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Research term paper on the effects of PTSD on military families
An essay about how children get affected in wars
An essay about how children get affected in wars
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American children should be educated more about the psychological trauma that co-exists with foreign wars. The violence of the war spreads though the nation, having a major affect on the children. Children are more vulnerable to suffering from parental psychological problems. Since children are inherently dependent on their parents that makes them vulnerable to suffering from the same problems that they see in their parents. Studies have shown that children with parents that served in the military have a higher risk of undergoing child abuse. American children should understand the costs of war and its consequences both in the emotional effects of physical costs of war and in the financial burden that comes with physical costs. “The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.” – G.K Chesterton The soldiers that come home from the battlefield are not the only ones that suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. More than two-million children have also been affected by their parent’s PTSD. Combat-related stress disorders have always been around but throughout history this phenomenon has been given different names, like “Soldier’s Heart” in the Civil War, “Shell Shock” in World War I, “Battle Fatigue” in World War II and “Vietnam Syndrome” in Vietnam War as. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder was first recognized as distinct psychological disorders in 1980.Providing veterans with an opportunity receive proper medical treatment because it was not classified as a mental health problem. Delays of the proper treatment resulted in the Veterans going into substance abuses and depression. American children should have an understanding about war because it giv... ... middle of paper ... ...egional Business News. Web. 8 Jan. 2014 Fritz, Gregory K. "Let's Consider the Mental Health Impact on the Children of War Veterans." Brown University Child & Adolescent Behavior Letter 26.11 (2010): 8. Academic Search Premier. Web. 8 Jan. 2014 Jett, Shirley. "Combat-Related Blast-Induced Neurotrauma: A Public Health Problem? Shirley Jett Combat-Related Blast-Induced Neurotrauma: A Public Health Problem?." Nursing Forum 45.4 (2010): 237-245. Academic Search Premier. Web. 9 Jan. 2014. Marmar, Charles R. "Mental Health Impact of Afghanistan and Iraq Deployment: Meeting the Challenge of a New Generation of Veterans." Depression & Anxiety (1091-4269) 26.6 (2009): 493-497. Academic Search Premier. Web. 9 Jan. 2014. Perlez, JaneFeng, Bree. "Vietnam War's Legacy Is Vivid as Clinton Visits Laos." New York Times 12 July 2012: 6. Regional Business News. Web. 9 Jan. 2014.
middle of paper ... ... Children within the United States whose parents serve in the military are left to deal with issues of separation and fear. The fear of not knowing when their parents are coming home, and if they’ll come back to the same person they were when they left. Since we are incapable of hiding violence and the act of war from children, it is better to help them understand the meaning behind it and teach them that violence is not always the answer. Children react based on what they see and hear, and if the community and world around them portrays positive things, then the child will portray a positive attitude as well.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), originally associated with combat, has always been around in some shape or form but it was not until 1980 that it was named Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and became an accredited diagnosis (Rothschild). The fact is PTSD is one of many names for an old problem; that war has always had a severe psychological impact on people in immediate and lasting ways. PTSD has a history that is as long and significant as the world’s war history - thousands of years. Although, the diagnosis has not been around for that long, different names and symptoms of PTSD always have been. Some physical symptoms include increased blood pressure, excessive heart rate, rapid breathing, muscle tension, nausea, diarrhea, problems with vision, speech, walking disorders, convulsive vomiting, cardiac palpitations, twitching or spasms, weakness and severe muscular cramps. The individual may also suffer from psychological symptoms, such as violent nightmares, flashbacks, melancholy, disturbed sleep or insomnia, loss of appetite, and anxieties when certain things remind them such as the anniversary date of the event (Peterson, 2009).
Imagine living in despair after coming back home, dismayed from a war that got no appreciation. Robert Kroger once said in his quote, “The brave men and women, who serve their country and as a result, live constantly with the war inside them, exist in a world of chaos. But the turmoil they experience isn’t who they are, the PTSD invades their minds and bodies.” Eleven percent of Vietnam Veterans still suffer with symptoms of the terrifying disorder of PTSD (Handwerk). Vietnam Veterans struggle with the physiological effects of PTSD after war, which leads to despair and many deaths.
