Running head: PTSD

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Bailey Oleksy
Ball State University











Running head: PTSD

As soldiers come and go to war they are all effected in different ways. Some soldiers
come back from war and suffer from post traumatic stress disorder. Post-traumatic stress
disorder is a type of anxiety disorder. PTSD may result when a person suffers an event or
situation that is outside the range of normal experience, exceeds the individuals perceived ability
to meet its demands, and poses a serious threat to the loss of life, said David L. Conroy. It can
occur after you have gone through an extreme emotional trauma that involved a severe life
threatening event. PTSD can also develop as people go through very stressful and distressing
life events, and become emotionally overcome by the tasks of coping with these events. (Ingram,
74) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder has been identified as one of the most commonly occurring
mental illnesses in combatants. (Abeyasinghe, 3)

There are multiple signs of PTSD. The soldier could get upset by things that remind you
of the incident. These things that remind them of the incidents are called triggers. Triggers can be
multiple different things from sounds, shapes, or events. They could have nightmares or
flashbacks that make them feel like its happening to them all over again. The suffering soldiers
could become depressed or feel an immense amount of anxiety. Hearing about the trauma that
led to their PTSD may be extremely painful for them. They might seem as if they are a different
person from before the trauma as well. Post-traumatic stress disorder can affect those who
personally experience the catastrophe, those who witness it, and those who pick up the pieces
afterwards. (Abeyasinghe, 5)

The development of PTSD is associated with a variety of health behaviors such as
smoking, alcohol and substance use, physical inactivity that increase the risk of morbidity and
Running head: PTSD

mortality. PTSD can cause the soldiers to start abusing drugs and alcohol to numb their feelings.
(Marshall, 65) They might also think about harming themselves. The soldiers with post
traumatic stress disorder could start pulling away from their friends and family and become
isolated. They also might start working all the time so that they dont have any free time to keep
their minds occupied. PTSD can be a very severe disorder that soldiers could never recover
from. It is hard for them to know how to cope with how they think and feel.

Suicide is a common result of post traumatic stress disorder. The U.S. Army reported 32
veterans committed suicide in June 2010 with 10 of the 21 active duty veterans deployed to
Middle East conflict two to four times. However, U.S. Army National Guard suicides increased
by 75% in 2009 with the advent of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflict and over half occurred in
guardsmen awaiting deployment. (Lee, 84) Seventy percent of U.S. veterans that fought in Iraq
experienced numerous life-threatening situations and their reports had a significantly higher rate
of interpersonal conflict, PTSD, depression, and overall mental health risk.

Just because a loved one is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder doesnt mean
they have to live with it the rest of their lives. Thousands of veterans around the world have
gotten treated for PTSD that actually works. There are two different types of treatment for
PTSD. The soldiers can go chose to go to counseling or take medication. Professional
counseling can help you understand your thoughts and feelings. Medications are used to help
you feel less worried or sad . These treatments help the veterans understand and change the way
they think about the trauma. They also help change the way they react to the stressful memories.
For example, if the troop has a specific trigger they will learn how to cope with it and not let it
Running head: PTSD

affect them. Only a tiny percentage of people that suffer severe trauma will also suffer from
PTSD. Trauma can cause a lot of issues that need to be dealt with and may have long-term
effects. (Lee, 84)

Living with and being being supportive of a person with PTSD can possibly one of the
most difficult things one could ever experience. You might find yourself avoiding them and
their attempts to talk about their trauma. They may be experience a feeling of helplessness.
Also, they could be feeling hopeless that their loved one will get better. A lot of family members
feel guilty because they cant fix or hurry up the healing of their veteran suffering from PTSD. It
not only affects the solider, it also affects each person in the family. when the solider comes
home from war they are wanting to have their mom or dad back to the way they left before.
However, when they come back from war even when not suffering from PTSD, their mom or
dad may never be the same.

Post traumatic stress disorder is a very common disorder that mainly war soldiers suffer
from. It can be treated if the victims realize they have it and get help. However, the process of
soldiers knowing and accepting they are suffering from PTSD is one of the hardest steps.
Dealing with the triggers each and every day is something no one can deal with on their own.

REFERENCES

Abeyasinghe, N. L., de Zoysa, P. P., Bandara, K. C., Bartholameuz, N. A., & Bandara, J. J.
(2012). The prevalence of symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among soldiers
with amputation of a limb or spinal injury: A report from a rehabilitation centre in Sri
Lanka. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 17(3), 376-381. doi:
10.1080/13548506.2011.608805

Running head: PTSD

Depression Test PTSD & Alcoholism Test for Military | Military Mental Health. (n.d.).
Retrieved from https://www.militarymentalhealth.org/PTSD_screening?

Ingram, T. A., Dowben, J. S., Froelich, K. D., & Keltner, N. L. (2012). Biological Perspectives:
Detecting Malingering of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Adults. Perspectives
In Psychiatric Care, 48(2), 70-75. doi:10.1111/j.1744-6163.2011.00324.x

Lee, E. D. (2012). Complex Contribution of Combat-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder to
Veteran Suicide: Facing an Increasing Challenge. Perspectives In Psychiatric Care, 48(2),
108-115. doi:10.1111/j.1744-6163.2011.00312.x

Living With A Person With PTSD. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://matthatter.hubpages.com/hub/
Living-With-A-Person-With-PTSD

Marshall, B. L., Prescott, M. R., Liberzon, I., Tamburrino, M. B., Calabrese, J. R., & Galea, S.
(2013). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, and HIV Risk Behavior Among Ohio
Army National Guard Soldiers. Journal Of Traumatic Stress, 26(1), 64-70. doi:10.1002/
jts.21777

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Coping and support - Diseases and Conditions - Mayo
Clinic. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-
traumatic-stress-disorder/basics/coping-support/con-20022540