Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Post traumatic stress disorder in soldiers research paper
Impact of ptsd on veterans of the iraq & afghanistan wars
Apa paper PTSD in armed forces
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Since the September 11, 2001, 2.7 million soldiers have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Over 970,000 of these veterans currently suffer from the aftermath of this conflict. Soldiers who have faced combat have higher rates of suicides, mild to severe forms of psychosis, addiction to drugs and alcohol, automobile accidents, and deprivation of suitably safe and secure living places (Watson Institute International & Public Affairs Brown University, 2017). Although combat veterans have tried to overcome the effects of PTSD through various treatment programs, they still face extraordinary challenges, relational issues, and aggressiveness. Extraordinary Challenges Will this problem go unresolved? …show more content…
This combination of anger and aggressiveness is a psychological component of a condition known as hyperarousal. Dorland's Medical Dictionary defines hyperarousal as a “state of increased psychological and physiological tension marked by such effects as reduced pain tolerance, anxiety, exaggeration of startle responses, insomnia, fatigue and accentuation of personality traits” (2013). Conducted by the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine and the Veterans Affairs (VA) office, a study revealed that certain components of PTSD were directly linked to anger and aggressiveness …show more content…
Some would say barriers to modern PTSD programs and treatment is in the poor availability of mental health service in contrast to the social stigma of PTSD being categorized as of a psychological impairment, which in turn renders both treatment and programs ineffective. According to Paula P. Schnurr, PhD, Executive Director of the VA National Center for PTSD extensive exertions to disrupted the dark cloud of PTSD treatment concerning Armed Forces Soldiers (2016). Seen as a debilitating mental health disorder PTSD victimized veterans have chosen to deal with the effects of this condition personally, rather than seeking professional help and being considered psychologically unstable. This view suggest that the ineffectiveness lies with veterans, however, there is another view stating the inefficiency of this persisting problem is due to poor availability of mental health services. Commonly known in the military PTSD community attempts have been made to enhanced avenues of suitable psychiatric support, while soldiers are being bombarded with obstacles to medical help for the condition. According to a Veteran Affairs (VA) assessment the greatest hindrance to treatment for veterans is an inadequacy of time slots for healthcare practitioners. Due to the imbalance of healthcare practitioners to the ever-growing veteran populous medical support can be prolonged of over 30 days
...t and seeing signs of improvement in their mental health (Edge, 2010). Ultimately, the current structure of the United States’ society under capitalism does not allow for an adequate solution to the social problem of the rise of PTSD among military members. Society is structured around individual and corporate interests, which does not leave room for the unique treatments required for PTSD. Unless capitalism is dismantled and a socialist society is created, which would dramatically change the current military structure and potentially reinstate the draft, soldiers will be forced to seek treatment from the neoconservative and liberal systems that offer inadequate treatment, if at all. As social workers, we must operate from the radical humanist perspective of structural social work and seek to help our military members from within the current system, for now.
PTSD has been intensely studied to benefit those who have been diagnosed, to get better treatments. There have been many successful cases, where the individual has conquered it. Marcus Luttrell’s symptoms have dramatically gotten better because he is a strong individual with a healthy family to support him. However, there are many people that have been dealing with this burden for years and may never get better. These men and women, who cannot find relief from PTSD, turn to self-harming; military suicides have been on the rise in the recent years and are continuing to increase. This cannot be ignored. The Veteran Administration needs to step up the treatment and recovery programs before this number begins to get out of control.
For many veterans, their participation in a war is enough to cause mental instability, and warrant treatment.
The Vietnam War caused many U.S. soldiers to develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, so when is the war over, is it really over? For soldiers with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD, the war may not ever be over. Doctors are on the peak of finding treatments for the ones affected by PTSD and how to prevent it from occurring or even helping them to recover from PTSD has major affects on Vietnam soldiers, their family members and today’s society.
James was a Marine right out of his second tour of Iraq, during which he faced a bloody
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).
Services for PTSD." Do Veterans Receive Adequate Health Care? Ed. Susan C. Hunnicutt. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. At Issue. Rpt. from "Court Orders Major Overhaul of VA's Mental Health System." Los Angeles Times 11 May 2011. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 8 June 2014.
Veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder need to receive better care, because post traumatic stress disorder is curable, damages relationships, and veterans made many dramatic sacrifices. The health care for veterans needs to be more easily accessible.
There is no doubt in mind that any Veterans face an incredible amount of challenges when reintegrating with society, and it has been largely discussed how veterans with PTSD face an even greater challenge, but what about combat-injured veterans?
In 2010, veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) cost the government about $1.3 billion (United States of America 17). This is an enormous amount of money, but it hasn’t even been helping veterans. Many vets aren’t finishing treatment but continue to receive disability checks from the Veterans Health Administration, abbreviated to VHA. Not only this, but some veterans are faking their way into the system and evading the diagnosis process by coming up with an tall tale. It is on the Veteran’s Affairs (VA) to determine whether these stories are fake (Department of Veterans’ Affairs), which is many times impossible to regulate. New laws that are being passed that make it easier for veterans to receive disability checks are not helping this problem either (Brown and Thompson 43). The government is spending too much money on a system that is failing our veterans; the public should not have to pay when the money is going to waste on misdiagnosis, failing treatment, and unjust laws.
A survey of OEF/OIF Veterans identified major rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, alcohol-related problems, social and family problems, and suicidal behavior. However the most alarming statistic is not about deployment rates or rates of diagnoses, the most alarming fact is that fewer than 10% of those diagnosed with PTSD or depression have received the recommended the mental health treatment upon re-integration into society. The dropout rate at the Veterans Association (VA) PTSD clinics is distressingly high as well when looking into VA records it was found that 68% of OEF/OIF Veterans dropped out of their prescribed counseling and programs prior to completion (Garcia et al., 2014). Because most of these men were deployed mul...
The United States military continues to engage in one of the longest periods of combat operations in our nation’s history. One of the results is an increase in the amount of persons suffering Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA) (2000), a precursor to PTSD is the experience of an event or events that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury to self or others. Grossman (2009) argues that an additional factor, the emotional and spiritual response to killing another human being, also takes a tremendous toll on the mental health of returning soldiers. Forty-eight to sixty–five percent of soldiers returning from Operation Enduring Freedom have reported killing an enemy combatant, while 14–28% have reported killing a noncombatant (Hoge, Castro, Messer, McGurk, Cotting, & Koffman, 2004). This paper will discuss Grossman’s (2009) views on the psychological cost of killing others in combat.
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.
In order to help current and future veterans there needs to be a change within the staffing, funding, and overall urgency towards mentally ill veterans. Though many people assume that veterans are well taken care of after war, evidence of mental health disorders and large numbers of suicide suggest otherwise, therefore the VA program should be reformed. Mental illness is no stranger to veterans of the U.S military, as far back as World War II there have been reports of mental disease among veterans. The most common mental illness among veterans is P.T.S.D (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), the severity of this illness usually increase due to a traumatic brain injury. Lifeline for Vets states that