Ptsd By Brian Albrecht Summary

Some veterans experienced feelings of depression and distrust, and that the war impacted them negatively. PTSD is a severe emotional disorder that an individual can get after a traumatic life event they experienced, and for the veterans it was the Vietnam War. War includes witnessing terrible violence, the feeling of guilt of having to kill people and seeing your friends injured or dead, and the mixed emotions in the battlefield. In 1988, the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study reported that 481,000 men and 716 women currently suffer from some degree of PTSD as a result of their experience in war, and overall 40% of Vietnam veterans have suffered from PTSD at some time of their life. In addition, it has been estimated that 900,000 Vietnam spouses and partners, and approximately 1,098,000 children are affected by their respective partner's and father's combat-related PTSD. These statistics showed that the Vietnam War extremely affected the veterans', and not in a good way. PTSD could have been very common among the veterans', because of the traumatic experiences they went through in the war. The war was not to be treated like a game. The war was a reality for the soldiers, and they could have constantly had the feeling of "I am going to die any minute now". Another issue that they developed was domestic violence. About one-third of six hundred men were reported of physically violating their partners. Their violent behaviour towards their partner/family could have also linked to PTSD. Veterans who were reported to perform domestic violence were treated with therapy to help them reduce their threatening behaviour. They either had group therapy with their family, or individual therapy. Not only was PTSD terrible for the veterans', but it was also bad for their children. Due to their children being raised in a home with their father having PTSD, the disorder could have

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, affects many of our nation’s veterans. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimated that in the Vietnam War, almost thirty-one percent of its veterans, when they came back to the United States, developed PTSD. In recent history, eleven percent of veterans from the Afghanistan War and twenty percent of veterans from the Iraqi War have developed PTSD after arriving back in the states. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, though brought into the light recently by veterans, is still widely unknown, mainly in what the symptoms are, diagnosis, and treatments.

Post-traumatic stress disorder has always been an important issue to me. PTSD became an interest of mine when I saw the effects that it has on my husband and other Veterans suffering from the same issue. I wanted to pursue this research topic to further education myself, and inform others. PTSD not only effects the Veterans mentally, but it also has an effect on their family members as well, living with someone who is easily startled, has nightmares, or avoids social situations can take a toll on everybody. In this particular topic, I will focus on inquiring information about combat Veterans, families of combat Veterans, and others interested in learning or gaining more information about post-traumatic stress disorder. I will inform my audience about this topic through various reports from past century wars and convince my audience on how post- traumatic stress disorder effects combat Veterans later in life. I am conducting this project with combat Veterans, and their families in mind as my audience. Family members of a combat Veteran may not know the signs and symptoms of PTSD.

The novel The Crossing is written by Gary Paulsen, who tells a tale about a fourteen year old boy, Manuel Bustos, who meets an American soldier, named Robert,  that takes him on a once and a lifetime experience to a bullfight.

Sufferers of PTSD often discover that it can be hard to live with. PTSD can mean anything from a night, few months, to a lifetime of misery. People with it complain of at most unbearable states of psychological arousal. People with PTSD feel like theyre going crazy and sense that they aren't the same person as before (Butler 2). This passage suggests that PTSD can last a variety of time with misery. In terms of the impact on the family. Many find PTSD hard to deal with. "Six weeks after being raped, Vaneg Ziegenmayer was so afraid at night that her husband had to escort her from the bedroom to the bathroom (Butler 2)." This example suggests that it takes a lot of work to deal with PTSD. Socially speaking, one of the primary effects of PTSD is on war. After World War 2, Most psychiatrists considered aiding returning soldiers to integrate into society primarily for enemies and the local community (Pols 7). This evidence suggests that they need help getting back into society. In conclusion, looking at all 3 of those things is important because to know how it affects people who have it or see people with

In a qualitative research article titled, “Resilience and Knowledge of PTSD Symptoms in Military Spouses. Awareness of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) extends the criteria for a diagnosis increase, additional cases are being disclosed among U.S. military veterans. Since the attack on September 11th on the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and Flight 93 in Pennsylvania, more than two million troops have been deployed in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Included in the two million troops, it is roughly calculated that over 800,000 troops have seen the battlefield at least two times if not more throughout the years which they have served time of service. From results of many conflicts being fought by the United

Berger (2015) discusses PTSD historical roots and facts from previous war eras, about combat-related trauma and mental health conditions, that compasses today’s PTSD in veterans. In similarity, (Martin , 2012) also discuss historical facts about combat trauma in veterans, and their struggles with re-integration of life and communities they left behind and understood, since the Civil War and other wars that followed (Martin, 2012). Post-war veterans also experience trauma because of chemical and toxic exposure that caused a chronic illness, less expectation of quality of life, and mortality (Martin, 2012). Consequently, many of today’s combat veterans, experience similar traumatic events that resemble those of pre-war eras such as, nightmares,

