Posttraumatic Stress Disorder | Make Peace Not War

Military Families and Stress

Soldiers face a huge amount of stress and emotional upheaval in active war. The constant fear of losing their lives, fighting for their country and the trauma of having to take another’s life can be emotionally damaging. Another set of people who undergo a huge amount of such emotional distress is the families of such soldiers.

Having a member of one’s family leave home for battle is the equivalent of having a family member go out into the great unknown. Going about daily life knowing that someday there may be a knock on the door bringing in bad news is difficult. With children and elders at home, handling such delicate situations can be extremely difficult. Children ask questions on the whereabouts of a parent, the elders jump at the sound of the phone or the doorbell. Through it all, the strong one in the family has to maintain a façade of calm that can be nerve-wracking at times. In most cases, it has to be understood that such mental angst comes from supporting the soldiers and not necessarily the war they are fighting.

Families also undergo stress when their loved ones come back home. Whether they come home with an injury or not, there is mental trauma. Many soldiers come back with post-traumatic stress disorder. Dealing with such soldiers and maintaining the peace in the family can be quite difficult. If a soldier comes home with an injury, permanent or otherwise, it takes a massive toll on the family that is trying to look after him the best they can. They have to deal with tempers, emotions and pain while all time maintaining a calm face in front of family and friends.

Filed Under: Protests, Society Tagged With: Family, Health, Posttraumatic stress disorder

The Effect of War on Military Soldiers

Undoubtedly, war is not a simple experience. On the battlefield, war can be devastating on your nerves. For most soldiers, the emotional trauma of having been part of war does not end with the war or when they come back to the safety of their homes. In most cases, coming home is simply the beginning of a long road to getting better.

The most common aftermath of war is posttraumatic stress disorder. This refers to some extreme situations that soldiers may have faced, which are often beyond the scope of human nature. The experiences remain suppressed in them and can take a toll on their mental and physical health. The extent of PTSD as well as the severity of its manifestations varies with each soldier and their emotional capacity. For some it may just be about going into depression. For others, there could be triggers that lead into panic attacks or hyperventilation. In some extreme cases, hallucinations and the thought of being transported back to the field come into play.

This disorder has to be diagnosed and treated in the early stages itself. It can reach the stage of preventing the soldier from trying to lead a normal life. There have been cases of suicide attempts. While for the soldiers of yesteryear, advanced medical and psychological help was not available; today, science has advanced to a great extent. A soldier can now sign up for several forms of treatment as well as become a member of a veteran’s organization and get counseling. There is Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, medication that includes anti-depressants and the like that a soldier can use. Of course, these have to be undertaken with strict medical and family supervision.

Filed Under: News, War Tagged With: Health, Mental health, Posttraumatic stress disorder

Coping with PTSD

Posttraumatic stress disorder is an anxiety disorder caused by exposure to psychologically traumatizing events. These events overload the mind’s ability to cope with them and alter the biochemistry of the brain. This can lead to a variety of problems like aggression, irritability, flashbacks and more.

Treating PTSD should be done carefully. Some sufferers attempt to self-treat with a number of self-destructive behaviors. Some suffers may try to alleviate the psychological problems with alcohol or narcotics. Some also try to cope by retreating from the world and isolating themselves socially. Anger may be used to push the world away.

There are a number of healthy ways to cope with PTSD. Many of them include some sort of social interaction. Joining a PTSD support group can help suffers with their own problems by sharing and listening to other suffers talk about many of the same things that they may be experiencing. Members of such a group can rely on and lean on each other for support. Maintaining personal relationships with friends and family or speaking with a counselor can also help.

In addition to social coping practices, there are a number of personal practices. Those individuals with PTSD can educate themselves out it and learn relaxation exercises. They can also do things to distract themselves from certain thoughts and feelings by reading, watching non-threatening movies or television, and exercising. Spirituality has been shown to help people with PTSD.

As PTSD can alter brain biochemistry, medication can be beneficial. There are a wide variety of medications designed to combat the symptoms of PTSD like anger, flashbacks, nightmares, irritability, social anxiety, exaggerated startle response, etc.

