Step 2: Believing in a Supreme Being Please pause for a moment, and picture in your mind the washed away remnants of what used to be a small city; it is rather difficult to recognize from all the earthquake rubble and debris that there once was a town here. Bits and pieces of what used to be homes are now scattered from one end of the view to the other. A gloomy haze of dust, smoke and ash has recently enveloped over the entire countryside. Sounds of screaming, yelling and crying are bombarding one’s hearing senses; a smell of unbelievable human decaying stench is so over whelming, the odors stimulate the gag reflex and tear ducts to produce endless retching and a cleansing wash of foul air from one’s eyes. Hungry ownerless dogs are …show more content…
You watch as Good-Samaritans carry dying victims to safety and see others walking aimlessly among dead corpses “wailing” in search of loved ones. A religiously minded person may stop and think; “where is God in all of this?” Or, a person may have their atheistic belief strengthened that there is no such thing as a Supreme Being, for if there were a God, they would never allow this to happen to their Earthly children. Either way, your faith is about to be tested way beyond your capability to understand. At this point, the emotional destruction of Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD) is settling down in your soul; it is wreaking havoc upon what is left of your every emotional stability. Unless, you have an unshaking, unswerving belief and testimony in God, you will inevitably falter (terrybroadwater, 2013) See figure III. a b c
(d) Figure III, a,b,c,and d are courtesy of the World Health Organization
(Victims of the Haitian Earthquake and Tsunami)
Experiencing these kinds of overwhelming disasters will tear anyone emotionally apart, especially if they are not psychologically ready to handle such sights, sounds and smells (Solomon, Berger, & Ginzburg, 2007). These kinds of places leave no room for doubt; no suspicious reservation that God does not exist. One must believe there is a God given reason why all things happen, why death is just another important step in the eternal process of living, why death is simply
As I walked, the air of this haunted, dreadful and sorrowful land had sucked the life out of everything and roared as humanity began to disappear. As I carried on walking, I noticed that the small fraction of light was getting smaller and smaller, until it had been engulfed into a think black ash like smoke. Aggressively, the wind walked past the building with its cruddy feeling, blowing away all signs of life. Deeper and deeper into the land was a burning car door. The fire roared and crackled. The roaring and crackling of the burning car door merged with the aggressive air and created the loudest sounds ever heard on land. Growing darker, the skies made me feel nauseous. The fear of not waking up if a human fell asleep towered
When humans undergo traumatic events that threaten their safety and wellbeing, they may become vulnerable to nightmares, fear, excessive anxiety, depression, and trembling. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychological illness that results from the occurrence of a “terribly frightening, life-threatening, or otherwise unsafe experience” (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), 2012). This condition often leads to unbearable stress and anxiety. PTSD is significantly prevalent as indicated by data from the National Co-morbidity Survey which shows that at a particular time in their lives, 7.8% of 5, 877 adults in America suffered from PTSD (Andrew & Bisson, 2009). In the general population, the lifetime prevalence is estimated at 8%,
It was not until the 1980’s that the diagnosis of PTSD as we know it today came to be. However, throughout history people have recognized that exposure to combat situations can have profound negative impact on the mind s and bodies of individuals in these situations. But there are other catastrophic events that can have such profound impact on people resulting in PTSD…
The study of psychology refers to collective trauma as the effect experienced by many people in the aftermath of a tragedy or event. The pain of collective traumatic disorders is common among soldiers who experienced military combat, but has the potential to affect an entire community. Although, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can alter relationships with the family and the community, future generations will not have to endure combat directly to experience collective trauma. Many Veterans suffering from PTSD might shy away from others due to stigmas associated with the diagnosis. Some might have difficulty concentrating, or have guilty feelings, cannot find work, feel helpless, fearful, or have a loss of interest in usual activities. All
David Morris the author of “The Evil Hours”, shares his story of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that also affects many people, including 8% of the population at some point in their lives. He was a former Marine that now suffers from this disorder today, which is the 4th most common psychiatric disorder in the United States. The disorder still remains a mystery to many people. He discusses with several other victims of PTSD and further analyzes the cultural history of the illness. Throughout the book he talks to several different people including those who are currently suffering, family members, and to many Americans and others who are unaware. He goes through and talks about those who have had near death experiences with war
In this article, Peter Katel interviews veterans returning from Afghanistan. He tells us how one service member, Coleman Bean is diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after his first combat tour in Iraq. However, two years after returning home to South River, N.J., Sgt. Bean returned to duty. After that second deployment, the 25-year-old shot and killed himself. This shows us just how bad this awful disorder is, we need to stop ignoring the situation at hand and help or service men and women returning from war torn countries. Reading this article has given me incite on just how bad the situation is and will go well in my presentation.
