Destructive tendencies This can be exemplified by Dr. Van der Kolk’s recount of his experience at a veteran’s affairs office. This sparked my interest because in my hometown many of my friends have parents that have or are currently serving tours in various parts of the world. I was particularly excited to see if what he went through would relate to the experiences that I saw. He recalls a patient of his by the name of Tom suffering from PTSD that feels emotionally numb towards his wife and kids because they reminded him of his actions during the Vietnam War. PTSD is defined as exposure to a traumatic event that meets specific stipulations and symptoms from a set of four symptom clusters (DSM). The death of his comrade Alex was his stressor while his wife and child served as reminders of his actions during the war. …show more content…
Apart from his work he showed a lack of interest thing almost everything and was upset by how he felt no emotion towards his family. The intensity of his experience in Vietnam combined with his recurrent flashbacks and constant reminder of his shame allowed his brain to imprint it into his mind. Tom’s coping mechanisms were just cycles that led him back to square one. For example, his job of as an attorney kept him preoccupied with winning and took his mind off the vile acts he committed, offered relief from the nightmares, and got him excited. When the case was over his nightmares returned and he would have to be separated from his wife and kids to ensure their safety. His purpose vanished and he was left alone to deal with his demons by drinking, drugging, and engaging in reckless behavior just to calm down. His trauma pushed him to find any means of escape from his past. I feel that during these actions Tom was endeavoring to regain control of a situation he may have felt helpless in. I have seen this in a friend of