Download Living and Coping With Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

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Living and Coping With Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
By: Jessica Whitney
University of Texas at Dallas
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Introduction
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) generally has an effect on many military
personnel. PTSD is an illness that several American soldiers suffer from due traumatic events
that apprehend the individual’s brain and conception. This psychological disorder became
prevalent during events such as the Vietnam War, Korean War, World War I, World War II, and
Gulf War. Over a lifetime span 10-30% of soldiers will suffer from PTSD, 6-11% returning
soldiers from Afghanistan have PTSD, 12-20% returning soldiers from Iraq have PTSD, and
20% of soldiers equaling over 300,000 that has been deployed in the past six years have PTSD
(www.winoverptsd.com). According to Ditlevsen and Elklit (2010), men and women show
differences in the age distribution of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) prevalence during
their lifespan. The purpose of this paper is to examine how people living with PTSD learn to
accept and seek treatment for coping with this disorder. Furthermore, this paper will provide an
in-depth understanding PTSD, explain the signs and symptoms along with its affects and scope
on military veterans.
PTSD and Occurrences
PTSD occurs after someone has been exposed to a trauma inducing experience. This can
include things like: mental abuse, natural disasters (tornados, hurricanes, and earthquakes),
accidents (car, death, and fire), wars, rape, and unemployment just to name a few. Over the
years thousands of journal articles have been written about PTSD. The American Psychological
Association describes PTSD as a diagnostic category that has been recognized in children as well
as adults. The major criterion for PTSD is that the trauma is caused by an extraordinary event
that is outside the range of normal experience (APA, 1994). Major symptoms of PTSD are reexperiencing parts of the trauma in intrusive recollections, dreams, waves of panic, or fears of
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recurrence; experiencing emotional withdrawal or denial; and experiencing hyper-arousal
symptoms or behaviors such as sleep disturbances, feelings of guilt, or irritability (APA, 1994).
In reference, to the DSM-IV-TR (1994) PTSD can occur at any age, including childhood.
The occurrence of signs and symptoms of PTSD ranges from person to person. Signs and
symptoms of PTSD can start immediately after a terrifying event has taken place or they can be
delayed by days, weeks, months, and in some cases years. There is no set time on how or when
symptoms will occur. On the other hand, the length of time it takes for signs and symptoms
varies. Complete recovery of PTSD occurs within three months in some cases; however, many
people have constant signs and symptoms lasting twelve months or longer following a traumatic
event (DSM-IV-TR 1994).
PTSD Attributes
The leading attributes of PTSD are exposure to an extreme traumatic stressor involving
direct personal experience of an event that involves actual or threatened death or serious injury,
or threat to one’s physical integrity; or witnessing an event that involves death, injury, or threat
to the physical integrity of another person; or learning about unexpected or violent death, serious
harm, or threat of death or injury experienced by a family member or other close associate
(DSM-IV-TR 1994). Depending on the severity and type of traumatic events, an individual may
experience PTSD.
After going through any type of trauma or life threatening experience, it is not unusual
for someone to remove themselves for activities that they once enjoyed. These activities may
include but are not limited to spending time with family, attending work, and participating in
social or church groups. Individuals with PTSD may have difficulties sleeping, harsh
nightmares, reliving the event through flashbacks, and avoiding conversations. Some people
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hide or disregard their feelings assuming that they will go away, while others tend to seek
professional counseling to cope with their problems. PTSD is classified as an Axis I disorder
(Roth & Fonagy, 2005). Axis I disorder is described as the development and distinction of a
standard form of symptoms in reaction to being exposed to an unwanted traumatic event
(Hemsley, 2010). PTSD is an anxiety disorder that affects a person’s memory, nervous system,
and intellectual process in which they have been involved in some type of traumatic event.
The tragedies of September 11, 2001 and the Iraq/Afghanistan war marked memories for
many veterans, increased incitement of emotions, and caused severe changes in personalities.
Being exposed to acts of sexual abuse directed toward the victim that resulted in an increase
emotional response of fear, helplessness, or horror (Budrionis & Jongsmas, 2003, p. 50).
Cases of PTSD
Sgt. Jonquil Walker, whom the author of this paper interviewed, suffers with PTSD and
he explained how he realized something was wrong with him following the death of his best
friend. While riding through the fields in Iraq on a hot, dusty day in September of 2010 Sgt.
