Post Traumatic Stress Disorder War Veterans - Research Paper Example

PTSD in War Veterans Veterans are persons who have had long experiences or service in a certain field. Therefore, bythis definition, war veterans are people who serve or served in the armed forces. War veterans have direct exposure to military conflict or armed combat. War veterans encounter a multitude of problems upon their return to the US from conflict zones. While war veterans or military veterans, as they are sometimes called, receive exceptional treatment from the government because of their sacrifices during war, these veterans also encounter significant difficulties as a result of their service in military combat. This paper will analyze several problems encountered by war veterans upon their return to the US, focusing on issues such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), homelessness and unemployment. War veterans facilitate peace across the globe, but the ironic truth is that they usually have no peace in their lives after returning from missions and combat. Different nations handle war veterans differently; while some nations openly support their veterans via programs initiated by the government, other nations simply ignore their war veterans. Countries across the globe have distinctive holidays, traditions and ceremonies to honor their war veterans (Durboraw 51). For instance, UK’s Remembrance Day held on 11th November honors veterans who died during their service to either the nation or monarch. The US version of this holiday is Veterans Day. Many war veterans find it difficult to settle back in the US and adjust to ordinary life because of their experiences during military conflict. This section looks at some of the principal difficulties encountered by war veterans after returning to the US. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder The consequences of active service in military or armed forces are sometimes intense and long lasting. Many veterans are subject to diseases and disorders that are directly associated with their military service. One such disorder is PTSD, an acute anxiety disorder, which develops after a person is exposed to an event that causes psychological trauma (Keane and Barlow 124). PTSD develops when persons (war veterans in this case) are exposed to events that threaten their lives or other people’s lives, or their psychological, sexual and physical integrity. Such events overwhelm the veterans’ capacity to cope thereby resulting in psychological trauma (PTSD). War veterans primarily face the problem of recounting their original traumas through recurring nightmares and flashbacks. In addition, these veterans also face other serious difficulties such as increased arousal that results in sleeping difficulties, intense unwarranted anger, hyper vigilance and avoidance of elements associated with the traumatic experiences (Friedman 1288). As a result of the aforementioned symptoms and difficulties, war veterans’ social and occupational functioning, as well as other essential areas of functioning are adversely affected. According to medical practitioners, PTSD is classified under the cluster of anxiety disorders that are characterized by aversive experiences that are considered anxiety-related, behaviors and physiological responses that materialize from exposure to psychologically traumatic occurrence (Keane and Barlow 89). Many war veterans in the US suffer from PTSD at least 30 days after returning home. As a result of all these frequent posttraumatic stress symptoms, war veterans experience substantive disruptions in one or more of the essential areas of their life function. War veterans primarily experience high adrenaline responses during military combat, which result in PTSD. PTSD in war veterans results from such over-reactive adrenaline responses that make grave neurological patterns in the brain. These patterns persist long after the occurrence that elicited the fear, making the individual extremely responsive to potential fearful occurrences. As a result, veterans suffering from PTSD are unable to handle stress situations with a sober mind, which is perhaps what triggers intense anger and depression (Keane and Barlow 115). It is, however, pertinent to realize that not all war veterans are prone to suffering PTSD. A number of risk factors linked to the occurrence of PTSD in war veterans include pre-military familial instability, recent stressful events in one’s life such as post-military depression and exposure to war-zones (Friedman 1289). Protective factors that mitigate the incidence to PTSD include high socioeconomic status, positive pre-military paternal relationship and high education qualifications. In order to counter the occurrence and effects of PTSD in war veterans, specialists advocate social support after veterans’ return home. There is evidence to prove that social support not only averts the occurrence of PTSD, but also facilitates recovery when it develops. Veteran’s attitudinal components also influence the occurrence of PTSD. For instance, veterans who go to war on the premise that they will not be injured have a higher likelihood of developing PTSD than veterans who anticipate the probability of injury. An article titled Veterans prone to suicide in the London Metro issue on 28th January 2010 noted that according to the Mental Health Foundation, many Afghanistan war veterans plunged into problems such as alcoholism, suicide and crime upon their return (Burnam, Lisa, et al. 776) This situation is not unique to the UK as US war veterans also encounter similar difficulties. US military personnel, as well as war veterans, experience PTSD symptoms such as numbness, negative thoughts, feeling emotionless, and inability to focus on other elements such as school or work and fright by loud noises. Almost 40% of US soldiers, 50% of the National Guard and 33% of Marines returning from Afghanistan and Iraq report symptoms of PTSD. According to experts, nearly 11-20% of war veterans from Afghanistan and Iraq wars suffer from PTSD (Keane and Barlow 254). One of the most dominant overarching concerns lies in the