Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Veterants

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

Over the last decade, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have drastically increased the need for effective mental health services and treatment for U.S. veterans and service members, especially those suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Nearly 1.5 million American service members have been deployed in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) since the attack on the Twin Towers in September 2001 (Price, Gros, Strachan, Ruggiero, & Acierno, 2013). Approximately 25% of soldiers and wounded warriors returning home from OEF/OIF present with mental illness due to combat-related violence and other trauma exposure (Steinberg & Eisner, 2015). According to Price and colleagues (2013), OEF/OIF soldiers and veterans are at greater risk for developing mental illness compared to others who served in past military operations.

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

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can produce emotional responses caused by the trauma endured during combat operations. It does not have to emerge immediately, but can actually happen weeks, months, or even years after the traumatic event. PTSD was often referred to as “combat fatigue” or “shell shock” until 1980 when it was given the name post-traumatic stress disorder. According to

Rates of trauma and mental illness are reported to be disproportionately higher among American veterans, especially those of the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The barriers to care after civilian reentry further disadvantage this already vulnerable population. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been the longest sustained US military operations since the Vietnam era, sending more than 2.2 million troops into battle and resulting in more than 6,600 deaths and 48,000 injuries. Veterans are at risk mental health challenges, as well as family instability, elevated rates of homelessness, and joblessness. Veterans have disproportionate rates of mental illness, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse disorders, depression, anxiety, and military sexual trauma.

To the millions of veterans that have served this country by leaving behind their world as they once knew it, thank you. Entering the world of a soldier comes with a culture of warriors who are taught and trained to be ready to kill, but also ready to save, heal, and comfort (Hansen). Sergeant Hansen served in the United States Marine Corps for nine years and was deployed three times, once to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan. He was honorably discharged in April of 2014, however like many other veterans, his military experience has impacted his new civilian life due to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. It is paramount that a proper system concerning military veterans of the United States is established for the process of re-acclimating soldiers back to a civilian lifestyle. Within the current system and process that is being used, veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder are discharged without the support and guidance they need to efficiently return to the civilian world.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (commonly known as PTSD) is an important issue associated with military soldiers. The primary focus of this paper will be on the causes of PTSD and the effects it has on returning soldiers from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I will attempt to elaborate on the soldiers' experiences through my own experiences in combat both in Iraq and Afghanistan. I will explain what PTSD is, look at the history of PTSD, how people get it, and differences of PTSD between men and women, and treatment options.

Post traumatic stress disorder is characterized by a history of exposure to a traumatic event. The majority of veterans suffer with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after fighting in war(s). As stated by Galbicsek, “Almost 30 percent of Vietnam veterans have been diagnosed with PTSD at some point in their lives. Between 11 and 20 percent of those who fought in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom suffer from PTSD (Carol, “Galbicsek”). More than a quarter of veterans after fighting for these wars experience PTSD.

P.T.S.D. a commonly known disorder, that has harmed soldiers in combat over the last century. A 2015 study by Ashley Hayes, found that PTSD it is not only affecting returning veterans. Further it is veterans, that are becoming a rising concern to society. Hayes implies, people who have served In the military and or Iraq, are “returning home changed men”. The exposure to trauma leading to these symptoms is no surprise, as much severity has proven ptsd when people come face to face with life altering events.

There has been controversy about whether the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs is taking care of their veterans or are resisting in recognizing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The Union of Concerned Scientist found that the Department of Defense stated that, “The U.S. Army allegedly pressured psychologists not to diagnose Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to free the Army from providing long-term, expensive care for soldiers. The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) has also been implicated in pressuring staff to misdiagnose veterans with the aim of cutting costs” (UCS). In result of not properly diagnosing the veterans, they are left unsure why treatment

It is common for people to think that the pain and death is finished after a war has ended... this is certainly not the case, as in fact, studies show that the trauma that comes after war are the biggest murderers at matter. As defined by beyondblue.org, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), also referred to as 'shell shock' is a particular set of reactions developed in people who have been through a traumatic event which threatened their life or safety. PTSD in known to cause experiences such as extreme depression, anxiety and substance abuse. It can also cause people to avoid certain things that might remind that person of the traumatic event, which can lead to social isolation. Jack Lobo, a 38 year old U.S Army veteran who toured Afghanistan a total 4 times had this to say on the subject; "The trauma follows you, when you're at a friend’s house, catching up with family, watching a movie, it's always lingering at the back of your mind, refusing to go away."

To effectively treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD in combat Veterans and service members, therapists use different techniques, which are preceded by addressing any underlying pain associated with the disorder. In their research, Chard et al. (2011) reported significant modifications to the CPT protocol for use with patients in a TBI-PTSD residential treatment facility, including increasing the number of sessions per week, combining group and individual therapy, and augmenting the treatment with cognitive rehabilitation. However, their research was marred with the use of few participants which provides doubts regarding the outcome of the proposed treatment procedures. Moreover, the researchers do not state with certainty as to the

For many of the 1.6 million U.S. service members who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001, the trip home is only the beginning of a longer journey. Many undergo an awkward period of readjustment to civilian life after long deployments. Some veterans may find themselves drinking too much, unable to sleep or waking from unspeakable dreams, lashing out at friends and loved ones. But, what are we doing that it is 2015 and so many of our veterans continue to be suffering from PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder), substance abuse, also known as SUD, and even being homeless because of so many different reasons? We should have answers for them and to be able to help them with the next step of their life when they come back home. How is it

Should veterans be able to live on their own with post-traumatic stress disorder? Going from living a great life with nothing wrong to being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD, is a life changing event for anyone, but should veterans be treated differently from everyone else? Life of Ted Olsen was normal before he was knocked unconscious by a “massive garage door that jumped a track on base and crashed down on his head” and diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. After several surgeries and recovery, Ted was forced to leave the Navy, which then gave him a great abundance of free time. Ted would go outside to get fresh air every once in a while, but mainly he stayed in the house. Well, that was until Ted met his new neighbors AJ and Genie Sanders, as well as gaining a new hobby. Ted figured that his new hobby was the solution to releasing all of his emotions, so he stops taking his prescribed medicine. Soon, Ted began to daze off, hear voices, vandalize, and threaten his neighbors. AJ and Genie set up security cameras outside their house and caught Ted vandalizing their car. Ted was sent to jail where he proceeded to go untreated, until he was transferred Eastern State Hospital in Williamsburg. After weeks of therapy and being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder, they referred Ted to the Poplar Springs Hospital. When all evaluations were done and he was doing better, Ted was

he let his friend go, but it always stayed with him and eventually led him to take his own life. The effects of war on soldiers often involve emotional issues, not only physical.. Many soldiers suffer from a condition known as posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. PTSD is the result of severe trauma. Soldiers who have this condition often have flashbacks in which they relive memories they have from war.