...PTSD in Veterans-Past and Present Joshua J. Cothern Wartime is something that has always been a part of the United States World whether that is directly or indirectly. Although we often have our iron in every fire war is a constant in the backyard of other countries, like Syria and Afghanistan. Our government for so long has expected so much from our soldiers and just recently are realizing that our veterans have come back quite often with symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Have we as citizens of the United States done enough for these veterans from a medical, social, and physiological perspective? Many people don’t see the stressors of war, personally I write this from the other side of the wall. Having served in Afghanistan as an Intelligence Analyst I know first hand what so many veterans have been through and what others will continue to go through. I will do all I can to not let my perception convolute this piece or the great work done in Faces in the Face of Death. Being on the front lines or anywhere in a war zone for that fact are going to have stressors more than the average citizen will ever be able to understand. Whether that be missing your family, no hot water, cold food, or just ran out of your nicotine fix to keep you up on watch for the next 12 hours after already working 8, the stressors are there. Most folks experience these basic stressors regularly-now lets get to the “war” portion of these stressors involve death and amputation...
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...spouse having PTSD include, divorce, marital unhappiness, and domestic violence. The symptoms PTSD including isolation, numbing and hyperarousal are correlated with the increase marital problems. Another marital stressor could be a veteran not feeling like their partners cannot understand their feelings of grief, anxiety and anger after experiencing a trauma. This in turn may make partners feel their efforts to help are often rejected. According to Sayers, “when a marriage is strained, the veteran lacks the social supports needed to overcome some of the problems e.g., depression, anxiety, etc. that are exacerbating the marital discord” (2009). Families with a veteran who has PTSD also experience more family violence. As previously mentioned, anger and outbursts are one of the diagnostic criteria’s for PTSD. According to Taft and Niles, veterans with PTSD are at a higher risk for anger, hostility, aggression, general violence, and relationship violence then veterans without PTSD. Veterans with PTSD from combat...
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...Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Unethical Business Practices and their Influence on Veteran Unemployment Chase Jeffrey Engel Georgetown University Abstract Military veterans have consistently experienced high unemployment rates. Challenging veterans’ efforts in finding and maintaining employment is the issue of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Exacerbating this problem, is civilian employers’ utilization of deficient hiring and employment practices. In particular, employers have developed a sense of fear and uncertainty about PTSD. These perceptions often prove to be a reason why employers choose not to select veteran candidates for employment. Additionally, organizations fail to successfully acclimate and socialize new veteran employees (who do or may suffer from PTSD) into the organization’s culture. Such failures can lead veteran employees to quit their job. Together, the deficient hiring and employment practices displayed towards former service members have significant ethical implications that serve as the catalyst for high unemployment rates for the veteran population. To minimize these implications and to improve veteran employment opportunities, organizations’ human resources (HR) departments must develop and incorporate new approaches to hiring and employing veterans who do or may suffer from PTSD. Keywords: PTSD, invisible disability, human resources, implicit bias Post-Traumatic...
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...An estimated 7.7 million adults suffer from PTSD in the United States in a given year, with the number of cases in the military continuing to rise. Unlike males, females are twice as likely to develop PTSD, with an average of one out of ten people affected. According to VA, experts estimate that up to 20 % of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans, up to 10 % of Gulf War veterans, and up to 30 % of Vietnam War veterans have experienced post traumatic stress symptoms(PTSD Statistics, 2017). PTSD is not an anxiety disorder limited to combat veterans, and individuals of any age and gender may suffer from this condition at any time of their life. The stress caused by the trauma not only affects an individual's mental health, but can also affect emotional and physical well-being as well. Symptoms can range from sleep disturbances, panic attacks, depression, substance abuse to suicidal thoughts, etc (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, 2017)....
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...There are many different people in this world who suffer from PTSD for many reasons. PTSD for soldiers is a lot worse than others because when they go overseas they do and see things that no one has ever seen or done before. PTSD is a life changing disorder because people wonder what PTSD is and some may think it’s a mental disorder but for some people it's their lives. PTSD comes in many forms and for many different reasons but for some people who are battling PTSD cannot control their feelings and emotions, but we should not think of them differently they are people too. PTSD is a health problem that some people experience after a life threating event or witness something traumatic. But overall PTSD is a debilitating disorder that has many effects on people's lives....
