Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

When someone thinks about a person dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) he or she may consider the soldiers who have been to war and now have bad thoughts or dreams from fighting in this battle. This is what post traumatic stress disorder can be. It does occur from other situations, and mainly results after someone has had or seen some trauma in their life. It can leave the person without the ability to cope after this.

Thus it is possible to have PTSD after experiencing a war or on return as a veteran. How PTSD Affects When looking at how this affects someone, it is possible to see that PTSD is categorized by certain symptoms and signs. A doctor will need the details of the the traumatic event that happened to you. For a few people who have gone through this trauma, they can develop various signs and symptoms of PTSD that show mental, physiological or social changes. When people have PTSD they might state that they have nightmares constantly.

This can result in them being afraid to close their eyes at night. They can relive the traumatic event that they experienced. A person can have some form of anxiety that makes them refuse to even want to watch the news about any fighting or wards. In some cases, the sound of a car “back-firing” or a sudden pop of a balloon can trigger the memory of gunfire during the war.

This can lead to someone becoming withdrawn, sad, and feeling very low. At other times they feel nervous and uneasy. They can be quiet tired if they experience nightmares that keep them awake at night. The person might even feel nauseous. Keep in mind that this does not take minutes for PTSD to develop. In some people, it might show up after a few years. If you have a loved one like this, encourage them to get help.

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Symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Veterans

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War time can be an extremely stressful and trying time. Many soldiers experience events or witness things that are better left behind in the war zone. Unfortunately, those events don’t always stay in the war zone and live forever in the soldier’s mind. They often reply the event or what they saw over and over in the minds and it can lead to a lot of distressing problems in a soldier or veteran. The reliving of distressing events is known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD.

Many soldiers and veterans may be suffering from this disorder without realizing it. It is important for loved ones or friends to realize the signs of post traumatic stress disorder so that if their loved one is suffering from it they can encourage them to get professional help.

Here are the symptoms and signs a person is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.

Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Often times these people are reliving these events and have a problem with sleeping.

Irritability or Trouble concentrating on things.

Avoidance of talking about the event or area. Many times those suffering from the post traumatic stress disorder often will try not to refer to the place they were at or the event that occurred. When a person brings up the event watch for signs of irritability, anger or a number of issues that could be signs of post traumatic stress disorder.

Depression Symptoms. A lot of the symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder mimic those of depression. It can include mood swings, anger, suicidal thoughts, avoiding friends or loved ones, outbursts, sleeping a lot, fatigued and a number of other issues.

Noticing the signs of post traumatic stress disorder can help loved ones know if a veteran or soldier needs to seek medical help to treat the disorder. The sooner the problem is tackled the better chance they have of recovering.

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Basic Information on the National Center for PTSD

Being a veteran of war comes with a huge risk that the veteran will suffer from post traumatic stress disorder. Post traumatic stress disorder may not show signs immediately upon return from war but can gradually show up over time. The government in an effort to acknowledge the potential for post traumatic stress disorder has set up an exclusive branch of the veterans affairs office just for that.

The National Center for PTSD is a division of the veterans affairs office that is devoted to helping those that suffer from post traumatic stress disorder. This center can help tackle the issues that arise from suffering from post traumatic stress disorder ranging from financial assistance, therapy sessions, rehabilitation and even helping those at war re-acclimate themselves back into normal society.

Here are some of the services that the National Center for PTSD offers veterans who return from war.

Clinical Help. There is help finding the right placement for this type of disorder. This can range from figuring out if just therapy is needed or a more intense rehabilitation program will be needed.

Financial Assistance. While a veteran is dealing with the issues that arose from post traumatic stress disorder they will need financial help for themselves and their family. The Center for PTSD will help sort out the issue of medical bills, daily living costs and other financial issues that may arise such as disability or pensions that can be obtained if one suffers from post traumatic stress disorder.

Community Awareness. Friends and family members still do not realize the potential for post traumatic stress disorder that a veteran can have upon returning. The Center for PTSD works to educate family and friends about the risks and signs of post traumatic stress disorder. By having them educated they can see the signs of this disorder and get the veteran immediate help instead of waiting and having them struggle through it.

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Help Military Families: Make Peace, not War

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Everyone pays the terrible price of war in one form or another, but it is the military families, perhaps, that pay the most. If the family is extremely lucky, they must only endure the absence of their loved one for the duration of his or her tour of duty. That can be quite stressing in and of itself, never knowing for sure about the safety and well being of their brave service man or woman.

Many military families are not so lucky, however. All too often these families are faced with the tragic news of a terrible loss. If not death, then severe injury or the loss of limb that requires a prosthesis and a complete re-learning of how to do every day tasks. Then there are those military families who are grateful to have their loved one return seemingly unscathed, only to be faced with the horror that is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD.

What kind of efforts are there to help these military families cope with the consequences of war? Does anyone care? Certainly there are countless organizations all over the country that are dedicated to helping military families obtain the assistance they need, whether it be financial, medical, or psychological, but these organizations tend to be small and poorly funded. Their intentions are pure, their efforts heroic, but they can only do so much.

Perhaps the best effort to help military families should come in the form of prevention. Imagine how much the need for assistance could be reduced if the country could simply make peace, not war. There will admittedly be times when war is unavoidable and necessary to protect the freedoms that are right and good for this country. Waging war merely for political agendas and financial gain, however, speaks to a distorted sense of power and entitlement. Active protests against this kind of war would do far more for military families than any amount of recovery efforts ever will.

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