James Fortune ~Vietnam
What is PTSD?
What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder? Well normal stress or even high levels of stress are pressures we all experience. We expect life to have its up and downs. We learn to adapt and become flexible, so that we can handle the normal day to day events that happen.
But when the bizarre happens, 9-11 pretty much takes the cake in that aspect. You narrowly escape the building from the 30th floor, or you quickly duck into the restaurant right angles from the falling World Trade Center and it's dust, thinking it's over, and you survive.
Events like these can leave lasting psychological and neurological effects that may remain long after the danger has passed.
Military combat is in the top 5% of these catastrophic events, perhaps the top 1%. Witnessing your comrade lose his life while you are forced to go on and fight for your life and the other people in your platoon, just doesn't give one the time to adjust to the events, because you have to go on, or your life and others will also end.
(Image courtesy ~ Rob Purvis - 75th Inf. Rangers K Company - 4th Infantry Division - Vietnam 1969Psychologists found that Vietnam War veterans that had more prolonged combat with sniping and air bombings were more prone to PTSD that soldiers subjected to combat with fewer weapons.
People with PTSD may experience intrusive memories, nightmares, heightened alertness, avoidance of reminders of the trauma, difficulty sleeping, anxiety, guilt, or problems concentrating. Persistent symptoms that interfere with daily life should be evaluated by a qualified mental health professional.
Treatment has advanced considerably since the Vietnam War. Many veterans benefit from working with trained mental health professionals. One evidence-based therapy is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), which has helped many people process traumatic memories.
Those who have served our country should have access to effective mental health care without financial barriers.
The following 18-minute video from the EMDR Institute provides an introduction to EMDR and explains why it has become an important treatment option for many people recovering from trauma.