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.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), originally associated with combat, has always been around in some shape or form but it was not until 1980 that it was named Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and became an accredited diagnosis (Rothschild). The fact is PTSD is one of many names for an old problem; that war has always had a severe psychological impact on people in immediate and lasting ways. PTSD has a history that is as long and significant as the world’s war history - thousands of years. Although, the diagnosis has not been around for that long, different names and symptoms of PTSD always have been. Some physical symptoms include increased blood pressure, excessive heart rate, rapid breathing, muscle tension, nausea, diarrhea, problems with vision, speech, walking disorders, convulsive vomiting, cardiac palpitations, twitching or spasms, weakness and severe muscular cramps. The individual may also suffer from psychological symptoms, such as violent nightmares, flashbacks, melancholy, disturbed sleep or insomnia, loss of appetite, and anxieties when certain things remind them such as the anniversary date of the event (Peterson, 2009).
The article under review is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in the DSM-5: Controversy, Change, and Conceptual Considerations by Anushka Pai, Alina M. Suris, and Carol S. North in Behavioral Sciences. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault (U.S. Department VA, 2007). PTSD can happen to anyone and many factors can increase the possibility of developing PTSD that are not under the person’s own control. Symptoms of PTSD usually will start soon after the traumatic event but may not appear for months or years later. There are four types of symptoms of PTSD but may show in different
Military Pathway (2013) concluded “Military life, especially the stress of deployments or mobilizations, can present challenges to service members and their families that are both unique and difficult”. Hence, it is not surprising that soldiers returning from a stressful war environment often suffer from a psychological condition called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This paper provides a historical perspective of PTSD affecting soldiers, and how this illness has often been ignored. In addition, the this paper examines the cause and diagnosis of the illness, the changes of functional strengths and limitations, the overall effects this disease may have on soldiers and their families, with a conclusion of possible preventative measures and treatment options. All of these findings are backed by extensive research through media, web, and journal references.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is defined by our book, Abnormal Psychology, as “an extreme response to a severe stressor, including increased anxiety, avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma, and symptoms of increased arousal.” In the diagnosis of PTSD, a person must have experienced an serious trauma; including “actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violation.” In the DSM-5, symptoms for PTSD are grouped in four categories. First being intrusively reexperiencing the traumatic event. The person may have recurring memories of the event and may be intensely upset by reminders of the event. Secondly, avoidance of stimuli associated with the event, either internally or externally. Third, signs of mood and cognitive change after the trauma. This includes blaming the self or others for the event and feeling detached from others. The last category is symptoms of increased arousal and reactivity. The person may experience self-destructive behavior and sleep disturbance. The person must have 1 symptom from the first category, 1 from the second, at least 2 from the third, and at least 2 from the fourth. The symptoms began or worsened after the trauma(s) and continued for at least one
Smith, T. C., Ryan, M. A., Wingard, D. L., Slymen, D. J., Sallis, J. F., & Kritz-Silverstein, D. (2008). New onset and persistent symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder self reported after deployment and combat exposures: prospective population based US military cohort study. Bmj, 336(7640), 366-371.
Hundreds of thousands of United States veterans are not able to leave the horrors of war on the battlefield (“Forever at War: Veterans Everyday Battles with PTSD” 1). Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the reason why these courageous military service members cannot live a normal life when they are discharged. One out of every five military service members on combat tours—about 300,000 so far—return home with symptoms of PTSD or major depression. According to the Rand Study, almost half of these cases go untreated because of the disgrace that the military and civil society attach to mental disorders (McGirk 1). The general population of the world has to admit that they have had a nightmare before. Imagine not being able to sleep one wink because every time you close your eyes you are forced to relive memories from the past that you are trying to bury deep. This is what happens to the unfortunate men and women who are struggling with PTSD. Veterans that are struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder deserve the help they need.
