Save Suffering Soldiers Research Paper

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

The government is not doing all they can to help returning vets, it is incredibly hard and stressful to get treatment, it is woefully underfunded, it doesn 't have the proper classification so therefore treatment is not as accessible. It seems as if the U.S. Government is struggling to pay attention to PTSD treatment, because it may bring the ailment into the public eye, and the Military might suffer in morale and number of volunteers, due to people not wanting the risk of PTSD. The thing about the military is that, “No one teaches anybody had to deal with that. And it also gets back to the, in the military it 's the John Wayne mentality of you don 't show emotion. You 're not allowed to admit that you 're sad or upset or anything ever. It 's not manly.”(Beer Is Cheaper 51:23)

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder statistics are exceedingly difficult to gauge among veterans. According to the following source, “it is possible to have undiagnosed PTSD for 30 years and not realize it” (Veterans and PTSD). Symptoms may not be diagnosed anywhere from 1 year after service to a lifetime. Also, it must be taken into account that after retiring many veterans may lose touch and not receive treatment for symptoms or further affiliate with the military. In the 1980s, regarding PTSD in Vietnam veterans, it was found that 15%-30% of veterans reported having PTSD; however, in 2003 a new study found that four out of five reported symptoms.

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.

Military service members who are and have been deployed to the middle east show high levels of emotional distress and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Both active duty and reserve component soldiers who have experienced combat have been exposed to high levels of traumatic stress. As a consequence, many have gone on to develop a wide range of mental health problems such as PTSD. “According to researchers, PTSD is a long-term reaction to war-zone exposure that can last up to a few minutes, hours, several weeks, and for some a lifetime.” Common symptoms include: emotional numbing, anxiety, feelings of guilt, and depression. If the disorder turns chronic veterans may experience functional impairment (Friedman, M. J. et al., 1994, p.

Battling war is something a Veteran knows all too well, but battling the demons in their mind after the war is something that they have to learn how to cope with. One of the most mentioned issues that Veterans face today is a disorder called combat post-traumatic stress disorder. Combat PTSD can easily be defined as a disorder that affects the mental state of the armed forces service member that has been through a difficult or shocking experience during their time served in the military. Experiencing war is not something that everyone can relate to, but it is something that can affect a

Once a soldier finishes his or her term of war and comes home for good doesn't mean they have truly returned from war. A soldier brings back home nothing but the haunting memories of war. This is the factor that continues to make living with PTSD so overwhelming. Veterans may say, "for me, there was no safe place, even my home" (Phillips, 2014). Insecurity is not the only aspect that overwhelms the mind, many other symptoms of the disease are just as horrific. "I couldn't close my eyes without envisioning the face of my attacker. I suffered horrific flashbacks and nightmares, and four years after the attack I was unable to sleep in my house alone" (Phillips, 2014). in cases like this, the effects of PTSD later find its ways to literally dictate the lives of veterans and many other victims.

Today, 44.7 million veterans are struggling with Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD Stats). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a mental disorder common found in veterans who came back from war. We can express our appreciation to our veterans by creating more support programs, help them go back to what they enjoy the most, and let them know we view them as a human not a disgrace.

The information presented from the two articles above can be supported by the article by Frueh and Stencel. Veterans ' experiences in war are likely to go beyond the instantaneous and physical effects, which may affect their entire lives. According to Frueh and Stencel, more than 2.2 million troops from the United States served in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars (10). In the two wars, more than 6,600 troops from the United States lost their lives. Frueh and Stencel assert that a substantial percentage of veterans experience enormous difficulties while in transition. The use of statistics is helpful in elevating the quality of the article. They acknowledge that veterans are faced with far-reaching challenges in their effort to adjust to civilian life. For example, health problems- such as PTSD and traumatic brain injuries- are common among veterans. However, with high jobless rates and shrinking aid programs, these aren 't the best days to be

The leading psychological condition of a returning veteran is post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. The Mayo Clinic defines PTSD as a, “Mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.” PTSD has been known to affect the lives of many returned veterans as they try to re-enter into society. Some of the more common symptoms of PTSD include, “recurring memories or nightmares of the event(s), sleeplessness, loss of interest, or feeling numb, anger, and irritability (What is Post traumatic Stress Disorder).” This can really affect the way people live their day to day life. There are people who cannot go a whole day without having an episode or panic attack. Some can’t even be around other people without it triggering bad memories, making it impossible for them to leave their homes. Other complications of PTSD include, “Increase your risk of other mental health problems, such as: Depression and anxiety, issues with drugs or alcohol use, eating disorders, suicidal thoughts and actions (PTSD).” This disorder is more common than most may realize and is so commonly not diagnosed or treated due to how they felt their peers would see them or even the potential damage to their careers. Nbc news wrote that, “Only 38 percent to 40 percent of those who indicated

PTSD is a mental health problem that people can develop after experiencing or witnessing a severely traumatic event. Veterans can develop PTSD after returning home from the horrors of war. Symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares and other physical and psychological setbacks. This can lead to difficulties getting and keeping a job, and family or marital problems. The result is a downward spiral of substance abuse and depression. It is no surprise that the Department of Veterans Affairs has reported that 20 veterans commit suicide everyday. PTSD is an important issue in the veteran community, but not all veterans suffer from the disorder. Only about 11 to 20% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans actually suffer from

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

One major concern that our society currently has is how to help veterans with mental disorders. According to research, about 30,000 people killed themselves and nearly 650,000 other people were seen in the emergency room after a suicide attempt after serving in the Vietnam war (Wineke, 2007). During this time the government had concerns about readjustment difficulties for veterans as they were returning home from war. Eventually, the nation expressed their concern about the mental health of returning veterans, and in 1970, the congress conducted the first hearing to address these issues (Rosenheck and Fontana, 1999). Service members reported having several psychological problems, including anxiety, depression, nightmares, and insomnia following a return from a combat zone. The Vietnam era was the turning point in assessment and treatment of combat-related psychological distress (Tanielian, 2008). Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, was officially defined as a mental disorder in 1979, in recognition of the potentially disabling mental health challenges confronting veterans returning from the war: “The most lasting contribution of Vietnam to the history of battle trauma is the legacy of post-traumatic stress disorder” (Helmus and Glenn, 2005). The National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study (NVVRS) estimated that, in 1998, 15 percent (472,000) of those who had served in Vietnam met the criteria for active PTSD (Rosenheck and Fontana, 1999). A study of over 100,000

In the United States, soldiers are currently returning home from war broken and scarred. While some physical wounds are clearly visible others are often hidden/invisible to the naked eye, but men and women proudly wear these wounds as a badge of courage and honor for protecting our nation. These men and women come home rightfully expecting help, assistance and care and get hit with the reality of poor care from the Veteran Health Administration and Department of Defense.