It was around the First World War when the symptoms and causes of PTSD first made it’s self prevalent to the armed forces and the medical community. David H. Marlowe writes “World War I is interesting because it provides the first clear example of the complex interacting variables that produce both [the] symptoms and causes” of PTSD. At first, it was widely believed that the distress in soldiers was due to impact from shells that produced a concussion, which disrupted the physiology of the brain , hence the popularization of the term “shell shock”. The treatment for shell shock was brief, and essentially consisted of being pulled out for the lines to rest for a few days, but you were otherwise firmly expected to return to duty as soon as possible. Many soldiers afflicted by shell shock were viewed as “weak”, and these men were often mistreated by their peers and their leaders for not living up to the ideals and values of the military. As the war progressed, and the number of casualties due to shell shock increased, some psychiatrists began to argue that the soldier’s condition was not one of physiological, but rather psychological nature. Grafton Elliot Smith and Tom Hatherley Pear described the term “shell shock” as a “popular but inadequate title for all those mental effects of [the] war experience” and preferred the term “war strain”. Additionally, Smith and Pear continued to describe that during treatment for war strain, it was important not to label stressed soldiers as “madmen”, as they believed it was not lack of reason but rather the presence of it that was causing their distress. They argued that his reason “tells him, quite convincingly, that in his present state he is not as other men are” (p. 2-3) and that “if he ... ... middle of paper ... ...of patients, is meant to help those afflicted to learn to identify triggers and manage anxiety attacks so they can function in their everyday lives, and eventually confront their trauma in safe environments with the hopes of overcoming it. These treatments have produced “favorable results”. Among the new treatments, representation in popular media has reduced the stigma around PTSD substantially. Characters suffering and dealing with PTSD on widely popular shows, like Greys Anatomy, has really helped deliver information and generate understanding in the general public , which I feel is extremely important in the recovery of PTSD victims. Soldiers no longer need feel like they can’t seek help without being mislabeled as “weak”—veterans and their loved ones finally have access to accommodating and supportive communities, and that is extremely important to recovery.
PBS’ Frontline film “The Wounded Platoon” reviews the effects the Iraq war has had on soldiers as they return home and transition back into civilian life, focusing particularly on the rise in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among American military members from Fort Carson Army base (Edge, 2010). Incidents of PTSD have risen dramatically in the military since the beginning of the Iraq war and military mental health policies and treatment procedures have adapted to manage this increase (Edge, 2010). In “The Wounded Platoon,” many military personnel discuss how PTSD, and other mental health struggles, have been inadequately treated (if at all) by military mental health services. Reasons and Perdue’s definition of a social problem allows us to see inadequate treatment of PTSD among returning United States military members as a social problem because it is a condition affecting a significant number of people in undesirable ways that can be remedied through collective action (Reasons & Perdue, 1981).
He supports his claim by giving statistical facts of how many veterans exposed to Agent Orange during their time at war requested examinations and counseling by Veteran Affairs. Scott then states that men of all wars, not just the Vietnam War, struggled to gain support in treatment for war related injuries. He thoroughly supports Spake’s claim of psychological distress within his article by stating that when at war claims of distress were low, but once home, mental and physical anguish intensified. Scott’s purpose is to explain, inform, and describe the mental trials of Agent Orange exposed war veterans in order to make readers aware of the hardships the men faced. Scott creates an informative tone for readers of higher education and an interest in psychological disorders and war
With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, symptoms and cases are preventable and able to be countered if addressed properly. If the potential PTSD victims take necessary action to recover from their experience early on, suffering can be aided the best. The Vietnam War, filled with the gruesome combat due to technological advancements, fighting that still resulted in northern Vietnam’s victory and leaving many soldiers with feeling that the war was pointless, and the amount of innocents killed in the process, a heavy impact was left upon the veterans; however, it was America’s generally hostile response to the Vietnam War and lack of sympathy that contributed the most to the high numbers of PTSD victims.
Friedman, Mathew J., MD, PhD. "PTSD History and Overview." PTSD: National Center for PTSD. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 31 Jan. 2007. Web. 03 Dec. 2013.
War has been a consistent piece of mankind 's history. It has significantly influenced the lives of individuals around the globe. The impacts are amazingly adverse. In the novel, “The Wars,” by Timothy Findley, Soldiers must shoulder compelling weight on the warzone. Such weight is both family and the country weight. Many individuals look at soldiers for hop and therefore, adding load to them. Those that cannot rationally beat these difficulties may create Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Tragically, some resort to suicide to get away from their insecurities. Troops, notwithstanding, are not by any means the only ones influenced by wars; relatives likewise encounter mental hardships when their friends and family are sent to war. Timothy Findley
Examples of PTSD can be found as early as in ancient Greek and Roman history, for example the Greek historian Herodotus mentions “an Athenian warrior who went permanently blind when the soldier standing next to him was killed, although the blinded soldier was wounded in no part of his body” when he wrote about the battle of Marathon in 490 B.C. He “also writes of the Spartan commander Leonidas, who, at the battle of Thermopylae Pass in 480 B.C., dismissed his men from joining the combat because he clearly recognized they were psychologically spent from previous battles.-They had no heart for ...