Walker and his soldiers were attacked by a bombing. In the mist of the bombing his best friend
was bombed directly in front of his eyes. He started yelling, “Sgt. Hendon, Sgt. Hendon” and he
did not respond. He picked his friend up and started back shooting and running to a safe zone.
After getting to a safe zone Sgt. Walker said, he remember saying, “Wake up Hendon. You are
going to be okay. We have been together since third grade. Wake up please!” Even though he
knew his friend was already deceased he was hoping that he would wake up. In the mist of Sgt.
Walker carrying Sgt. Hendon, his blood managed to get all over him. Sgt. Walker said, “He
washed his hands so much until they became raw.”
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After witnessing the death of his best friend during war, he noticed that he began having
a hard time dealing with the death by reliving that terrifying day. It was a few days after that he
began having sleepless nights, nightmares, mood changes, and flashbacks. Upon returning home
from war, he went to the doctor because he was concerned about what was going on with him.
The doctor began asking him a list of questions related to PTSD and he answered yes to all of
them. The doctor said, “I am afraid to tell you, you have PTSD.” That statement changed his
life instantly. Not knowing how he would adjust to life having PTSD was a huge concern, so he
immediately began treatment and counseling. According to Sgt. Walker, he was uncomfortable
around large crowds of people because it brought back memories of the war. In addition to large
crowds, sudden movement triggers makes him snap and his motivation decreased tremendously.
Sgt. Walker stated, “It is hard for him to make a sound decision on anything and he became very
quiet and distant from people.”
Sgt. Walker mentioned towards the end of the interview that PTSD has taken a toll on his
life both mentally and physically. It has made his love for children stronger but has made him
distant from adults. For Sgt Walker, it is easy for him to communicate with other soldiers who
have PTSD because they can relate to each other. Sgt. Walker said, “A person has to know how
to distinguish military PTSD from regular PTSD.” He also said, “When you do not get help you
are hurting yourself unnecessary. Do not be afraid or ashamed to get the treatment you need
because the treatment is what will get you through this illness.” Even though, post traumatic
stress disorder is not a physical wound it is a wound in the mind that can cause someone to do
something they did not mean to do. Sgt Walker’s motivation is to encourage people to take a
stand and get help if they feel they are experiencing any signs and symptoms of PTSD. He uses
his personal experience to help someone not go through this alone. Therefore, with Sgt. Walker
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sharing his victories and trials this gives others suffering with PTSD motivation to seek help and
counseling.
Listening and watching YouTube videos, “Veterans’ Voice on PTSD- “I didn’t recognize
it in myself”, “Battle Scars: Living With PTSD- Part One and Part Two” different military
soldiers share their personal story on PTSD. None of them knew they had PTSD but they all
knew something was wrong because they started acting totally different from their normal way.
Although, it was not until months or years later they started to experience the signs and
symptoms when it hit all at once. All of the soldiers had similar experiences like yelling,
jumping up, angry, fighting, alcohol, stress, distance from family, and not wanting to do
anything. It was not until they reached out for medical help, counseling and therapy that they
were able to cope with their PTSD and get it under control. . The above videos were posted
nationwide, therefore it affected people suffering from PTSD and those that were not directly
link to PTSD. Meaning their family members were not diagnosed with PTSD, but had empathy
for other families.
Social and Cultural Factors Surrounding PTSD
Living with PTSD not only affects the soldier it affects the soldiers family as well.
Although, PTSD happens while the soldier is away at war or while working on base it follows
them home. The family is impacted tremendously because they have to learn how to cope with
their loved one suffering from PTSD. Not knowing what to do or say to your loved one because
you do not want to bring back memories of what he/her experienced can be stressful and
depressing. According to Sgt.Walker, “military marriages end within three years whether it is to
deployment or PTSD.” Families have to struggle with constant relocation, soldier being absent
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from the home, not seeing their children go up, wondering if they will get a phone call saying
their loved one is killed or severely injured, infidelity, and a host of other things.
Some soldiers that suffer from PTSD have a stronger and greater love for their families
and some do not. In most cases, the soldier become distant from their families, not wanting to do
anything, quiet, reserve, angry, yelling, picking fights, violent, drinking, drugs, and hopeless just
to name a few. It is common for them to not want to be around strangers, not have open arms,
loving hearts, do not want to go outside often, intimacy is hard, and certain sounds and smells
irritate them. Military soldiers that suffer from PTSD have to learn to trust again because they
feel people are against them. Even though, they have a spouse, children, family and friends
before they leave those people become strangers to them because they have to relearn who they
are and regain their trust. PTSD can affect the soldier and their families in many different ways.