PTSD can be dangerous. Its effects on people, their lives, their friends, family, and jobs can be complex and stressful. Treating PTSD should be done with care. Suffers should not think that there is no help out there for them or that they are alone. The help is there and waiting.

Filed Under: War Tagged With: Anxiety disorder, Posttraumatic stress disorder, Support group

What is PTSD?

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can be caused by psychologically traumatizing events. The events that can cause this disorder are numerous, but may involve experiencing the very real threat of death or some form of physical or even psychological injury. The disorder can come from personally experiencing this threat or witnessing the death or the threat of death or harm of someone else; and results from the overwhelming of the sufferer’s ability to cope with the experience.

The biochemistry of the brain has often been altered in those suffering from PTSD. The traumatic event may cause an overproduction of adrenaline that can change how a person responds to fearful situations in the future. The hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala are three areas of the brain that can be altered in PTSD. These changes can affect memory, emotional responses to stimuli, and even personality. A few of the other psychological or emotional effects can include flashbacks, nightmares, aggression, irritability, and intense distress when reminded of the traumatizing event.

One of the earliest reports of possible PTSD is described by Herodotus, a Greek historian, around 500 BC. He describes an uninjured soldier who goes blind after witnessing the death of another soldier. In more recent history, what is now believed to have been PTSD was then called battle fatigue or exhaustion, shell shock, or the thousand-yard stare – a detached, unfocused facial expression following a traumatic event.

Advances in the fields of neuroscience, psychology, and others allow a more detailed understanding of posttraumatic stress disorder and how to treat it. Therapy or counseling and medication are popular treatments. Biochemical changes in the brain are best treated with medications, but counseling or therapy can also be helpful for those attempting to return to a normal life after the traumatic experience.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Posttraumatic stress disorder

Why should we make peace?

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If you have kept up with the news, it is a fact that soldiers are dying daily due to the war in Iraq. You might believe that soldiers are meant to be tough. It surely is a shocker to learn that the number of soldiers who are dying in the war is on the rise. Regardless, the chance for the soldiers to die in a war is 100 percent higher than the civilians. The truth is that the war has not really been solving any problems at all. Remember the lyrics of the song, “War”, by Ugly Rumors? “War, what is it good for? Absolutely Nothing …” completely describes the situation.

Although all the damages and losses from the war in Iraq have brought to everyone’s attention, the situation does not stop or ban the military branches from playing their recruiting advertisements on television. As a result, plenty of soldiers who are newly recruited can look forward to get killed in Iraq very soon. No wonder organization like the United for Peace and Justice exists in order to spread out the anti-war message to everyone. The UFPJ holds different kinds of events to promote peace such as: protests, educational events, vigil, legislative action, etc. all over the world.

You might get an impression that most of the veterans are in a much better position than the soldiers in Iraq. No one can deny that the veterans are totally done and over with the war. However, many of them are suffering from PTSD. It is a non-curable mental disorder which can last for months, or maybe for years to come. Besides having PTSD, what happen to those veterans who have prosthesis due to severe injury? They will have a much harder time getting over with PTSD when looking at their prosthesis.

Filed Under: Training, Weapons Tagged With: Iraq, Iraq War, Posttraumatic stress disorder

Peace is The Answer

In a perfect world, everyone would love everyone, and there would be no conflict. Unfortunately, we do not live in a perfect world, and war does exist. We are fighting for peace and to protect our freedom. In the United States we have very dedicated men and women who are willing to put their lives on the line to do just that, protect us. Military families know all too well the effects of fighting for our freedom. They kiss their loved ones goodbye, and send them off to that unknown place, the war zone. They do not know when, or even if, they will see them again. There are many volunteer organizations to help these families cope. There are support groups to help them through the difficult times, when their loved ones are not with them, and they do not have any contact with them. There are organizations that allow these families to get together and at least, be with others who are experiencing the same sense of fear and uncertainty.

