Post-traumatic Stress Disorder - Essay Example

?Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Introduction It is human nature to get nervous or feel anxious as part of their daily lifestyle, particularly during certain ‘out-of-ordinary’ situations. On the positive side, this little anxiety can actually help the individuals to channelize and focus their energy as well as attention in the right path. On the other hand, when this anxiety reaches more than normal levels or extreme levels based on the severity of the situations (for example: War-like situations), individuals will enter the state of helplessness and uncertainty, leading to accumulation of stress. This resultant stressed mind negatively affects individuals’ ability to function normally and wrecks their daily life, further causing depression and in extreme cases psychological disorders. That is, in a stressed and depressed state, individuals may not be able to utilize their physical as well as mental parts optimally. When that happens there will be a poor match between the personal, societal expectations and the functional ability of the individuals, which in turn leads to disorientation of individuals’ psychological systems causing disorders like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Background about PTSD and the main claim or theme PTSD, an anxiety and stress related psychological disorder, can develop in individuals, when he/she is exposed to a shocking event or ordeal, during which grave mental torture or physical harm has occurred. Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD may include violent personal assaults on the individuals, or when the individuals get caught in natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, or even military combat. (“Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder”). Individuals affected with PTSD could undergo grave mental ordeals, affecting not only their personal, professional and social lives, but also that of their related and associated lives. This disorder will be visible in persons immediately after a traumatic event and could continue for a shorter or a longer time, according to the severity of the event. When persons are afflicted with PTSD, they exhibit many symptoms like persistent frightening thoughts and memories of their ordeal, feeling emotionally detached as well as numb, especially with people they were once close to, experiencing sleep deprivation or problems, etc. (“Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder”). So, it is a difficult disorder that could afflict all types of individuals, particularly the people who have high chances of facing traumatic events like the soldiers in the battlefield, war returnees, etc. The severity of the affliction due to PTSD also depends on the character, thought process, physical ability and mental fortitude of the individuals. Because based on the above mentioned qualities only, the individuals will cope up or given in to PTSD. This being the case, treatment options for the sufferers of PTSD has to be oriented based on their personal as well as social life. Although, various medications as well as psychological therapies are being practiced, it is of crucial importance in any method of treatment to include the partner as well as family members of the affected including that of the war returnees in the treatment process, with this essay focusing on that aspect. Symptoms and its repercussions As pointed out above, PTSD is a condition which is brought about by exposure to a traumatic incident that kind of plays back through flashbacks or in the dreams/nightmares of the affected individuals. (Yehuda 67). The traumatic events could directly involve the individual, where he/she has been exposed to a threat of death, as well as other physical and psychological assaults, and also when someone else, who are known and close to the individuals, are exposed to the same threats and assaults. When they or ‘others’ are under threat, it is natural for the individuals to get afraid, with that fear only triggering sizable split-second changes in the individual’s body and preparing the body to face it or avoid it, through a response called “fight-or-flight” response. However, in the case of PTSD, this reaction is changed or damaged due to extreme level of anxiety and stress, they are exposed to, with the people who have PTSD feeling “stressed or frightened even when they’re no longer in danger.” (Delaney and Scheiber 6). Studies have also found out that all the individuals who face traumatic experiences may not develop PTSD, with only individuals having particular genetic make-up being more prone to it. Thus, it is being implied that the incidence of PTSD could have roots in the genetic make up of an individual. So, both the mind and the physical part of the human come under the ‘attack’ creating stress. The initial extreme anxiety and the resultant stress traumatize the individuals, making them feel helpless and also creating intense fear and worry in them. Due to personal detachment, sufferers of PTSD could also lose affection for people they were close to; could tend to become bored with most activities, are very irritable, and in some cases become violent and aggressive in nature. (Yehuda 12). According to experts and medical diagnosis standards, if the individuals continue to experiences these symptoms for a period of at least one month, they are confirmed for PTSD. To avoid worsening of their condition and travel on the path of recovery, they tend (or could be facilitated by their dear ones) to avoid places, things, symbols, etc., which could remind them of the traumatic event. However, if they intentionally or unintentionally come across those aspects, they could get more agitated, causing