Documentary: Hell and Back Again

I really enjoyed this documentary because it was like no other I have ever watched. This documentary highlights the struggles of soldiers returning to civil society after going to war. We were able to see the hardships of a soldier trying to return to his old life even though he was permanently scarred, both physically and mentally. As we discussed in class, we are able to see that not only are the soldiers affected by the war, but also their family and those closes to them. In the film, the wife is the one who is directly affected by her husband going off to war. I admire her strength as she committed herself to the physical well-being of her husband, but that was taking a toll on her as well. She seemed numb to her husband’s mistreatment and I can only imagine how emotionally overwhelmed she felt. I feel that the drugs the soldier had to take due to his injury added to his mental instability. From personal experience, I do know the effects of strong pain medication. They themselves have their own side effects. Now add years of trauma and pain from the battlefield. This is why the soldier’s behavior did not surprise me. Any person would react in the same way. It is sad to know that many of these young men who have returned from the war are not being helped in the ways that they should be and I wish there were more programs focused on helping our country’s