By: Paul Mantell Psychological Effects of War
History Mental illness s caused by war date back to world war one. PTSD was not officially recognized by the American Psychiatric Association until 1980 Vietnam was the turning point in recognizing legitimate mental health affects of war A person must go through a traumatic event to be diagnosed with PTSD. Traumatic events include war, torture, rape, the Nazi Holocaust, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, natural disasters, and human-made disasters
Key events and figures World War II Vietnam American Psychiatric Association U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs Dr. Paula Schnurrr, has served as executive director of National center for post traumatic stress disorder since 1989. Jessica Hamblen, acting deputy executive director. Currently researching brain injury and behavior of PTSD victims.
Research and testing Short Screening Scale for PTSD: patients are shown 7 different objects of avoidance or hyperarousal, followed by an interview Study helps doctors asses what is truly bothering the patients/causing their symptoms SPAN: (startle, physically upset by reminders, anger, and numbness) Four objects are shown to a patient, they are then asked to rate the objects from 0, not distressing to 4 extremely distressing. Asses what is affecting the patient.
Research and Testing SPRINT: (Short Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Rating Interview) assesses the core symptoms of PTSD (intrusion, avoidance, numbing, arousal) Measures severity of illness and improvement Trauma Screening Questionnaire: 10 item symptom screen that shows objects of arousal and reoccurrence, used to determine the magnitude of a patients PTSD. Brain Scans: determine the area of the brain that the illness affects, helps in determining how to treat and or medicate a victim.
Treatment Cognitive behavioral therapy: Therapist helps your understand and change how you think about the traumatic event and its repercussions Exposure therapy: talk about fears and event, helps patient to manage their stress and fear, EMDR: while talking about a traumatic event you focus on other stimuli such as hand tapping or eye movement. Medication has been proven to work effectively in many cases. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), an anti depressant that raises serotonin levels in the brain.
Case study Reduction of PTSD-Related Conditions Because TM works by reducing stress, it simultaneously reduces all stress-related conditions.
What else can be done? How can the military prevent PTSD? Is there a certain type of therapy that will block memories? Is there a way to stop episodes before they happen? There could be better medicine to stop symptoms. The best medication available for this condition is currently an anti depressant
Relevance PTSD is a large problem in the United States. Around 5.2 million Americans will experience PTSD like symptoms every year. Millions of Families have to watch loved ones suffer because of aliments received while fighting for their country. The government and families have to spend hundreds of millions of dollars each year for treatment. These people come back unfit to work in any environment.
Sources "Mental Health Affects of Serving in Afghanistan." U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. :Constant Alertness, Being away from home, and dealing with death of friends and having to murder contribute to likeliness of ptsd. Nebraska Department of Veteran Affairs. "What is PTSD." Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, www.ptsd.ne.gov/what-is-ptsd.html. Somasundaram, Daya. "The Tragedy of War." NCBI, World Psychiatry, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc1472256/. effects of war on the civilians, what id does to a nation, and how it can cut off vital supplies such as medicine, will lead to emotional issues, with lack of materials to sustain war and life. Tian, Stan. "The emotional Effect of war on Soldiers." Health and Guidance, www.healthguidance.org/entry/11261/1/ The-Emotional-Effects-of-War-on-Soldiers.html. Most often poor mental affect is some sort of PTSD or shell shock. Soldiers will react to anything that reminds them of their time in war, avoid things such as crowds loud noises. emotional trips, recollections of war, hallucinations,mixed with drugs or alcohol the ptsd may very strongly affect them. some experience a hard time forming close bonds with loved ones, become detached from family, hard time getting married or having kids. White, William A. "Thoughts of a Psychiatrist on the war and after." American Psychological Association, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc1472256/. As soldiers and civilians feel the affects of war they feel breakdown in society, and their nation and feel a sense of lawlessness
Discussion Question Should the Government be held responsible and be forced to pay for PTSD victims treatments?
Answer Yes, the government owes it to its citizens to repay them for their service, and ensure that they are able to continue in society. Without support from the government the burden of medical bills will fall on an individual and their family. With long term therapy and medication thousands of dollars of dept will possibly fall upon a person who, because of their acquired condition cannot work to support themselves. The government should receive the burden of those who fought to protect it and its citizens.
Personal Thoughts Prior to my research I thought pretty much the same of it as I do now. Growing up seeing examples of PTSD in movies, or in war or crime shows I had a vague understanding of what the illness is. I was wrong in that I believed that the episodes were very violent and drawn out. In fact most times a victim will be inside their own head and crying or acting out a situation, in most cases no one gets hurt. I also was unaware that it was a problem with depressants being activated or not working in the brain, I thought of it more as a nightmare/flashback situation.
Review Questions Are their any medications available to PTSD victims? What is one four letter abbreviation for a type of PTSD testing? Is PTSD exclusive to combat veterans? In what year did the American Psychiatric Association recognize PTSD? Have you ever noticed symptoms of this disease in those around you?
Answers Yes, Serotonin, an anti depressant. Span No, PTSD can be brought on by natural disasters, very traumatic events, explosions ect.. 1980?