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...Wakefield Dr. Tina Redd Writing 122 October 25, 2013 Gun Control for Veterans Diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder In the wake of all the recent school and military base shootings, our government and other entities are trying to pinpoint the “why” for these tragedies. Circumstances vary in each incident, but there is a common factor - the use of guns, and in a few of these incidents, the shooter has been a member or veteran of our United States military, who may or may not have been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Although PTSD is not a new condition and affects all walks of life and occupations, including child abuse victims to emergency responders, focus for gun control is on those that have recently been diagnosed with PTSD after serving our country in both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. PTSD is a condition naturally resulting from trauma exposure and not exclusive to American military service members. An estimated 8% of Americans will experience PTSD. Women are twice as likely as men to develop symptoms and seven million U.S adults (3.6%) have PTSD during the course of a given year. Intense feelings of fear, helplessness and stress patients endure can be caused by physical, emotional, sexual abuse, or drug addiction. Exposure to occupational horror, violence, grief or trauma, including law enforcement, medical professionals, emergency workers and soldiers, can all cause PTSD. It is a natural, human response to tragedy or suffering. (Madison)....
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...Interventions for Combat Veterans Suffering from PTSD Name Academic Institution Author Note Class Professor Date Group Therapy Interventions for Combat Veterans Suffering from PTSD The process of group therapy can be extremely beneficial for individuals suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the interventions used in the group therapy setting must be appropriate to each individual within the group, adding a level of complexity to the job of the therapist choosing the interventions. By using a number of different therapeutic theories and interventions, the therapist can hope for the best possible results for the group as a whole and for the individual clients. Some of the most flexible therapeutic frameworks that work well in group therapy settings are cognitive-behavioral therapy, solution-focused therapy, and psychoeducation. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a popular therapeutic framework that has been used with great success with patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. One intervention suitable to the group therapy setting is thought-stopping. Thought-stopping involves analyzing the thought patterns our brains have created and interrupting the process at the point where thoughts begin to turn irrational. For example, in the group therapy setting a member of the group may report that while walking on the sidewalk one day, a man began to approach from the opposite direction and the group member, a combat veteran, had a flashback to...
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...Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), the invisible wound, affects 11% of veterans of the war in Afghanistan and 20% of Iraqi war veterans (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD: A Growing Epidemic / Neuroscience and PTSD Treatments, 2009). The diagnosis of PTSD or the suspicion that one has PTSD alone does not label a combat veteran as violent. There may be other factors at play which could make the person a threat or that may play a role in a crime already committed such as emotional disorders or substance abuse. Violence such as abuse or assault with a deadly weapon taken in the context of war may be adaptive and appropriate because anger instincts are often difficult to reconcile into everyday life. If treated, post-9/11 combat veterans diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder typically are not dangerous and do not pose a...
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...Traumatic Stress Disorder Sub Topics: Chronic PTSD in Vietnam Veterans PTSD in Iraq War Veterans SOURCE 1: What is PTSD? Retrieved on 13 Nov. 2011 http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/what-is-ptsd.asp UNDERSTANDING PTSD Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can occur after you have been through a traumatic event. A traumatic event is something horrible and scary that you see or that happens to you. During this type of event, you think that your life or others' lives are in danger. You may feel afraid or feel that you have no control over what is happening. Anyone who has gone through a life-threatening event can develop PTSD. These events can include: * Combat or military exposure * Child sexual or physical abuse * Terrorist attacks * Sexual or physical assault * Serious accidents, such as a car wreck. * Natural disasters, such as a fire, tornado, hurricane, flood, or earthquake. After the event, you may feel scared, confused, or angry. If these feelings don't go away or they get worse, you may have PTSD. These symptoms may disrupt your life, making it hard to continue with your daily activities. How does PTSD develop? All people with PTSD have lived through a traumatic event that caused them to fear for their lives, see horrible things, and feel helpless. Strong emotions caused by the event create changes in the brain that may result in PTSD. Most people who go through a traumatic event have...
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...to the Middle East show high levels of emotional distress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Both active duty and reserve component soldiers who have fought in the war (i.e. experienced combat) have been exposed to high levels of traumatic stress. As a consequence, many have gone on to develop a wide range of mental health problems such as PTSD. “According to researchers, PTSD is a long-term reaction to war-zone exposure that can last up to a few minutes, hours, several weeks, and for some a lifetime.” Common symptoms include: emotional numbing, anxiety, feelings of guilt, and depression. If the disorder turns chronic veterans may experience functional impairment (Friedman, M. J. et al., 1994, p. 265).” PTSD is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders from veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. In general, the younger veterans are the more likely they are to develop PTSD when deployed. Deployment related issues from veterans may have a devastating impact on their relationships back home. “Numerous research studies have linked PTSD to family relationship problems (Goff, Crow, Reisberg, &ump; Hamilton, 2006).” PTSD is likely to be “the” contributor to relationship problems that are not related to deployments. Spouses or partners of veterans who are diagnosed with PTSD are at greater risk of hostility and aggression in their relationship than spouses whose veterans are not diagnosed. To combat this direction and effective coping skills have been shown to improve...