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, also known as PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that can develop after a traumatic event (Riley). A more in depth definition of the disorder is given by Doctor’s Nancy Piotrowski and Lillian Range, “A maladaptive condition resulting from exposure to events beyond the realm of normal human experience and characterized by persistent difficulties involving emotional numbing, intense fear, helplessness, horror, re-experiencing of trauma, avoidance, and arousal.” People who suffer from this disease have been a part of or seen an upsetting event that haunts them after the event, and sometimes the rest of their lives. There are nicknames for this disorder such as “shell shock”, “combat neurosis”, and “battle fatigue” (Piotrowski and Range). “Battle fatigue” and “combat neurosis” refer to soldiers who have been overseas and seen disturbing scenes that cause them anxiety they will continue to have when they remember their time spent in war. It is common for a lot of soldiers to be diagnosed with PTSD when returning from battle. Throughout the history of wars American soldiers have been involved in, each war had a different nickname for what is now PTSD (Pitman et al. 769). At first, PTSD was recognized and diagnosed as a personality disorder until after the Vietnam Veterans brought more attention to the disorder, and in 1980 it became a recognized anxiety disorder (Piotrowski and Range). There is not one lone cause of PTSD, and symptoms can vary from hallucinations to detachment of friends and family, making a diagnosis more difficult than normal. To treat and in hopes to prevent those who have this disorder, the doctor may suggest different types of therapy and also prescribe medication to help subside the sympt...
War has a definite effect on the mentality of a soldier, so much so that many result in insanity during or after the leave of combat. Timothy Findley’s The Wars, portrays the “stupidity, futility and the horror of the terrible losses of the First World War, describing war as an image of the worst that can be within a man” (Anne Nothof Interview). Findley portrays mental aspects as well as physical, that lead to Robert Ross’ demises, specifically, the conditions of war, overall aspect of war taking someone’s life and the feeling of loneliness and silence.
Soldiers that are experiencing Shell Shock report having a wide variety of symptoms. It has been discovered that the symptoms that soldiers report experiencing are more mental than physical. Symptoms that we are looking for in Shell Shock victims include, amnesia, poor concentration, headaches, hypersensitivity to noise, dizziness, tremors, fatigue, memory loss, nervousness, reduced visual field, loss of smell and taste, and trouble sleeping. These symptoms are due to the stress that soldiers experienced while fighting on the war front. Other symptoms that soldiers are experiencing with Shell Shock are more emotional symptoms such as, general excitement, anxiety, remorse, anger, depression, irritability, and fear of frightful events. Soldiers are also experiencing symptoms when they experience events that remind them of trench welfare conditions. When soldiers are put in a situation that reminds them of trench welfare they start to experience symptoms of pain, distress, disgust or nausea. The emotional symptoms create a distressed mental state, and...
War veterans were the first ones treated for PTSD. There are many reasons a person can have PTSD some of the most common are war vets, physical assault, major accidents, and terror attacks. The treatment for PTSD is therapy and medications, there is no cure for PTSD, because the event will forever be in someone’s mind. Nightmares are one of the common reasons a person remembers a traumatic event. Patients with PTSD often have matters with developing relationships. They will have a hard time opening up to others or even loving another person. (Peter M. Hartmann, 2015
Our soldiers not only risked life and limb for our country while serving in the Vietnam War, but they continue to suffer immensely. Americans as well as Vietnamese troops and civilians suffered great losses when it comes to casualties. Witnessing first-hand the pain and death of strangers and allies, isn’t something one is likely to forget. Post-Traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been one of the many repercussions of witnessing these gruesome events (Mental Health America). Veterans, their families, and the government have come together in combat in attempts to address the detrimental effects of PTSD.
National Institute of Mental Health 2009, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), viewed 18 August 2011, .
This is shown by the stigmatization that men where cowards if they didn’t fight in the war, and the representation of soldiers who where expected to be voiceless like the women of the time. With the little understanding of mental illness Pat Barker represents how the phycologists and society struggled to comprehend what these young men went through. Through this incredibly deep form of literature Barker establishes that there is a fine line between sanity and
One of the first examples of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in “Soldiers Home” is exhibited in the main character, Harold Krebs. His life is completely changed after serving in World War I. Thus, he cannot live a normal life. To make matters worse, he decided to stay two years longer tha...
PTSD was such a horrible sickness because it embedded traumatic events in a soldiers mind. So later on this memory impeded a soldier enjoyment of life. Certain smell, sights and taste a soldier experienced triggered their memory making them recall those horrifying moments when their friend was brutally slaughtered. When these memories occurred soldiers would lose themselves. They would would break down and question themselves, ‘What could I have done to save him? Why did he die and not me? The guilt was so great that for many that they simply killed themselves. However, this was only one of the horrible effects of PTSD. Another