The mental illness most commonly associated with war veterans is post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a traumatic event. Events that may trigger PTSD include: violent personal assault, accidents, natural disasters, and military combat (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Among Adults). An individual experiencing PTSD shows symptoms of having flash-backs and frightening thoughts, avoiding places linked to the event, emotional numbness, strong guilt, difficulty sleeping, and being easily startled (PTSD). The widespread implication of these symptoms shows that having this disorder makes living a normal life and participating in everyday social situations a difficult task. The wars …show more content…
A person who has untreated PTSD could face many severe consequences such as substance abuse, anger management issues, loneliness, and severe depression. From the years 2000 to 2007, 14% of veterans were diagnosed with depression. Clinical depression is a serious medical illness that involves disturbances in mood, concentration, sleep, activity level, interests, appetite and social behavior. Symptoms of depression include: persistently sad mood, changes in sleeping and eating habits, difficulty thinking and concentrating, lack of interest, feelings of worthlessness, and thoughts of suicide (Duckworth). These symptoms cause the individual to alter their way of thinking and often lead them to suicide. The number of veterans committing suicide every day is 22, which accounts for 22% of national suicides (Kemp). Substance abuse and homelessness are also common among veterans with mental illnesses. Substance abuse is often a result of mental illness, as the National Alliance of Mental Illness states, “An estimated 1.2 million male veterans were identified as living with serious mental illness. Approximately 340,000 of these individuals had co-occurring substance abuse disorders. Approximately 209,000 female veterans (13.1 percent) reported serious mental illness, and 25,000 (1.6 percent) reported co-occurring substance use disorder with mental illness” (Mental Illnesses). Having co-occurring mental health problems can lead to detachment from others, problems at work, and potentially homelessness. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reported in 2011 that there is an estimate of 67,000 former service men and women homeless on a given night. Programs such as “Opening Doors: Homelessness Among Veterans” have been implemented in order to try to end the widespread homelessness of military veterans. While some aspects of this plan have seemed to work, there is still a
Homelessness among veterans has become a major problem in the United States. According to The National Alliance to End Homelessness, states with the largest numbers of homeless Veterans included: California, Florida, New York, Texas, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, and Oregon. The U.S Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) states that the nation’s homeless veterans are predominantly male, with just a little of them are female. Most of them are single; live in urban areas; and suffer from mental illness, alcohol and substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders. America’s homeless veterans have served in World War II, the Korean War, Cold War, Grenada, Panama, Lebanon, Persian Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq, the military’s anti-drug
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, persists as a psychiatric disorder that can occur following the experience or witness of a life-threatening event such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, or physical or sexual assault in adult or childhood (Ptsd.ne.gov). This disorder transpires in numerous groups of people. It had first been brought to public attention in relation to war
“states that the nation’s homeless veterans are predominantly male, with roughly 9% being female. The majority are single; live in urban areas; and suffer from mental illness, alcohol and/or substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders. About 11% of the adult homeless population are veterans.
Veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder need to receive better care, because post traumatic stress disorder is curable, damages relationships, and veterans made many dramatic sacrifices. The health care for veterans needs to be more easily accessible.
Individuals demonstrate PTSD with symptoms, such as: flashbacks, severe paranoia, insomnia, social isolation, self destructive behavior, emotional detachment, fear, severe anxiety, and etc. According to statistics, individuals with severe PTSD are at high risk for committing suicide. Veterans are more prone to this disorder due to the fact that they are emotionally unstable and have difficulties re-adjusting to a normal life once they come back from combat.
War changes people. Usually when one thinks of war, blood, battle and death are the first things that come to mind, but psychological trauma is over shadowed by these popular thoughts. Though war, on the surface, is focused on such gory aspects, The Wars by Timothy Findley shows us an angle where the chaos of war significantly affects a soldier’s mind mentally. War definitively effects the life of all soldiers, so much so that they may show signs of insanity after, or even during battle. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychological disorder triggered when a victim experiences a significantly traumatic event in their life, and has difficulty returning to life as it was (“Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder”). Insanity as defined by Psychology
fter intense planning and talks, the military veterans have finally arrived in North Dakota. They marched in formation as they entered the camp, amidst celebratory whoops and the NODAPL cry ‘Mni Wiconi (Water Is Life)!’ Their Mission? Protect the Water Protectors from questionable tactics deployed by the Morton County Sheriff’s Department (MCSD), Dakota Access, L.L.C (DAPL) outsourced security, and other Law Enforcement Officers that have been sent there upon request of the state governor. They will be what separates the Water Protectors from the Authorities; they are there for the people.
