Most importantly, these experiences must not remain their personal burdens.
Like those fighting the war against Coronavirus, veterans have and continue to be accorded the status of "heroes" and thanked for their "service" only to have their sacrifices forgotten and their psychological, emotional, and moral injuries, neglected. As a consequence, tens of thousands of veterans and their families have suffered the indifference and apathy of a hypocritical nation, with many of the afflicted inevitably seeking refuge in drugs and alcohol, and ultimately, when no other options remain, suicide.
Conclusion
After weeks, perhaps even months, of quarantine, we are all anxious to put this crisis behind us, to forget the pain and suffering, and go on with our lives. As this pandemic subsides, however, and we return to the "normalcy" of our commodity-driven existences, we must never forget the debt we owe these front line healthcare workers and all this nation's "essential workers" whose importance we have just begun to appreciate. Let us never forget that these heroes have sacrificed so much on our behalf, many their lives, without whose courage and selfless efforts so many more would probably have perished. Let us ensure that they do not suffer a similar fate as our veterans where "gratitude" becomes a burden and "hero" a euphemism for being expendable.
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