2020年夏天，厄尼·加兰特撞上了墙。作为志愿消防员工作了20年后，他说他的身体 — — 和他的心灵 — — 崩溃了。"我不知道发生了什么，"他告诉主持人韦恩·蒂博多。"我的腿从我脚下软了下来，我哭了。"加兰特被诊断出患有创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）。他说，他在新格拉斯哥，爱德华王子岛，二十年扑救火灾的经历，很可能在该病的发展中起到了重要作用。"每次我从车道出来向左看时，我就会被触发，"他说，并指出，他在2003年应对一次特别创伤性的火警时，正是从车道向左转出去的。
In the summer of 2020, Ernie Gallant hit a wall. After 20 years as a volunteer firefighter, he says his body — and his mind — crashed. "I didn’t know what was going on," he told host Wayne Thibodeau. "My legs came out from under me and I was crying." Gallant was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He said those two decades of fighting fires in New Glasgow, P.E.I., likely played a major part in the development of the condition. "Every time I come out of the driveway and looked left, I was triggered," he said, noting that he turned left out of his driveway when responding to a particularly traumatic fire call in 2003.
创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）常见于经历或目睹过创伤事件的人。根据加拿大心理健康协会的说法，症状可能包括生动的闪回，以及焦虑或抑郁等其他心理健康状况。
PTSD often presents in people who have experienced or witnessed traumatic events. Symptoms can include vivid flashbacks alongside other mental health conditions like anxiety or depression, according to the Canadian Mental Health Association.
如今，加兰特正公开谈论他与PTSD的经历。去年，他在爱德华王子岛各地的消防站开始进行他题为《左转》的演讲，以帮助可能正在挣扎的其他消防员。"二十五年前，没有什么积极的东西，"他说。"你回家。最好的情况是，你回到消防站坐下来聊一会儿。……最糟的情况是，有些人在其他消防站，酒精成了问题。"《岛晨报》前消防员利用PTSD经历帮助他人。加兰特指出，年长的消防员往往最能从谈论他们的经历中受益。
Now, Gallant is talking publicly about his experience with PTSD. Last year, he started giving presentations that he's titled "Left Turn" in firehalls across P.E.I. to help other firefighters who may be struggling. "Twenty-five years ago, there was nothing positive," he said. "You went home. Best case, you sat back at the hall and talked a little bit.… Worst cases, there were guys that, [in] other halls, alcohol became an issue." Island Morning Former firefighter using PTSD journey to help others Gallant noted that older firefighters often stand to benefit the most from talking about their experiences.
在爱德华王子岛西部的一次演讲之后，加兰特说，一名年轻消防员走过来问他是否愿意在阿尔伯顿消防站发表演讲。"他说，'我需要你来，因为年长的成员需要听到这个。'"加兰特说。"'年轻成员现在正在接受培训，但年长的成员却没有。'" 消防员的安全成本正在不断上升。爱德华王子岛的一些消防站正陷入债务，以跟上今年夏天岛上学生们装备上阵、投入野火扑救的步伐。
After one of his presentations in western P.E.I., Gallant said a young firefighter approached him to ask if he would speak at the fire department in Alberton. "He said, 'I need you to come because the older members need to hear this,'" Gallant said. "'The younger members are getting the training now but the older members aren’t.'" Firefighter safety is getting more costly. Some P.E.I. stations are going into debt to keep up Island students suiting up to fight wildfires this summer Jayoda Tennekone, aed social worker who runs a private practice in Charlottetown, said young people are generally more comfortable opening up about their mental health.
杰奥达·特内科内（Jayoda Tennekone）是一名在夏洛特敦开设私人诊所的社会工作者，他表示，年轻人通常更愿意敞开心扉谈论自己的心理健康问题。他估计，男性和青少年男孩占他目前案源的80%。"作为一种普遍现象……年轻人具备这种能力和语言，能够谈论自己的经历，因为这已经变得如此普遍化，" 特内科内对 说。
He estimates that men and adolescent boys make up 80 per cent of his current caseload. "As a generalization … younger people have that ability and the language to be able to speak about their experiences because it’s so much more normalized," Tennekone told .
他说，他所接触的男性常常感到有必要符合传统男性气质的刻板印象，希望显得坚毅且不带情绪。"这种期望已经存在了很长时间——几十年来，" 他说。"要去拆解和摆脱这些观念，认识到你既可以是家庭的支柱，也要知道何时该表达一定程度的脆弱……这是一项艰巨的挑战。" 帮助男性敞开心扉 特内科内表示，为了更坦诚地交流，男性需要一个安全、无评判的空间，让表达情感成为常态。
He said the men he works with often feel a need to live up to traditional stereotypes of masculinity, wanting to appear stoic and unemotional. "That was the expectation for so long — decades and decades," he said. "To unpack and unlearn some of that and recognize that you can be this provider, but also know when it’s time to express a level of vulnerability … it’s a challenge to get there." Helping men share their feelings To speak more openly, Tennekone said men need a safe, non-judgmental space where expressing their feelings is normalized.
这正是加兰特（Gallant）通过他的演讲所试图实现的：以身作则。"这很艰难。我仍在不断进步，" 他说。
That’s exactly what Gallant is trying to do through his presentations: lead by example. "It’s tough. I’m still getting better," he said.
加兰特表示，他愿意“去任何地方”谈论自己在创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）和未被识别的创伤方面的经历。
Gallant said he would travel “anywhere” to speak about his experiences with PTSD and unrecognized trauma.
至于那些可能正在挣扎的人？"为自己发声，" 他说。"不要藏起来。"
As for those who might be struggling now? "Advocate for yourself," he said. "Don't hide."