This week, the world watched as the Taliban ruthlessly seized back control of Afghanistan's capital. Many people are experiencing a whirlwind of emotions, ranging from anger to disappointment, in response to the sudden collapse of the Afghan government. But the news is even more disheartening for veterans. Cristian Garcerant served in Afghanistan from 2013-14 to "help civilians in a rough situation." As the rest of us saw images and videos on the news, Garcerant was reminded of real and all-too-familiar places now overrun by the Taliban. Ron Acierno, a professor and vice-chair of Veterans Affairs in psychiatry at UTHealth Houston, says that sentiment is shared by many veterans who have been reminded this week of their own sacrifices abroad. Experts say reaching out and giving veterans an opportunity to talk about their feelings right now "can make all the difference in the world." Acierno suggests broaching the subject with a general question to see how your loved one is doing. "Everyone should reach out, but don't be surprised if (veterans) don't want to talk about it," he says. "When you bring up any sort of traumatic experience, many will either talk all about it or shut it out completely. So just respect that boundary, and respectfully ask them what they feel about the situation." #afghanistan #veteran