Hopefully, the soldiers will return, veterans of a war. This can be a very difficult time for both the soldier and his family. There are many organizations to help with this difficult time. There are Veterans’ hospitals all across the country to deal with physical injuries, which can range from not so serious, to loss of limbs, which require many surgeries and possibly prosthetic limbs. Another casualty of war can be the PTSD, or post traumatic stress disorder. Many of our brave have to relive the horror of seeing innocent people killed or the feeling of being threatened on a daily basis, in their minds. This disability requires ongoing psychiatric care and, wtih time and patience, hopefully a way back to their “life before war.”

Obviously peace is the answer, but until then at least we have organizations and efforts to help our soldiers cope with their experience.

Filed Under: Protests, Training, Volunteering Tagged With: Posttraumatic stress disorder, United States, Veteran

PTSD in Combat Veterans

Veterans who have experienced combat often have some kind of emotional reaction that can last long after they are home. If these emotional changes do not end after several months of being at home and away from the situation, the veteran may be experiencing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a form of anxiety disorder that occurs after a person has experienced a form of trauma. During the traumatic event one feels scared, anxious, hopeless and lost. PTSD sufferers often continue to feel these symptoms over and over, for weeks, months and even years.

Not all veterans experience PTSD, but those that do will need assistance in controlling their anxiety and fear. Veterans that are experience PTSD will often have these symptoms of fear and anxiety for longer than four weeks after they return home. There are four main symptoms of PTSD, these include reliving the event, avoiding situations that remind you of the event, feeling numb and feelings of hyperarousal.

For a veteran with PTSD, reliving the event may mean reliving combat when hearing a car backfire and thinking it is a gunshot. Avoiding situations that remind a veteran of an event may avoid visits from other veterans that they served with, avoid going to any veteran sponsored events and refusing to talk about their time in combat. Feeling numb can include the inability for a veteran to show feelings of love and affection to others, not being interested in activities they used to enjoy and the inability to actual remember parts of their traumatic combat experiences. Hyperarousal feelings include a quickness to anger, difficulties with sleep, difficulties with concentrating, easy to startle and always feeling on guard.

It is important that if a veteran is suffering from PTSD, they get assistance right away. A local Veteran’s Affairs hospital, civilian medical doctor or mental health therapist will be know how to help the veteran get help with talk therapy and possibly medications.

Filed Under: Weapons Tagged With: Posttraumatic stress disorder

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.

Filed Under: Casualties Tagged With: Disorders, Health, Mental health, Posttraumatic stress disorder, Psychological trauma, Soldier, Symptom, Veteran

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.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Anxiety, Disorders, Health, Mental health, Post-traumatic Stress, Posttraumatic stress disorder, Psychological trauma, Veteran

War Causes Death, Misery And Leaves The Survivors Vulnerable To Disorders

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Most war movies show the hero killing the enemy and coming back victorious to lead a happy life. However, the truth is that war veterans suffer from numerous stress disorders caused by the war experience. From exposure to chemicals and other harmful substances and emotional impact of killing large number of human beings to seeing friends, colleagues and seniors being killed on the field – there are numerous reasons why a veteran soldier comes back after war in a disturbed state.

People fail to understand that the veteran soldier will no longer be in a position to act as a productive member of the country and that he or she is also a casualty of the war. The person may be living but the person’s productive utility to the nation comes down drastically. In such a scenario, it is essential to consider this as a negative impact of war.

Veterans suffering from stress disorders cannot be simply forgotten. They will have to be treated and will have to be provided for. The families of the veterans will have to make sacrifices for many years after the war comes to an end. The government will have to incur expenses for medical treatment of the veteran. All this is has to be done when benefits arising from the war would have stopped accruing a long time ago.

From morality point of view, the stress and confusion that wars cause to veterans is immense. From the social point of view, the presence of such individuals poses uncomfortable questions for a society that wishes to reach the utopian stage where all individuals treat others with goodwill and respect. From the economic point of view, it is a huge drain because not only is fighting very expensive but the after effects of war also places a huge burden on the economy.

Filed Under: Casualties Tagged With: Military, Posttraumatic stress disorder, stress, United States, Veteran, Veterans Day, World War I, World War II