stigma associated with veterans’ disclosure of mental health problems and seeking helping within the military setting. The US Department of Defense is currently working on its mental health service, especially with regard to the improvement of post-deployment mental health assessments to understand psychological effects of war and combat. Through this, the government aims at ensuring better mental care for future veterans returning from war. In an effort to compensate war veterans for their sacrifice and assist such veterans deal with the problem of PTSD, the US Department of Veteran Affairs offers free health care and pays disability compensation to veterans diagnosed with PTSD. Veterans primarily receive disability compensation for injuries and diseases acquired while in service or exemplified by such service. Veterans also receive free services for PTSD at Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers across the nation. These services include assessment of mental health capacities, individual and family counseling and medication whenever necessary (Friedman 1288). However, in order for a veteran to qualify for compensation, ratings are taken to gauge the diseases or disorder’s effects on the veteran are earning ability. The fairness of such an approach is rather distressing because while certain disabilities and disorders may not directly impair one’s ability to perform in other occupations, the disorders significantly affect the veteran’s quality of life. Necessity has led to the availability of several sources of help for veterans. These include independent, and charitable institutions. Government rehabilitation services for war veterans are relatively ineffective as governments do not appreciate the difficulties encountered by veterans in their readjustment to civilian life. The government does not provide sufficient information to service recruits with regard to the detrimental effects of combat. This is because of the government’s desire to ensure constant recruitment into the armed forces. Homelessness Homelessness among war veterans is not a new occurrence as it has been in existence since the Second World War. According to the US Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), most homeless veterans are male, with only 5% being female. Most homeless veterans are single, reside in urban areas and suffer disorders such as mental illnesses, substance abuse and co-occurring disorders. In the US, nearly a third of the entire adult homeless population consists of veterans. Most homeless veterans served in the Second World War, Cold War, Korean War, Vietnam War, Afghanistan and Iraq wars among others. However, most homeless veterans served in the Vietnam War. Homelessness among war veterans emanates from inadequate support networks, abject poverty and dismal living conditions in substandard housing upon returning to the US (Durboraw 78). Moreover, homelessness among war veterans is precipitated by factors such as acute shortages of livable income, affordable housing, and access to health care services. As earlier noted, many veterans live with the effects of PTSD, as well as substance abuse, compounded by the problem of lack of social and familial support systems. PTSD, as well as physical disabilities among war veterans, is the primary cause of unemployment among veterans, which, in turn, results in lack of livable income; hence homelessness (Keane and Barlow 231). Because of the trauma associated with war experiences, veterans turn to substance abuse, which consequently denies them the opportunity for employment and other income generating activities. Unemployment among war veterans is a prevailing problem in the US and other nations across the globe. Conclusion War veterans offer immense services to the nation with regard to the maintenance of national, as well as global peace. However, in spite of their devoted servitude, war veterans encounter substantial difficulties upon returning to the US. These problems include psychological and physical problems that deter their adjustment to civilian life. Some of the most common difficulties that affect war veterans include PTSD, physical injuries and disabilities and substance abuse as a result of these disabilities and disorders (Ronald 84). PTSD is perhaps the most prevalent disorder among war veterans as it stems from the veterans’ traumatic experiences in combat. Despite the veteran’s attempts to mitigate the effects of war trauma, it is apparent that most veterans do not have the capacity to cope with war traumas, which, in turn, detrimentally affects their readjustment to civilian life. The US government through its Department of Veteran Affairs endeavors to provide medical services and compensation to injured war veterans, as well as those suffering from PTSD. However, in order for such efforts to prove fruitful, it is vital that the government addresses and deals with the problem of homelessness among war veterans. Provision of livable income through employment, deterrence of substance abuse and the provision of support mechanisms are some of the strategies the government can implement to assist war veterans deal with the issue of homelessness. Through such efforts, the government can appreciate the sacrifices made by war veterans during combat. Works Cited Burnam, M., Lisa, S., et al. "Mental Health Care for Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans", Health Affairs 28.3 (2009): 771–782. Print. Durboraw, A. L. Combat Veterans’ Rights to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Benefits, Medical Services, Compensation, Appeals, etc. Pittsburgh: Dorrance Publishing Company, 2010. Print. Friedman, M. J. "Veterans' Mental Health in the Wake of War." The New England Journal of Medicine, 352.13 (2005): 1287-90. Print. Keane, T. M. and Barlow, D. H. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Anxiety and its Disorders. New York: The Guilford Press, 2010. Print. Ronald, K. "Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: The Burden to the Individual and to Society". Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 61.5 (2000): 4–12. Print. Read More