Group Therapy Proposal For Combat Related Ptsd

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

Today, hundreds of thousands of service men and women and recent military veterans have seen combat. Many have been shot at, seen their buddies killed, or witnessed death up close. These are types of events that can lead to Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder ("Post Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD: A Growing Epidemic. “) Anyone that has gone through a traumatic event can be diagnosed with PTSD but research shows, military men and women are more susceptible to having PTSD (PTSD: A Growing Epidemic.) And, with little help from the US, many Veterans do not get the help they need or get treated for PTSD. Military men and women begin to

One of the most vulnerable groups to post traumatic stress disorder are Marine veterans. This is because they often see the worst aspects of any conflict. The Iraq war, also known as Operation Iraqi Freedom was one of the bloodiest conflicts in recent history. During the course of this conflict 4,411 American Soldiers lost their lives, including 1,023 Marines (Defense Casualty Analysis System, 2017). With such a high loss of life, it is easy to see why helping those who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom is so important.

On March 19, 2003, then President George W. Bush “gave the green light to launch Operation Iraqi Freedom” (history.com, 2009). From the start of the war to present day, the casualties of American military personnel were calculated to be in the range of over 4,000 that have served in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). The number of wounded military personnel returning from deployment was upwards of 31,000. According to research conducted by Burke, Degeneffe & Olney (2009), traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are the signature injuries of military personnel returning from OIF deployments. While there are elevated rates of military personnel returning from OIF with

A frequent therapeutic option for mildly to moderately affected PTSD patients is group therapy, although empirical support for this is sparse. In such a setting, the PTSD patient can discuss traumatic memories, PTSD symptoms, and functional deficits with others who have had similar experiences. This approach has been most successful with war Veterans, rape/incest victims, and natural disaster survivors. It is important that therapeutic goals be realistic because, in some cases, PTSD is a chronic, complex (e.g., with many comorbid diagnoses and symptoms), and severely debilitating psychiatric disorder that does not always respond to current available treatments. Resick, Nishith, and Griffin (2003) have shown however, that very good outcomes

Essentially, there is inadequate research comparing the individual and group formats for individuals with PTSD (Barlow, 2014; O’Malley, 2015). Certain interventions are adjustable to either individual or group therapy. The decision to use group therapy depends on the clinician and their judgment of the individual’s needs. Fortunately, recent research shows that group therapy may be beneficial for those who are CSA survivors. Group therapy allows CSA survivors to not feel isolated during treatment. They are able to communicate with others who have also experienced such trauma instead of being around others who do not understand their pain and distress. Overall, group treatment can provide social support for these victims. Also, this treatment

Many soldiers are returning to Iraq and Afghanistan with mental illness and given anti-depressants to help with their problems. A 2004 Army report found that up to 17 percent of combat-seasoned infantrymen experienced major depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder after one combat tour to Iraq. Less than 40 percent of them had sought

The number of veterans returning from the Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), and Operation New Dawn (OND) conflicts that are afflicted with posttraumatic stress disorder is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands (Kip, et al., 2013, p. 1298), demonstrating the importance of the social worker to be knowledgeable of the symptoms and treatment of this disabling trauma. The purpose of this literature review is to address the issue of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), address the symptoms linked to PTSD, and the methods used in the assessment of posttraumatic stress disorder with emphasis on military combat-related PTSD. In addition, the literature review will identify the interventions by social work, if any, when addressing PTSD and the role social workers may play when assisting those with combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder.

Before the impact of deployment and post-deployment on children was examined the overall rates of PTSD and other mental health disorders, TBI, and IVP as they related to combat exposure was researched. The rates of mental health disorders among this population varied among studies; the VA (2015) reported that a meta-analysis study found rates from as little as 1.4% to as high as 60%. Tanielian, Jaycox, Schell, Marshall, Burham, Eibner, Karney, Meredith, Ringel, & Vaina, E.M. (n.d.) reported that 18.5% or about 300,000 people suffered from PTSD or Major Depressive Disorder and 19.55% or 320,000 people reported probable TBI during deployment. Tevillion,

PTSD is a well-known and prevalent psychiatric disorder. Lifetime prevalence is 2.3% in South Africa, 2.2% in Spain, 8.8% in Northern Ireland, and 7.8% in US (309). Additionally, army veterans are more likely to develop PTSD, as they are more vulnerable to experience traumatic events. According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, between 11% to 20% of veterans who served in Operations Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operations Enduring Freedom (OEF) have PTSD in a given year. Moreover, approximately 12% of the veterans that served in the Gulf War have PTSD in that same given year (How Common is PTSD?). Hence, it is possible to realize that a great number of people have PTSD. This also identifies the fact that a great number of people are suffering from PTSD symptoms.

The freedoms Americans enjoy come at a price; brave military men and women often foot the bill. Many men and women pay with their lives; others relive sights, sounds, and terror of combat in the form of PTSD. There are several causes and risk factors for the development of PTSD. Combat-related PTSD appears slightly different than traditional PTSD. History tells of times when soldiers diagnosed with PTSD were viewed as “weak.” Resources have not always been available to struggling soldiers. The adverse symptoms of PTSD on soldiers and their families can be crippling.

Given the need for highly trained personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq region's, military personnel are being asked to do multiple tours in the region and to stay for extended periods of time while on tours. While this approach has produced a highly trained fighting force it has also exposed military personnel to increased traumatic exposure and exposure at a much higher rate than previous Veteran populations. With multiple deployments becoming a normal part of one's military experience it's important for clinicians to be aware and trained on the mental health implications associated with multiple and longer deployments.

The recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have brought the effects of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on members of the United States Armed Forces to the forefront of concern for researchers, mental health practitioners, and the American society as a whole (Barlow & Durand, 2015, p. 155). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5 describes the clinical symptoms of PSTD as: intrusion symptoms, negative alterations in cognitions and mood, alterations in arousal and reactivity, and avoidance of stimuli associated with witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 271-272). One study indicated that 7.6% of combat exposed members of the armed forces developed PTSD (Barlow & Durand, 2015, p. 157).

Military work is complex and wide. The soldiers are normally deployed to wars during the war time or deployed to complex rescue missions whenever needed. This is in the belief that military personnel are the most robust trained personnel who can handle the toughest situations and conditions in life. However, for everything there exists a limit. This is because military personnel are normal human beings. They have humanity in them and military work is just a career. Consequently, they are affected by what they go through and their families too are affected just through a fact that they are associated with them. Consequently they experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after return from war or deadly rescue missions. The impacts are diverse, especially on their families and children. Therefore, it will be important to look at the impacts of military members PTSD such as marital problems, family violence, children behavioural problems, substance abuse, and mental health. This presentation gives an overview of the effect PTSD have on the military service members and the impact on the family. It also checks on a number of interventions that can be put in place to ensure that the military service personnel from service can safely adapt back into their normal lives, especially after retirement and integrate properly with family members.

The percentage of military veterans seeking help for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has increased from 4% in 2006 to 12% in 2010 (Palinkas and Link 386). Too often combat veterans are discharged and left struggling with their drastically changed lives. PTSD also affects other people who are in the veterans’ lives. It is necessary that our country acknowledge the severity of PTSD and offer accessible help to veterans and their families.