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...Using Meditation to Treat PTSD Att Yuwana PSY/315 9 July 2015 Vivian Surwill Using Meditation to Treat PTSD It is no secret that our men and women of the military may suffer from a traumatic experience. According to the VA, the numbers are as follows: • Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Enduring Freedom (OEF): About 11-20 out of every 100 Veterans (or between 11-20%) who served in OIF or OEF have PTSD in a given year. Gulf War (Desert Storm): About 12 out of every 100 Gulf War Veterans (or 12%) have PTSD in a given year. • Vietnam War: About 15 out of every 100 Vietnam Veterans (or 15%) were currently diagnosed with PTSD at the time of the most recent study in the late 1980s, the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study (NVVRS). It is estimated that about 30 out of every 100 (or 30%) of Vietnam Veterans have had PTSD in their lifetime. (How Common is PTSD? (n.d.) Many have tried to come up with an effective treatment to help our service members suffering through PTSD. Although there are many types of treatment therapy and medication, this article will focus on using forms of meditation like Transcendental Meditation (TM) or yoga to help veterans suffering through PTSD. Veterans with PTSD There are many forms of treatment, the most common being a combination of therapy and medication. However as in all treatments in psychology, not all people respond well and others don’t find it effective. This causes many veterans to stop seeking treatment...
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...Military Veterans From research studies, military veterans aren’t well compensated for their service in the military. Not only are they not well compensated, there were many combat soldiers coming home with anger issues, PTSD, depression, and other psychological problems. According to research, half of the homeless individuals are military veterans not just an opinion but it’s a proven fact. Veterans are often not honored, as they should be. Why aren’t they? Another question is why aren’t our veterans not well taken care of? No health insurance for veterans First, scientific studies show that working age veterans don’t have health insurance. According to Genevieve Kenney, a senior fellow with the Urban Institute and co-author of the report...
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...Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Necessary Improvements the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and United States Department of Defense Must Make Abstract Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a mental anxiety disorder, affects 13% to 20% of armed force members returning from Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) (Hoge, et. al, 2004), in addition to a large population of Vietnam Veterans. Within the past 32 years, awareness of this disorder has escalated and the realism of the severity of this disorder has been noticed. Efforts to screen and treat PTSD in military veterans have been established by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Screening is conducted once military personnel return from deployment and treatments including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Exposure Therapy, and medications are used to relieve the symptoms of PTSD. These screening and treatment methods are evaluated and s suggestion for improvement is made. Necessary Improvements the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the United States Department of Defense Must Make With Regards to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder In current political debate, the United States is arguing where budget cuts should be made and how the U.S. should go about spending money. The U.S. military is consistently brought up in these considerations. In such considerations, topics such as downsizing the military and the...
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...Should Veterans receive better health benefits? Flash backs, sleeping problems, guilt, tension, constantly stressed, and frightening thoughts are just a few symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Most veterans are diagnosed with having PTSD. According to Mayo clinic staff, PTSD is a mental health condition triggered by experiencing or seeing a terrifying event. PTSD will usually begin within 3 months of a traumatic event. PTSD symptoms are grouped into four different categories: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, and changes in emotional reactions. Simple things as hearing a car backfire can send a victims mind back to combat, and they would relive their experiences. “About 11-20 out of every...
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...Stress Disorder (PTSD). It is a common disorder found in soldiers in the United States military who have been to war. PTSD can cause many health and social issues. In order to help soldiers cope with PTSD and lead normal lives the government should focus more the counseling programs available for soldiers once they return from war. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is “the psychiatric diagnosis now given to a set of reactive symptoms that results from experiencing a traumatic event or a series of such events” (Nidiffer and Leach 1). During The Revolutionary War the soldiers began showing signs of emotional stress and started to refuse to fight. By doing so the soldiers have been viewed as cowards and were treated as though they were deserters of the military. Most of these soldiers were discharged due psychiatric problems, so rather than getting them help they just sent the soldiers back to civilian life. However, “by the end of the war Benjamin Rush, a physician of the period, became among the first to suggest that rehabilitation in some form would be better than mere punishment…Rush’s efforts to understand mental disorders and to promote humane treatment for those patients suffering from it set the foundation for American efforts to better respond to mental health needs and began the slow progression towards treating rather than scourging soldiers suffering from PTSD” (Nidiffer and Leach 7). Over the next few wars following The Revolutionary War PTSD and other combat...
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