PTSD The Lonely Soldier.

PTSD : Post traumatic stress disorder may develop after a person is exposed to one or more traumatic events, such as sexual assault, warfare, serious injury, or threats of imminent death. The diagnosis may be given when a group of symptoms, such as disturbing recurring flashbacks, avoidance or numbing of memories of the event, and hyper arousal, continue for more than a month after the occurrence of a traumatic event. 

This is a disorder that many american soldiers develop during training and for the rest of their lives. While in battle, those images are always remembered day in day out. There might be some therapy but it will never erase the trauma that was felt during war or mayor conflict. 

It's a daily pain that will never be eased with any medication. Up to this day there are veterans and active duty military that are traumatized by the sound of a simple firecracker. They are not able to sleep well. They are aggressive when found in a difficult situation. Are given the shoulder and no one can understand the pain they are going threw. 

They drown their pain a sorrow in alcohol and being lonely. That is why you see so many men and women that sacrificed their family, time and blood in a corner or at the bar. These men and woman need to be understood not misunderstood. 

This is the thoughts of a wife of a dedicated soldier has to say about PTSD: 

Okay so as you may know many soldiers suffer from PTSD. According to statistics the death rate for soldiers who commit suicide are almost 10 times or more than soldiers who die during deployment. Now PTSD could be a major factor however the numbers for those who have never deployed but committed suicide could be a clue to maybe something besides PTSD. My point ..... Some bases and soldier leaders treat their NCO's like complete trash they degrade them, put them down and kick them while they are down. Imagine someone screaming at you everyday just because they can or because someone else pissed them off. Agreeing that sometimes you need to be harsh but they also need to be encourages. I think this suicide rate may have something to do with this, imagine how their self esteem gets brought lower and lower as they dread going to a job that they are contracted into. 

PTSD can cause many symptoms. These symptoms can be grouped into three categories:

1. Re-experiencing symptoms: 

• Flashbacks—reliving the trauma over and over, including physical symptoms like a racing heart or sweating
• Bad dreams
• Frightening thoughts.

Re-experiencing symptoms may cause problems in a person’s everyday routine. They can start from the person’s own thoughts and feelings. Words, objects, or situations that are reminders of the event can also trigger re-experiencing.

2. Avoidance symptoms: 
Staying away from places, events, or objects that are reminders of the experience

• Feeling emotionally numb
• Feeling strong guilt, depression, or worry
• Losing interest in activities that were enjoyable in the past
• Having trouble remembering the dangerous event.

Things that remind a person of the traumatic event can trigger avoidance symptoms. These symptoms may cause a person to change his or her personal routine. For example, after a bad car accident, a person who usually drives may avoid driving or riding in a car.

3. Hyperarousal symptoms: 

• Being easily startled
• Feeling tense or “on edge”
• Having difficulty sleeping, and/or having angry outbursts.

Hyperarousal symptoms are usually constant, instead of being triggered by things that remind one of the traumatic event. They can make the person feel stressed and angry. These symptoms may make it hard to do daily tasks, such as sleeping, eating, or concentrating. It’s natural to have some of these symptoms after a dangerous event. Sometimes people have very serious symptoms that go away after a few weeks. This is called acute stress disorder, or ASD. When the symptoms last more than a few weeks and become an ongoing problem, they might be PTSD. Some people with PTSD don’t show any symptoms for weeks or months.

Summary of Veterans Statistics for PTSD, TBI, Depression and Suicide.

• there are over 2.3 million American veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars (compared to 2.6 million Vietnam veterans who fought in Vietnam; there are 8.2 million "Vietnam Era Veterans" (personnel who served anywhere during any time of the Vietnam War)
• at least 20% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have PTSD and/or Depression. (Military counselors I have interviewed state that, in their opinion, the percentage of veterans with PTSD is much higher; the number climbs higher when combined with TBI.) Other accepted studies have found a PTSD prevalence of 14%; see a complete review of PTSD prevalence studies, which quotes studies with findings ranging from 4 -17% of Iraq War veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder)
• 50% of those with PTSD do not seek treatment
• out of the half that seek treatment, only half of them get "minimally adequate" treatment (RAND study)
• 19% of veterans may have traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Over 260,000 veterans from OIF and OEF so far have been diagnosed with TBI. Traumatic brain injury is much more common in the general population than  previously thought: according to the CDC, over 1,700,000 Americans have a traumatic brain injury each year; in Canada 20% of teens had TBI resulting in hospital admission or that involved over 5 minutes of unconsciousness (VA surgeon reporting in BBC News)
• 7% of veterans have both post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury
• rates of post-traumatic stress are greater for these wars than prior conflicts
• in times of peace, in any given year, about 4% (actually 3.6%) of the general population have PTSD (caused by natural disasters, car accidents, abuse, etc.)
• recent statistical studies show that rates of veteran suicide are much higher than previously thought (see suicide prevention page). 
  
• PTSD distribution between services for OND, OIF, and OEF: Army 67% of cases, Air Force 9%, Navy 11%, and Marines 13%. (Congressional Research Service, Sept. 2010)
• recent sample of 600 veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan found: 14% post-traumatic stress disorder; 39% alcohol abuse; 3% drug abuse. Major depression also a problem. "Mental and Physical Health Status and Alcohol and Drug Use Following Return From Deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan." Susan V. Eisen, PhD
• Oddly, statistics for veteran tobacco use are never reported alongside PTSD statistics, even though increases in rates of smoking are strongly correlated with the stress of deployment and combat, and smoking statistics show that tobacco use is tremendously damaging and costly for soldiers.
• More active duty personnel die by own hand than combat in 2012 (New York Times) 

So next time you see a veteran don't scream at them. Treat them with respect. Extend a hand to that veteran that gave their freedom so you could be free. This disorder is so disturbing that needs to be treated with care. And if you know that you have a veteran of war as a neighbor be considerate and don't light any firecrackers near them. 

(Some of the information here was obtain searching threw Google and friends that believe that PTSD is not a game.)