Download PTSD, TBI, STS, and You

PTSD, TBI, &
Life After
Combat
courtesy of
www.FamilyOfaVet.com
Post-Deployment Alphabet
Soup
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS)
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
PTSD
Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder
The elephant in every
post-deployment room.
What is PTSD?
• PTSD is clinically defined by five clinical
factors:
o The person has been exposed to a traumatic event (such as
combat).
o The traumatic event is repeatedly re-experienced in distress,
nightmares, or other disturbances.
o The person attempts to avoid or numb their responsiveness to the
trauma through various methods such as avoiding thoughts,
activities, or people that remind them of the trauma.
o These symptoms are persistent and last for longer than one
month.
o These symptoms cause significant distress and/or impairment in
social, occupational or other areas of functioning.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth Edition.
Copyright 1994; American Psychiatric Association.
And what does that
REALLY mean?
Essentially you’ve been in combat and have seen a
lot of dead people, have been in situations where
dying was a real possibility, had to kill combatants and
been “on edge” for a long period of time.
Your brain is struggling to “come back to normal”.
Your brain doesn’t understand that you are back in a
safe and secure situation and continues to overreact
as if it were still in combat.
PTSD Symptoms
There are three kinds of PTSD Symptoms:
o Psychological
o Stuff going on in your head.
o Behavioral
o Stuff you are doing because of stuff going on in your head.
o Physical
o Physical symptoms a doctor can look at and analyze.
Psychological Symptoms
•
•
•
•
•
•
Depression
Anxiety
Guilt
Avoidance/Lack of Emotion
Intrusive Thoughts
Hallucinations
Behavioral
Symptoms
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Extreme rage
Short fuse
Isolating yourself
Alcohol or drug abuse
Always being “on
guard” (Hypervigilant)
Feeling numb
Memory problems
Lack of concentration
Nightmares
• Unable to fall asleep or
stay asleep
• Being easily startled
• Low self-esteem
• Feeling hopeless about
the future
• Not wanting to
see/hear anything that
reminds you of combat
• Lack of appetite
and/or overeating
Physical Symptoms
• Headaches
o Constant or intermittent
o Varying degrees from mild to migraine
• Rapid Heart Rate
o Especially when reminded of traumatic events or “for no particular
reason”.
• Sweating
o Especially when reminded of traumatic events or “for no particular
reason”.
Crunch the Numbers
• According to various studies approximately 20%
(between 12-25%) or more veterans returning from
combat operations have PTSD symptoms.
• Based on the approximately 2 million soldiers who
have deployed into Operation Enduring Freedom,
Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New
Dawn that means at least 400,000 PTSD veterans.
• Less than half (200,000) of these will seek treatment.
STS
Secondary
Traumatic Stress
Because living with someone with PTSD
can actually cause PTSD.
Secondary Traumatic
Stress
STS (also called Secondary
PTSD) is essentially PTSD caused
by PTSD. It can affect:
Spouses
Children
Parents
Loved ones
STS Symptoms
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Depression
Anxiety
Frustration
Anger
Unable to Sleep
Unable to Concentrate
Irrational Behavior
Crying
An inability to cope with daily tasks
Crunch the Numbers
• Approximately 40% of those who care for someone with
PTSD will develop STS.
• Using our earlier PTSD number, if we consider only
spouses, approximately 160,000 spouses will develop STS
from their veteran’s PTSD.
• Remember, this number just includes spouses, not other
loved ones such as parents, children, and siblings.
• Less than 10% of those who have Secondary PTSD will
seek help. That means approximately 145,000 spouses
are going untreated for STS.
PTSD &
Children
Keeping PTSD from affecting
our next generation.
STS in Children
Here are a few of the symptoms children can exhibit
when they have Secondary PTSD:
• Extreme mood changes, irritability;
• Losing creativity and interest in activities they would
typically enjoy;
• Loneliness, withdrawal and pulling away;
• Acting out more than a child should at their age;
• Fighting and trying to harm siblings;
• Attempting to take on more than they should at
their age;
• Suddenly getting into an unusual amount of trouble
and taking place in violent acts.
TBI
Traumatic Brain
Injury
When blasts damage more
than it may first appear.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
If you were ever exposed to a blast, TBI is a very
possible problem. Symptoms include:
o Headaches and/or neck
pain that will not go away.
o Difficulty concentrating,
remembering, or making
decisions.
o Slowness in thinking, acting,
speaking, or reading.
o Getting lost or easily
confused.
o Feeling tired all the time –
having no energy or
motivation.
o Mood changes (feeling sad
and/or angry for no
reason).
o Changes in sleep patterns
(Sleeping more or difficulty
sleeping).
o Lightheadedness, dizziness,
and/or loss of balance.
o Increased sensitivity to light,
sound, and/or distractions.
o Nausea.
o Blurred vision or eyes that
tire easily.
o Loss of smell or taste.
o Ringing in the ears.
o Depression and/or anxiety.
Crunch the Numbers
• Approximately 22.8% of soldiers returning from
combat are likely to have TBI. This number is
relative. Sources have indicated numbers both
above and below this ranging from 15%-30%+.
• Based on our number of approximately 2 million
deployed soldiers, that would mean over 450,000
veterans with TBI.
• The vast majority of these cases are mild and likely
to go untreated, especially if the blast was
unreported to medical personnel.
Should my vet be screened for TBI?
The Veteran’s Administration uses these four question to
decide if a veteran needs to be screened for TBI. If your
veteran answers “Yes” to all four questions, he or she should
be seen as soon as possible at your nearest military or
veteran medical facility.
1. Were you exposed to a trauma or blast while in Iraq or
Afghanistan?
2. As a result of the trauma or blast did you have a loss or
alteration in consciousness (see stars, have bell rung, feel
disoriented or confused)?
3. Did you develop problems with headache, insomnia,
dizziness, thinking, or behavior immediately to soon after the
trauma or blast?
4. Do you still have the problems with headache, insomnia,
dizziness, thinking difficulties or behavior that you developed
immediately to soon after the trauma or blast?
How do I talk to my child about TBI?
• Be honest.
• Give age-appropriate information.
• Watch for signs of stress.
• Let everyone talk about their feelings.
• Keep life as normal as possible.
Recap
400,000 with PTSD
450,000+ with TBI
160,000+ with STS (just spouses)
You are
ABSOLUTELY
not alone!
Where Do We Go
From Here?
• Realize there is a problem.
• Educate yourself about the symptoms and signs.
• Actively encourage the veteran to seek help,
• Courage is the key to seeking treatment.
• Help each other by creating your own support
network.
Resources
•
•
•
•
•
•
Mental Health
Family Advocacy
Military Family Support Group
Chaplain
www.familyofavet.com
www.va.gov