The tragic story of Chris Kyle, American Sniper, and how he “survived six IED attacks and three gunshot wounds in four tours of duty in Iraq” but was unable to survive as he was killed by a former American Marine who was suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder demonstrates the PTSD crisis among veterans (Engel 1). It is ironic that Kyle was not killed on foreign territory, but rather on American soil four years after his final discharge. Many people wonder why Eddie Ray Routh would kill Kyle, who was there to give him emotional support by taking him to the shooting range. According to Medical News Today, “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is triggered by a traumatic event…the sufferer of PTSD may have experienced or seen an event that caused extreme fear, shock, and/or a feeling of helplessness” (Nordqvist 1). Combat-related PTSD signs and symptoms generally fall into three categories: psychological, physical, and behavioral.
Generational influences on survivors of war have lasting effects and among the consequences of war, the mental health impact of secondary trauma and grief on the civilian population is noteworthy in the context of war casualties. Long term traditions of spirituality, culture and biological aspects play a significant role in core beliefs leading to war. Regardless of the causal factors, the occurrence of parents losing their children as well as children losing fathers and mothers in scenarios they have no control over is a painful event that often leads to generational pain. (Stroebe, Schut, & Stroebe, 2007).
The stone streets were a veil at this time of night, with who knows how many menacing horrors hiding behind the curtain. The lingering gas hovering over the ground was timid, dispersing at the sight of anyone who strayed near. The moon tried to pry into the city’s shadows, but it was too thick to cut. The buildings were nothing but faded memories: gray, eroded structures that once boasted splendor and beauty. Street rats, both rodent and human, scuttled about in the alleyways, knocking assortments over and fleeing if anyone walked past, just like the gas. A dog barked in the distance. Car horns blared on 5th Avenue nearby. Tank sighed. No place like home.
In the daylight hours, many people seem to have everything going right for them in their lives. A beautiful home, loving spouse, two-point-five children, all neatly tied up with the white picket fence. However, behind closed doors, past the sunny smiles and the bright attitudes, the true secret lies. Many seemingly “perfect” people in this world suffer from varying mental disorders. These disorders can be due to circumstances from earlier points in someone’s life, such as the trauma of war, or abuse and neglect. These harrowing experiences often lead to one mental disorder in particular, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. There are three overwhelming impacts of PTSD: The
“You can't patch a wounded soul with a Band-Aid.” (Connelly, The Black Echo). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a psychological disorder that has the ability to develop in people that have experienced a very violent or especially petrifying event. Through the years, the disorder has gone by many names and has gone under many understandings. Symptoms can vary from person to person so it can sometimes make it difficult to accurately diagnose this disorder. Some limiting factors this disorder has in a person’s life includes, flash-backs, insomnia and especially depression. In the United States Military, there are programs in place to aid in the treatment of PTSD. However some people want to help in other ways so they make non-profit organizations
One gentleman spoke of him as a child seeing thousands of crawfish crossing the main road. He said his grandmother told him that meant that there was wind coming. Other survivors spoke of the events that took place and watching their family members get swept away and there was nothing that they could do but watch in horror. Another gentleman spoke of how he saw a lot of his friends he went to school with he had to help identify some of the people who perished and spoke of they had the look of fear on their faces. Also some family members were found scattered about some miles away from where they were last
The Aftermath of the Battle of Kamdesh Outpost Keating in the Afghanistan Province of Nuristan which ended in eight U.S. Soldiers deaths, Twenty-Five injured and 150 Taliban fighters dead, affected not only those directly involved in the conflict but the also the Army, it’s Soldiers families. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) which is described “an anxiety problem that develops in some people after extremely traumatic events, such as combat, crime, an accident or natural disaster” reared its ugly head becoming a real life challenge for some, others on that day made the ultimate sacrifice for their Country (Kazdin, 2000).
Chapter seven of this book focuses strongly on the religious aspects of healing in a storm or disaster. Many times, people look for someone to blame in the face of a storm. These storms do not have to be literal earth, wind, fire, or waves. They could be storms such as a marriage
You can’t save me if you don’t know I’m drowning. You can’t stop the voices in my head. You can’t stop the nightmares at night. You can’t stop the flashbacks. You can’t stop the horrors I see each day. You can’t stop the thoughts that race through my head (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). “You can’t patch a wounded soul with a band-aid” (Michael Connelly). You can’t save me but, I can save myself with your help. This disease will change a life without notice, without a care. Nevertheless PTSD is no pun, prank, trick, or gag; this is someone’s life that is changing for the worse; this could be you. You are not only a victim of PTSD but, also a bystander if you do not stand up and show that it is possible for you to defeat this reached