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Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and War-Related StressInformation for Veterans and their Families |
Background
Whether in the military or as a civilian, at some point during our lives nearly all of us will experience a traumatic event that will challenge our view of the world or ourselves. Depending upon a range of factors, some people’s reactions may last for just a short period of time, while others may experience more long-lasting effects. The question of why some people are affected more than others has no simple answer. However, we know that between 12 and 15 percent of war-zone veterans – including peace-keeping forces – will go on to experience a chronic condition known as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), while a further 12 to 15 percent will experience at least some of the symptoms associated with this condition. This booklet is aimed at providing information for veterans who have developed some of the more common symptoms of PTSD. It is designed to provide some suggestions as to what veterans can do to help themselves and what they can expect in the way of treatment for this condition.
What is PTSD?
PTSD is a psychological response to the experience of intense traumatic events, particularly those that threaten life. It can affect people of any age, culture or gender. Although we have started to hear a lot more about it in recent years, the condition has been known to exist at least since the times of ancient Greece and has been called by many different names. It is referred to often in literature and the work of Shakespeare provides several good examples - some of these appear in this book. In the American Civil War it was referred to as "soldier’s heart", in World War I it was called "shell shock", while by World War II it was known as "war neurosis". Many soldiers were labelled as having "combat fatigue" when experiencing symptoms associated with PTSD during combat. In the Vietnam War, this became known as a "combat stress reaction". Some of these people continued on to develop what became known, in 1980, as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.
Traumatic stress can be seen as part of a normal human response to intense experiences. In the majority of people, the symptoms reduce or disappear over the first few months, particularly with the help of caring family members and friends. In a significant minority, however, the symptoms do not seem to resolve quickly and, in some cases, may continue to cause problems for the rest of the person’s life. It is also common for symptoms to vary in intensity over time. Some people go for long periods without any significant problems, only to relapse when they have to deal with other major life stress. In rare cases, the symptoms may not appear for months, or even years, after the trauma.
What is a Traumatic Event?
Trauma is a very personal thing. What traumatises one person can be of less significance to others. This variation in peoples’ reactions occurs because of their individual personality, beliefs, personal values, and previous experiences (especially of other traumatic events in their life). It occurs also because each person’s experience of the incident is unique. However, in all cases the individual has experienced a threatening event that has caused them to respond with intense fear, helplessness, or horror. For military veterans, the trauma may relate to direct combat duties, being in a dangerous war-zone, or taking part in peacekeeping missions under difficult and stressful conditions. For civilians, the trauma can stem from either man-made events (such as physical assault, sexual assault, accidents, and witnessing the death or injury of others) or natural disasters (such as fires, earthquakes, floods, and cyclones). Overall, there are no hard and fast rules to define trauma.