In some cultures, they do not like to talk about what they have gone through or what they
are going through. They prefer to deal with the problem on their own. This can be very
challenging because others have to try to figure out what is wrong with the soldier. For some
cultures, the male will talk about his experience to a female, to protect her. In other cultures, the
male may not talk about his experience with another male because he is ashamed. Other cultures
may find ways to relax instead of talking about their problem. From an unknown author,
“Whites will get help faster than any other race and African Americans are least likely to get
help.”
Reflecting back to previous readings like “Viruses, Plagues and History”, “The Ghost
Map”, “Digital Contagions”, and the movie “Outbreak” all of them spoke about viruses and how
they infected people in different ways. Viruses, Plagues, and History refers to the land
purchased being infected with viruses, The Ghost Map refers to the water being contaminated
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and the entire town becoming ill, Digital Contagions refers to computers being infected with
computer viruses and Outbreak refers to airborne viruses. They are all different viruses with an
epidemic, manage to spread virally to reach a large number of people but affect people
differently in one way or the other. All of these combined together is a combination of PTSD.
PTSD and Policies
For some military soldiers suicide is their way out. More soldiers are committing suicide
now than before. This is a problem that is happening while soldiers are deployed, working on
base and when they return home to their families. For some being exposed to so many different
things they do not know how to deal with the exposure. Some soldiers go into a depression
mode and start to relive what they have seen and commit suicide. Others may feel threatened,
helpless, scared, alone, or not loved turn to suicide. There are soldiers who suffer tremendously
from PTSD and do not get help and take their life because they do not know how to deal with it
or afraid of getting help because they are afraid of what others may think of them. There are
other mental issues that can play a part in soldiers killing themselves. Every branch of the
military have lost soldiers to suicide whether it was during deployment, on base, or when they
returned home from deployment. This problem will continue to get worse if soldiers are not
properly treated.
Treatment for PTSD
Treatment for PTSD is very important to your recovery. Even though the memories,
emotions, and flashbacks will never go away completely, an individual with PTSD will learn
how to deal with their reactions when faced with memories and feelings of horrifying incidents.
PTSD can be treated by group therapy, family therapy, medication, and support groups. Group
therapy helps build relationships with other people who have PTSD and helps builds self
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confidence. It also teaches the person how to deal with the emotions, pain, guilt, and fear.
Family therapy involves the whole family and helps by improving communication skills,
educating the family on PTSD, and learning several coping strategies. Medication can be
prescribed to help reduce anxiety and depression as well as other symptoms. Also, medication
can be given to help a person sleep. Support groups may help to ease the pain because they
know what you are going through and how you feel. They can give you inspiration to want to
get help and tell others about your story.
Conclusion
After an in-depth research on PTSD, there are a range of things that can contribute to the
development of PTSD. Definitions, occurrences, attribute, cases, social and cultural factors,
policies, and treatments were discussed. Post traumatic stress disorder can take over an
individual’s mind and body. It is important for anyone who is suffering from this illness to
receive proper treatment before they become a threat to themselves and others. It is common for
someone to not realize they have the signs and symptoms of PTSD. If you observe someone
who has the signs and symptoms of PTSD encourage them to get help before it is too late. There
is nothing wrong with reaching out for help.
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References
Ditlevsen, D., Elklit, A. (2010). The combined effect of gender and age on post traumatic
stress disorder: do men and women show differences in the lifespan distribution of the
disorder? Annals of General Psychiatry. Vol. 9 (32).
www.winoverptsd.com
DSM-IV-TR. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorder. (4th ed.).
Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
Walker, Jonquil Sgt His Personal Story. El Paso, TX 2012
Hemsley, Christine. (2010). Why this trauma and why now? The contribution that psychoDynamic theory can make to the understanding of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Counselling Psychology Review, Vol. 24 (2)
Cadet Rhodes92. YouTube: Battle Scars: Living with PTSD Part One and Part Two. United
States 2012
James, R. K. (2008). Crisis intervention strategies (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Budrionis, R & Jongsma, A. E., Jr., PH.D (2003) The Sexual Abuse Victim and Sexual Offender
Treatment Planner
MakeTheConnection.net. YouTube: Veterans’ Voice on PTSD- “I didn’t recognize it in
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Nemeroff, C., Bremmer, J., Foa, E., Mayberg, H., North, C. & Stein, M. (2006). Posttraumatic
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