Military: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

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Military PTSD: Reasons and Methods Used to Help Troops Cope For the past decade, the United States of America has been a participant in an ongoing war, sending military troops for combat in many areas throughout the globe. Due to the ongoing events overseas, troops are subject to serve multiple tours, forcing some to return to combat shortly after their arrival back to the United States. After arriving home from their served tours, military troops often find themselves in a constant battle with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Post-Traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD), is an anxiety disorder resulting from a life threatening traumatic event. According to the National Center for PTSD (2014), “there are four types of symptoms for PTSD: reliving the event (also called re-experiencing symptoms), avoiding situations that remind you of the event, negative changes in beliefs and feelings, and feeling keyed up (also called hyperarousal)” (What is PTSD, 2014). Symptoms also include nightmares, trouble sleeping, suicidal thoughts, irritability, trouble concentrating, depression, flashbacks, etc. The purpose of this study is to identify the reason troops suffer from PTSD and the methods the military, VA (Veterans Affairs), and community-based treatment facilities are using to diminish the effects of PTSD. My main findings were that traumatic exposure during combat and sexual assault are reasons troops suffer from PTSD. I also found that Psychopharmacology and Psychotherapy are methods used to diminish the effects of PTSD. Reasons Troops Suffer From PTSD Based on my studies, the reasons why military troops suffer from PTSD are: traumatic exposure during combat and sexual assault. According to military.com (2014), “Post-traumatic Stress Disorder... ... middle of paper ... ..., Tekin, E. (2013). The Psychological Costs of War: Military Combat and Mental Health, Journal of Health Economics, 32, 51-65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhealeco.2012.09.001. Military.com. (2013). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Retrieved from http://www.military.com/ benefits/veterans-health-care/posttraumatic-stress-disorder-overview.html National Center for PTSD. (2014) What is PTSD?. Retrieved from http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/PTSD-overview/basics/what-is-ptsd.asp Sharpless, B. A., & Barber, J. P. (2011). A clinician's guide to PTSD treatments for returning veterans. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 42(1), 8-15. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0022351 Williams, I., & Bernstein, K. (2011) Military Sexual Trauma Among U.S. Female Veterans, Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 25 (2), 138-147 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2010.07.003.

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