Imagine living in despair after coming back home, dismayed from a war that got no appreciation. Robert Kroger once said in his quote, “The brave men and women, who serve their country and as a result, live constantly with the war inside them, exist in a world of chaos. But the turmoil they experience isn’t who they are, the PTSD invades their minds and bodies.” Eleven percent of Vietnam Veterans still suffer with symptoms of the terrifying disorder of PTSD (Handwerk). Vietnam Veterans struggle with the physiological effects of PTSD after war, which leads to despair and many deaths.
War is hell. War is misery, suffering, pain, and anguish. From the days of rocks and sticks to today’s high tech drones and aircraft carriers one thing above all others has remained the same; war is a terrifying, nightmarish endeavor. Unfortunately for those who fight for their nation, the battlefield does not remain in the far off land where the battle took place. In fact, those warriors bring back that battlefield, festering in the hearts and minds, sometimes long after their uniforms have been put in the closet to collect dust. It should come as no surprise that for a variety of reasons all stemming from combat experience, many of our nations Veterans will act in unconventional or perhaps even illegal ways, in an attempt to cope with the stress of their military service. It may be easy for some to say that these men and women, despite their service, are criminals and should be locked away like any other who breaks the law. However, if rehabilitation is truly a goal of our justice system it would not make any sense to take a group of offenders suffering from the side effects of combat experiences and throw them in prison, which is little better than combat anyway. This is why the advent of Veteran’s courts is so important. Due to their service, and the effects that PTSD and other service related conditions may have on their criminal behavior, Veteran’s courts are not only an honorable way to treat our nation’s defenders, but a way in which to protect them from the negative impact of incarceration. These courts, which are based off of drug and mental health courts, are designed to take less serious offenders, who offenses were related to their service connected conditions and keep them away from incarceration and into treatment (...
“Man O’ War was the kind of thoroughbred that brought you closer to divinity than most people had been before.” This quote by an unknown describes Man O’ War well; “Man O’ War was America’s legendary thoroughbred race-horse” (“Man O’ War 1917-1947”) and was the type of horse that taught his rider, the people around him, and the entire world that if you keep pushing you can reach any and all goals. Man O’ War was a loving horse that made many feel as if they were getting closer to God. To most people, Man O’ War was a work of art that was brought down to them straight from God because he was perfect; he was a gorgeous stallion that seemed to most as unbeatable. Man O’ War raced his heart out and dominated every race he was in, even the one race he lost. Man O’ War was an important figure in the 1920s American history because he changed the perspective of horse racing forever.
The old man moved slowly over to his chair. As he started to sit down, his whole body shook. When he started to talk, the loud room became quiet. We waited silently as he explained his story of his service during the Vietnam War. He told us of his fears and the details down to the sweat rolling down his back. Then the next man spoke about his similar, but yet so different experience during his time in Iraq.
They use medication and alcohol for sleeping because they obsess that enemies are coming, they need more consciousness to fight back.
I received a package in the mail unexpectedly. I didn’t recognized the sender address, at all. I opened up the package, to find drawings with thank you notes from a 3rd grade class taught by @mohayanie. Countless parents, teachers, mentors, are a model for children. When you see a veteran, simply say, “Thank you.” Our kids learn from us. Talk with them about why you say thank you to the military members past and present at the airport, grocery store, etc. It is such a simple act of gratitude, but it means a lot to us veterans. She reminded all of the kids at school that veterans are everywhere. They are our teachers, first responders, postal workers, doctors, and store clerks. Moreover, we can thank them personally on Veterans Day and every
The United States has thousands of veterans and many of them suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The care for veterans must be improved. Veteran care needs to be improved because they are not getting the proper care that they need, not receiving credit for their service, and they were willing to pay the ultimate price for freedom, yet people will not pay the price of time to help them.
Talking about their heroic or gruesome adventures at war is a sensitive subject to most war veterans. Although some soldiers come home struggling to talk about their traumatic experience overseas, some are more open about the subject because they are grateful to have survived the war. I am thankful to have a war veteran in my life who does not struggle to talk about their experience and who came back to the states as a proud veteran. I had the wonderful opportunity to interview my grandfather who is a proud survivor of the Vietnam war.