PTSD In Military Veterans

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PTSD in Military Service Members As military service members return home from combat, they are greeted with a much worse war than actual war; the war that takes place inside their own minds. While it is not literal, physical war, it is a mental illness known as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Post-traumatic stress disorder is a complex mental illness that has a profound impact on the lives of military members and veterans. Miller, et al. (2013) mention that “Over 2 million service members have been deployed to combat zones in Afghanistan, Iraq, and related areas…with rates of PTSD generally estimated between 10% and 20%” (p. 979). PTSD is better understood by looking at the disorder, possible causes of PTSD, how the PTSD defense is …show more content…
What is post-traumatic disorder and what are the causes? PTSD is defined by Xue, et, al (2015) as, “a complex and chronic disorder caused by exposure to a traumatic event, is a common psychological result of current military operations. It causes substantial distress and interferes with personal and social functioning” (p. 11). A person’s ability to interact with others and their ability to be emotionally sound are involved in a person’s functioning. PTSD can alter how a person may react within social settings. A person may have increased anxiety in amusement parks or situations where large amounts of people are attending. While PTSD dates back centuries, it is only first recognized in the DSM III manual in the 1980’s (Creamer, et. al, 2011, p. 160). The disorder was only thought to be a form of “shell-shock”; thus, it made mental illness treatment harder to obtain. However, after the Vietnam War people became more heavily involved in the research and treatment of veterans. As military members returned from Vietnam, they sought out treatment for their increased anxieties and perceived mental illnesses. The diagnosis, research, and treatment process of the disorder …show more content…
23). While PTSD is often hard to explain because of its complexity, there are ranges of symptoms that can be associated with it. Symptoms can include irritability, insomnia, feelings of being detached, suicidal tendencies, anger, guilt, and constant fear. Smith (2016) points out that the aggressive behavior that typically occurs with PTSD from a constant “need” to survive situations (p.1). In some aspects, those who experience PTSD are constantly in a “fight or flight” situation. Fireworks, being in large crowds, or even hearing gunfire, can set off the disorder. Heightened PTSD in military members is thought to be a product of childhood trauma (Miller, et al, 2013, p. 979), combat role (Sparr, 2013, p. 24), sexual violence (Suris, et. al, 2013, p. 28), and other related psychiatric disorders (Lehrner & Yehuda, 2014 p. 2). Childhood trauma can play a role in how extreme certain cases of PTSD can be. Miller, et. al (2013) state, “At low levels of combat exposure, a higher degree of childhood abuse was associated with increased PTSD severity. At high levels of combat exposure, a higher degree of childhood abuse was associated with lower PTSD severity”
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