Stapleton, J. A., Taylor, S., & Asmundson, G. G. (2006). Effects of three PTSD treatments on
There has been a lot of cases of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) in the Marines over the last decade (TruthOut). PTSD is basically a mental health condition triggered by witnessing a horrible event and for people who are diagnosed with it, they struggle with depression, suicide, and having to relive that traumatic moment every day of their life. PTSD cannot be cured, but many people cope with it by going to a Psychiatric doctor and
When most people who are aware of PTSD think of the disorder, military soldiers and veterans are the first to come to mind as those who suffer from it. However, as mentioned in the introduction, PTSD is universal. It does not discriminate based on career, gender, location or so forth. A person becomes more susceptible to developing PTSD if he or she has been directly exposed to the trauma as a victim or a witness. Examples of events that can lead to a person developing PTSD are traumatic car accidents, natural disasters, violence – including domestic and warfare, rape, sexual abuse, school shootings, or any other event that causes the person to feel out of control and in danger. Other factors that increase the likelihood of developing PTSD are whether or not the person was seriously injured, the length of the event, if the person believed a loved one or self were in imminent danger and were helpless in avoiding or protecting themselves or others from the trauma. Yet there are even more contributor...
Intrusive memories, sleep disturbance, hyper arousal, and an emotional shutdown is what fifteen percent of soldiers who have seen combat deal with over the long term. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an extremely disturbing and disabling illness and can be life threatening to some. It is not easy to cure and cannot happen overnight. Talking about there experience through therapy and forms of communication have turned out to be counter-productive. Emotions are exceptionally strong and can disallow their ability to think rationally. Many soldiers are not receiving the adequate support they need. This is not the kind of society that helps soldiers get over trauma quickly when they return home. Modern society takes its toll on people who
Post-Traumatic stress disorder is a psychiatric disorder that may develop after one has been a victim or witness of a traumatic event (What is PTSD). Men and women who served in the Vietnam War were vulnerable to many acts of violence and death such as guerilla warfare. After being discharged from the Armed Forces, they may experience flashbacks when a trigger brings back a memory or they may also suffer from nightmares or insomnia due to specific rattling experiences (Riley, Julie). Not being able to sleep can have some deteriorating effects on the body which can make life after war very hard to adjust to. The transfer of the Armed Forces back home life can be somewhat of a culture shock. However, anyone can develop PTSD. A person who has been a victim of abuse, an unexpected death/accident, or even a survivor of a natural disaster is at risk of being diagnosed with this disorder (Mental Health America). They may experience some symptoms of; depression, irritability, insomnia, flashbacks, they may complain of headaches or stomach pain, and may become reserved (Riley, Julie). These indicatio...
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an injury to combat that will likely be present in social work practice with military service members and veterans. The implications of PTSD and the stigma of mental health within the military is important for me to understand regardless of whether I chose to work with military members or not. According to Van der Kolk (1996), PTSD is the aftermath to experiencing an intensity-distressing event. Taking combat into consideration, PTSD and other mental health concerns are a common result to the exposure of combat. According to a 2008 Rand Corporation study, symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and other re-adjustment stressors are common among nearly ¼ of military members (as cited in Reyes, 2011). According to Reyes (2011), combat exposure and PTSD cause the service member to struggle finding one’s “self” due to a disturbed identity structure, distorted belief system of self, interactions with family members, and perceptions of the world.
There are hundreds of different kinds of psychiatric disorders listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed. (DSM-IV). One of them is called Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Based on the research, post-traumatic disorder usually occurs following the experience or witnessing of life-threatening events such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, or violent personal assaults like rape (Harvard Women’s Health Watch, 2005). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the risk factors, pathophysiology, clinical manifestation, diagnostic criteria and tests, treatment, prognosis and future research and approaches to treat this psychiatric illness of post-traumatic stress disorder.
There are many different causes of PTSD such as sexual abuse, sudden death of a loved one, and war. Trauma affects people in different ways, some can develop it from watching a fellow soldier being killed, and some can develop it from losing their jobs or a divorce. Being diagnosed with PTSD is a difficult process because there are many other psychological disorders whose symptoms can overlap and are very similar. An important fact to remember is that PTSD doesn’t just affect the person suffering; it can also have secondhand effects on their spouses, children, parents, friends, co-workers, and other loved ones. Although there is no direct cure, there are many treatment and alternative treatment options to assist them in moving forward after a trauma.
Since the September 11, 2001, 2.7 million soldiers have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Over 970,000 of these veterans currently suffer from the aftermath of this conflict. Soldiers who have faced combat have higher rates of suicides, mild to severe forms of psychosis, addiction to drugs and alcohol, automobile accidents, and deprivation of suitably safe and secure living places (Watson Institute International & Public Affairs Brown University, 2017). Although combat veterans have tried to overcome the effects of PTSD through various treatment programs, they still face extraordinary challenges, relational issues, and aggressiveness.