The problem of relationship violence among veterans (who fought in war) suffering from PTSD is a growing problem that is not given enough attention to in the therapeutic field. Couples with relationship violence present in their relationship can often go through a therapy intake without any symptoms present concerning abuse presence. Therefore, it is easy to miss vital information. When dealing with any couples who have a diagnosis of PTSD, especially veterans, it is important to examine the couples extensively.
Veterans who have fought in war have a hard time distancing themselves from the life they used to live, therefore, the increase in reactivity of psychological problems such as; anger, anxiety, and aggression are common.
“Veterans with PTSD, by virtue of their prior experience of life threat, are more likely to perceive threats in their environment, even in the absence of realistic threat. In response to these perceived threats, the veteran enters into a “survival mode,” characterized by heightened arousal and several cognitive biases, including a hostile appraisal of events, an inclination toward threat confirmation, increased vigilance in recognizing a threat, and a lower threshold for responding to the threat. These processes negatively impact the veteran's ability to regulate anger and engage in self-monitoring behaviors or other inhibitory processes, resulting in an increased propensity toward aggression (Taft, Street, Marshall, Dowdall, & Riggs, 2007).
More attention in the Therapeutic Field needs to be devoted to Veterans with PTSD who are perpetrators of abuse. As suggested by Sherman, Sautter, Jackson, Lyons, and Han (2007), depressed veterans mirrored the acts of veterans with PTSD, suggesting that the tren...
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Sherman, M. D., Sautter, F., Jackson, M. H., Lyons, J. A., & Hans, X. (2007). Domestic violence
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PTSD has been intensely studied to benefit those who have been diagnosed, to get better treatments. There have been many successful cases, where the individual has conquered it. Marcus Luttrell’s symptoms have dramatically gotten better because he is a strong individual with a healthy family to support him. However, there are many people that have been dealing with this burden for years and may never get better. These men and women, who cannot find relief from PTSD, turn to self-harming; military suicides have been on the rise in the recent years and are continuing to increase. This cannot be ignored. The Veteran Administration needs to step up the treatment and recovery programs before this number begins to get out of control.
“Studies show that PTSD occurs in 1%-14% of the population. It can be diagnosed at any age, and can occ...
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.
Substantial research has demonstrated that PTSD portrays many emotions such as guilt, shame, and anger that are outside the range for fear/anxiety disorders. In the DSM-5 PTSD formed a new category named “Trauma and Stressor-related Disorders”. This category is unique in the requirement of exposure to a stressful event that then results in the condition. This category also includes adjustment disorder, reactive attachment disorder, disinhibited social engagement disorder, and acute stress disorder. Another unique quality about this category is that it is the only diagnostic category in the DSM-5 that is not grouped theoretically by the type of symptoms representative of the disorder in
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.
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.
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.
A survey of OEF/OIF Veterans identified major rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, alcohol-related problems, social and family problems, and suicidal behavior. However the most alarming statistic is not about deployment rates or rates of diagnoses, the most alarming fact is that fewer than 10% of those diagnosed with PTSD or depression have received the recommended the mental health treatment upon re-integration into society. The dropout rate at the Veterans Association (VA) PTSD clinics is distressingly high as well when looking into VA records it was found that 68% of OEF/OIF Veterans dropped out of their prescribed counseling and programs prior to completion (Garcia et al., 2014). Because most of these men were deployed mul...
The investigators sought out potential subjects through referrals from psychiatric hospitals, counseling centers, and psychotherapists. All potential subjects were screened with a scripted interview and if they met all the inclusion criteria they met with an investigator who administered the Clinical-Administered PTSD Scale(CAPS) to provide an accurate diagnosis. In the end the study ended up with 12 subject, 10 females and 2 males with a mean age of 41.4, that met the criteria for PTSD with treatment resistant symptoms, which were shown with a CAPS score of greater than or equal to 50.
Boone, Katherine. "The Paradox of PTSD." Wilson Quarterly. 35.4 (2011): 18-22. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.
With people who are suffering from PTSD their brain is still in overdrive long after the trauma has happened. They may experience things like flashbacks, nightmares, hallucinations, panic attacks, and deep depression. They tend to avoid things that remind them of their trauma and are constantly on high alert waiting for the next possible traumatic event to take place; in events such...
Historically, domestic violence was viewed as only involving physical abuse. However, the more contemporary view of domestic violence has come to include not only physical types of abuse; but as well as emotional, sexual, physiological, and economic violence that may be committed
Tuason, M. G., Taylor, A., Rollings, L., Harris, T., & Martin, C. (2007). On both sides of the
American Veterans experienced war-related trauma in Vietnam.(Friedman, 1998) The war traumas included being on frequent or prolonged combat missions in enemy territory, encountering ambushes and...
McHugh, M. C., & Frieze, I. H. (2006). Intimate partner violence. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1087, 121–141. doi: 10.1196/annals.1385.011