Retrieved from www.justiceforvets.org. Tsai, J., Rosenchedk, R. A., Kasprow, W. J., & McGuire, J. F. (2013). Risk of incarceration and other characteristics of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in state and federal prisons. Psychiatric Services, (64(i)), 36-43. Retrieved from www.justiceforvets.org.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, also known as PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that can develop after a traumatic event (Riley). A more in depth definition of the disorder is given by Doctor’s Nancy Piotrowski and Lillian Range, “A maladaptive condition resulting from exposure to events beyond the realm of normal human experience and characterized by persistent difficulties involving emotional numbing, intense fear, helplessness, horror, re-experiencing of trauma, avoidance, and arousal.” People who suffer from this disease have been a part of or seen an upsetting event that haunts them after the event, and sometimes the rest of their lives. There are nicknames for this disorder such as “shell shock”, “combat neurosis”, and “battle fatigue” (Piotrowski and Range). “Battle fatigue” and “combat neurosis” refer to soldiers who have been overseas and seen disturbing scenes that cause them anxiety they will continue to have when they remember their time spent in war. It is common for a lot of soldiers to be diagnosed with PTSD when returning from battle. Throughout the history of wars American soldiers have been involved in, each war had a different nickname for what is now PTSD (Pitman et al. 769). At first, PTSD was recognized and diagnosed as a personality disorder until after the Vietnam Veterans brought more attention to the disorder, and in 1980 it became a recognized anxiety disorder (Piotrowski and Range). There is not one lone cause of PTSD, and symptoms can vary from hallucinations to detachment of friends and family, making a diagnosis more difficult than normal. To treat and in hopes to prevent those who have this disorder, the doctor may suggest different types of therapy and also prescribe medication to help subside the sympt...
Seal, Karen H., Daniel Bertenthal, Christian R. Miner, Saunak Sen, and Charles Marmar. "Bringing the War Back Home: Mental Health Disorders Among 103 788 US Veterans Returning From Iraq and Afghanistan Seen at Department of Veterans Affairs Facilities." Archives of Internal Medicine 167.5 (2007): 476-82. Print.
Wood, David. "Iraq, Afghanistan War Veterans Struggle With Combat Trauma."The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 4 July 2012. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. .
It’s estimated that 1.64 million US troops have been deployed to Iraq since 2001. And while most of the soldiers return to civilian live without incident, it’s estimated that one-third of these veterans will struggle with Post-traumatic stress disorder and major depression. Another aspect affecting our troops is alcoholism. Due to the unfathomable horrors witnessed by our veterans, many turn to alcohol to cope.
Machel, Graca & Sebastian Salgado. The Impact of War on Children. London: C. Hurst, 2001.
There are many different causes of PTSD such as sexual abuse, sudden death of a loved one, and war. Trauma affects people in different ways, some can develop it from watching a fellow soldier being killed, and some can develop it from losing their jobs or a divorce. Being diagnosed with PTSD is a difficult process because there are many other psychological disorders whose symptoms can overlap and are very similar. An important fact to remember is that PTSD doesn’t just affect the person suffering; it can also have secondhand effects on their spouses, children, parents, friends, co-workers, and other loved ones. Although there is no direct cure, there are many treatment and alternative treatment options to assist them in moving forward after a trauma.
Montgomery, Ann Elizabeth, et al. "Relationship Among Adverse Childhood Experiences, History Of Active Military Service, And Adult Outcomes: Homelessness, Mental Health, And Physical Health." American Journal Of Public Health 103.S2 (2013): S262-S268. Academic Search Premier. Web. 28 Jan. 2014.
Our soldiers not only risked life and limb for our country while serving in the Vietnam War, but they continue to suffer immensely. Americans as well as Vietnamese troops and civilians suffered great losses when it comes to casualties. Witnessing first-hand the pain and death of strangers and allies, isn’t something one is likely to forget. Post-Traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been one of the many repercussions of witnessing these gruesome events (Mental Health America). Veterans, their families, and the government have come together in combat in attempts to address the detrimental effects of PTSD.
While defending their country in wars, thousands of brave souls perish, forcing their loved ones to move on without them. Others are lucky compared to these soldiers because they get to return home suffering from minor things such as disease, injury, or nightmares. In combat, warriors are forced to see horrific things that scar them mentally for the rest of their lives. Others are scarred physically and are constantly reminded of their treacherous memories from serving in the military. Often times, sleeping turns into a hassle for the veterans because they re-live the atrocities that occurred on the battlefield. Many people come back home needing psychiatrists to cope with the emotions racing through their body.
War has been a consistent piece of mankind 's history. It has significantly influenced the lives of individuals around the globe. The impacts are amazingly adverse. In the novel, “The Wars,” by Timothy Findley, Soldiers must shoulder compelling weight on the warzone. Such weight is both family and the country weight. Many individuals look at soldiers for hop and therefore, adding load to them. Those that cannot rationally beat these difficulties may create Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Tragically, some resort to suicide to get away from their insecurities. Troops, notwithstanding, are not by any means the only ones influenced by wars; relatives likewise encounter mental hardships when their friends and family are sent to war. Timothy Findley
Location in rural areas has an effect on the quality of life for veterans on the development of mental health problems upon returning home after deployment and enlistment (Bennett, Crabtree, Schaffer, & Britt, 2011). However, location is not the only factor contributing to a rural veteran’s quality of life…other aspects include; veteran’s mental health symptoms, help-seeking behaviors, stress, length of enlistment, and history of deployment (Bennet et al.,