The impact PTSD has on families is tremendous. It affects spouses, children and other members of the family (Bobo, Warner, and Warner 799). People with PTSD often have a hard time connecting and communicating the problems that they are facing with their family. According to respondents, victims with PTSD are worried about the seriousness of their condition and therefore choose not to tell their family simply because they do not want to hurt them (Buchanan et al 744). Telling their families about what goes on in their life is important because their families have a big influence on whether or not they receive help (Buchanan et al 744). Families need to recognize their role in facilitating engagements because it is currently being overlooked. The caregiver often feels as if there is a weight on there shoulder and nothing they do can will make it go away. With the weight of the world on the caregivers shoulders, stress can cause them to want to give up completely. When experiencing a trauma one often dulls their feelings and distances themselves from anything or anyone that reminds them of war. When families or spouses get shut out it can cause instability and decrease the relationship satisfaction (Buchanan et al 744). If families are aware, there will be a better understanding to why their loved one is acting in a different way and then can try to keep the relationship

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) affects 11-20% of veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, 10% of Gulf War veterans and 30% of Vietnam War veterans. With many young men and women shipping off to join the military service, the thought of being one of the 20 out of 100 coming back from the Iraq or Afghanistan wars to suffer from PTSD is a scary thought. Little is known about PTSD and all major research being done on PTSD has been completed in only the last 30 years. This excludes many of the veterans of World War 1 and World War 2, the most gruesome war in the last century. The government is steadily increasing the benefits and services available to veterans suffering from PTSD symptoms

The direct effects of mental illnesses additionally represent an extensive, and frequently unanticipated, caregiver obligation. The effects of post-combat mental and cognitive conditions inevitably extend beyond the affected service member. As they try to continue with life, their injuries can wear down those with whom they interact, and those closest to the service member are likely to be the most extremely affected. There is an expansive scope of negative outcomes that post-combat mental disorders have had on the families of service members returning from conflicts. The brunt of the burden of service members with mental illness happens to fall on the people who are close to the individual, usually their spouses.

Despite war experiences, many combat veterans survive challenges and have new experiences that yield benefits, growth, and transformation (Iraq War Clinician Guide). Military demands and participation also traumatize veterans in the most damaging ways that affect their mental health and overall quality of life (Iraq War Clinician Guide). Furthermore, individuals exposed to combat veterans' trauma, such as family members and loved ones, may develop traumatic reactions, which post profound challenges related to traumatic events of the direct victim (Berger, 2015).

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), triggered by exposure to a traumatic event, is a mental health condition characterized by recurrent nightmares or flashbacks, avoiding reminders/recounting the event, distorted mental processes or emotional numbing, and a persistently high state of arousal and reactivity (Institute of Medicine , 2014). While this mental disorder does appear in society as a whole, its prevalence in the U.S. military is cause for concern. Cited as the “most commonly identified psychological clinical disorder stemming from the war” (PTSD May Be Greatest Injury of War Today, 2008), in 2012, 5.2% of all service members were diagnosed with PTSD, while 8.0% of all previously deployed service members received the diagnosis (Institute of Medicine , 2014). Experiencing trauma caused by combat exposure is a relatively normal occurrence within today’s military. Nonetheless, not all soldiers will be diagnosed with or experience the side effects of PTSD. Physicians are unsure why some individuals develop PTSD over others; however, it is believed that a mix of interrelated elements can increase the probability that exposure to a traumatic event will result in the disorder, such as inherited mental health risks and personality factors, previous life experiences and an individual’s unique chemical response(s) to stress (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2014). Due to its prevalence in the military community, human service professionals (HSPs) should expect to come in contact with

In recent years there has been much dispute over the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, on the armed forces. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a medical condition that affects the physiology of the brain. It commonly affects those who have experienced or witnessed stressful events, such as war. PTSD was generally referred to as “shell-shock” in the military, until an improved and more inclusive definition of the disease was discovered. Wartime environments contain a multitude of factors which are all potential causes of PTSD such as duress accredited to resounding explosions, pressure to survive, being far from home, and moral injury. Even though PTSD manifests itself so frequently in soldiers, there is little care provided for treatment of PTSD. This is a dangerous issue considering the close link between PTSD, suicide, and depression. Readily available, empathetic, and compassionate health care is a necessity for combatting this illness. Soldiers fight to protect the lives of American citizens, and deserve to be protected by those for whom they fought. The military should provide more funding, and better, more available health care for their soldiers because of the rise of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in the armed services and the unfavorable effects it has on the armed services.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is now believed to be a common condition for many active military and veterans who have experienced direct combat. PTSD symptoms can last a lifetime, and are particularly troubling for those veterans from the Vietnam War who have struggled for years to get help (Daniels, Boehnlein, & McCallion, 2015). Bergman, Przeworski &Feeny (2017) note that active military personnel and veterans constitute about half of the overall population, but have a disproportionate number of mental health problems including instances of PTSD. The authors also observe that “ many military veterans and service members may experience symptoms of psychological disorders as well as impairment related to these symptoms, but may

I woke up in a cold sweat at 3:00 in the morning to the sound of gunshots and screams, but as soon as I rose up from my bed, I knew that I couldn’t keep doing this. I can’t let my PTSD control me, it comes with horrible episodes of scenes that I have never even encountered, it scares me, and my daughter. If my life continues like this, then I won’t end up with a happy ending with her and I together, but rather with me sitting in a mental hospital and only being able to talk to her through a window. As much as I love her, I could scare her, I’m even scared. I needed to figure out what these scenes meant. I then forced myself to sleep, wanting the visions to end.