stress to them as well as others. These symptoms are more prominently visible among the returning military personnel, with sizable of them suffering from PTSD. Many returning military members struggle to cope with the trauma of the war and complain of re-experiencing many of their most traumatizing experiences in their dreams or sometimes, even when they are wide awake. These recollections are a sign that the body and the mind are still trying to make sense of what has happened, and clearly points to PTSD. A few of the PTSD symptoms common in returning soldiers are distressing recollections, flashbacks, hallucinating as if they are back in combat while they are awake, nightmares with frequent dreams of recurrent combat images, etc. (“Understanding and Coping with PTSD”). This occurs mainly because trauma survivors, when put under stress, have sudden mood swings. Their mind becomes over stressed, and latches onto the most affected memories, which are often from the combat zone in Iraq or Afghanistan. They become overly worried about normal, everyday safe situations that are not truly dangerous. “This explains why a war veteran, who lives in a safe neighborhood still, feels that he has to have an alarm system, a locked fence, double locks on the door, and a guard dog.” (“Understanding and Coping with PTSD”). They mistake human actions and perceive it in a more aggressive manner than intended. For example, a person who served in the war would be prone to shout at or attack anything that seems mildly threatening to his safety. Soldiers suffering from PTSD also experience increased physical or emotional arousal. This comes under the category of Hyperarousal. These soldiers have difficulty sleeping, and are unable to concentrate or think clearly. They also complain of irritability and are prone to sudden outbursts of anger. Moreover, for a soldier traumatized by the war, simple everyday situations can result in unforeseen actions. A prime example of this is driving an automobile. A soldiers driving styles, post war, has been documented to be highly strenuous and uncomfortable. He is unable to free his mind, and is on constant vigil for threats or stacks. Simple everyday occurrences on the road, can shatter his mental state and make him loose control. Also, in case of a traffic snarl, or accident, the soldiers’ reaction would certainly be unpredictable. Mel Tapper, who manages the Center for Returning Veterans, based at the VA Medical Center in Jamaica Plain has this to say. “They’ve been in an extremely tense, life-threatening situation, where there’s adrenaline that goes through people constantly.’’ (MacQuarrie). Tragically, this has lead to higher percentage of fatalities among the returning military members in road accidents, more than the civilian deaths. Some of the facts validate this point, that is, according to the study conducted by San Francisco Veterans Association, war veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are 75 percent more likely to get killed in motor vehicle accidents than the civilians of similar age group, race, and sex. (MacQuarrie) Another key repercussion of returnees having PTSD is that most returning soldiers have a hard time adjusting to their old roles in the family as their perspectives would have been altered through the course of the war. Moreover, the guilt of missing out on family events further aggravates their troubles. All these factors make the soldier feel angry or detached from day to day life, and most often results in him getting involved in anti-social activities. Likewise, it may not be easy for a family to adjust to a soldier's homecoming. Family members may notice that their loved one acts differently, as a soldier may not be able to immediately return to the state he/she was in before he/she left for the war. The family would find their loved one closed off, unable to vent out his true emotions or on edge and tense and ready to explode for the slightest of reasons. All of this can put immense amounts of stress on the family members. The high divorce rates of returning army personnel bear proof to the mental stress and torture, the war on terror has placed not only on US troops, but also on their families. This is also proved by a fact put forward by Bradley who points out how war veterans face 50-75% more risk of divorce, when compared to the civilian population, with around 30-50% divorce rates in the case of first marriages, while 85% divorce rates in the case of second marriages. (Bradley). Treatment Options Treatments for individuals affected with PTSD including war returnees are done through psychotherapy or medications or a combination of both. As far as medicines are concerned, drugs like Fluoxetine (Prozac), Sertraline (Zoloft), etc are proven to give both short-term as well as long-term positive effects. They can give immediate relief, by bringing down the state of hyper-activeness or the agitated mind to normal levels. Medicines are also given for muscular relaxation, so that PTSD sufferers could relax and even sleep well. While taking these medicines, practitioners or clinicians will advise the individuals to avoid alcohol as well as other beverages which might have caffeine, because it has been proven that those can contribute to heightened brain activity as well as anxiety. (Yehuda 69). Along with medicines, or as an independent form of treatment, psychotherapy or psychological counseling sessions are proven to be effective. The psychotherapy treatment is divided into two types, Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy and Family or Couples therapy. As part of the Cognitive-behavioral therapy, the clinicians or practitioners will first carefully as well as gradually “expose” or ask the affected individuals to ‘mentally visualize’ the situations or events, which reminded of the trauma. By following this procedure, they will make the affected individuals come to peace with that event; thereby accept it as part of life or in particular past life, and move on with the current life. After doing so, the therapy process also involves finding out the upsetting thoughts in relation to the particular traumatic event, which could be distorted and irrational, and then replacing them with more positive and balanced picture. (Smith and Segal). Many researches point towards the high rates of marital problems experienced by the war veterans and their spouses. This makes it necessary for the clinician to include their spouses as part of couples’ therapy while treating war veterans with PTSD. That is, engaging both the veterans as well as their respective partners as part of perspective-taking behaviors, aids both of them to recognize as well as understand their problems, thereby improving the sensitivity of both the partners to their spouses’ needs and helping them to actualize a healthier balance in their relationship. (Sherman, Zanotti and Jones 627). As part of couples’ therapy both the affected individual and their spouses are involved with the aim to treat the condition of the war veterans by improving their relations with their family members. PTSD affects the relationship of the war veteran with his spouse, and makes it harder for war veterans to cope with his problems relating to PTSD. When the war veteran is struggling to come to terms with his normal life, it is very crucial that his partner understands his problems and supports him in his efforts to fight PTSD. The couples’ therapy not only treats war veterans with PTSD but also focuses on their partners and the problems faced by them in their relations with these war veterans. Sherman, Zanotti and Jones (632) state how involving the spouses as well as family members of the war returnees as part of the therapy for PTSD fosters interdependent as well as intimate relationships among them, which in turn facilitates better recovery. The government and multiple NGO’s have set up various associations and institutions to look after the mental wellbeing of returning military members or veterans to support and aid them. Veteran’s association, Association of PTSD victims, etc are prominent bodies, all working towards this common goal. According to Keith Armstrong, member, San Francisco Department of Veterans Affairs, an organization aimed at helping war veterans cope with their PTSD problems, the basic factors needed for treatment of mental issues; an inclusive, proactive approach; intervention at an early stage; give primary focus on psycho-education, healthy coping, normalization and resilience; help with readjustment to family relationships and work atmosphere. (Armstrong). His organization frequently Hosts VA outreach events, psycho-educational meetings for families and veterans. Such meetings ensure that the veterans never feel alone and are well aware of their sources of social support. The organization also guides the family and teaches them how to adjust towards the veteran. The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) has also taken up a prominent role in ensuring proper readjustment of the war returnees, so that any symptom of PTSD is controlled at the initial stage itself. The establishment of various poly trauma rehabilitation centers around the nation ensures that the veterans are never out of reach. Also the VA gives funds for related researches, with the VA scientists doing many studies to analyze the causes and effects of mental trauma. Research is also being done towards developing medical aids for the veterans to cope with the stresses of daily life and minimize negative social impacts. Conclusion From the above analysis of the anxiety and stress related psychological disorder, PTSD, it is clear that individuals from all walks of life, particularly the war returnees could be affected by it. As traumatic events could occur in any sphere of human life, normal living individuals could suddenly become a victim to it, without showing any previous signs. However, as pointed out earlier, as soldiers are exposed to these traumatic events more commonly than the common people, they have high incidence of PTSD. People suffering from PTSD undergo various ordeals, as their mental and physical parts may not be able to function due to PTSD. However, through apt treatments including psychotherapy, medications or combination of both, involving family members particularly spouses can help the affected individuals to overcome the disorder, and live a normal and happy life. Works Cited Armstrong, Keith. “The Impact of the Iraq and Afghanistan War on Returning US Troops and their families: Responding to the needs of Veterans, their Partners and Children.” PTSD Program San Francisco Department of Veterans Affairs, 7 Oct 2009. Web. 7 Nov 2012. Bradley, Melissa. “A Civilian’s Primer: Understanding the Combat Veteran’s Experience.” The Omnibus Center, Sept 2011. Web. 7 Nov 2012. Delaney, Bob and Scheiber, Dave. Surviving the Shadows: A Journey of Hope Into Post-Traumatic Stress, Sourcebooks, Inc., 2011. MacQuarrie, Brian. “For Returning Vets, a Tragic toll on the Roads.” Boston News, 26 July 2009. Web. 7 Nov 2012. “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.” National Institute of Mental Health, 9 Nov 2012. Web. 7 Nov 2012. Smith, Melinda and Jeanne Segal. “Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).” Help Guide, Oct 2012. Web. 7 Nov 2012. “Understanding and Coping with PTSD.” National Alliance on Mental Illness, Jan 2011. Web. 7 Nov 2012. Yehuda, Rachel. Treating Trauma: Survivors with PTSD. American Publishing, 2002.. Read More