PTSD the hidden battle scars

[herbie]

I would like to throw this out to all the members on this site, to give feed back and open discussion of the subject.
I think that we all can relate to this subject in one way or another. I have been involved with Combat stress, raising money, doing charity work. I my self had a few problems after a violent tour of NI in the late 80's. I am one of the lucky one that managed to sort it out before it sorted me out. Over last 18 years i have been able to assist guys in the industry deal with some of the problems that blight professional security contractors who are demonstrating symptons while on leave or RnR. this is the time away from the preasures of the job that keeps it in check and controlled. But there is a real need in the industry for colleagues and friend to keep there eye on people who my need help.

This is a very Taboo subject in the industry and services still. But with more and more violent incidents we are subject to, we need to open up to each other with our thoughts and experiences of this problem.

[lildev666]

Herbie, Such a good topic for discussion. May be a sub forum should be opened for this. Whilst its not easy for people to discuss, it might be a little easier to talk to someone who has been there and managed to come through the other end...

Perhaps info about symptoms and links as to where to get help if anyone might need it???

[steevorct]

After the first gulf war the soldiers were given a letter for their gp's in case of anything happening, a gp isn't really equipped to deal with many of the problems facing servicemen/women returning home on leave from a conflict. 8 years later whilst I was serving in NI I was summond to a London hospital for a days testing into gulf war syndrome which included a 5 min session with a shrink, there were about 2000 servicemen serving and ex serving there on this day and we were herded around like cattle from one department to another, this was a pr stunt so the goverment at the time could cover themselves. I think more provision should be made fpr ex servicemen with various problems inc mental health as we seem to be forgotton about once we hand the green skin back in.

[covert munkey]

I remember coming back from Iraq and we all had to go and see the shrink.

One thing i remember vividly is that the MOD don't tell you what the symptoms are as there afraid serving military will act as if they've got PTSD and either a) Sue the Army b) Discharge from the Army(medical grounds) or simply c) milk the system.

It's a shame but there are probably people that would use the system put in place against the MOD.

[mickworldwide]

some of the employers out there actually offer it to guys coming home (usually after a traumatic incident or loss of a team mate) AG insisted on that. I think many of the companies are now recognising that they have a duty of care to the guys and that although it may be a back side covering exercise, it is good to see that they have identified and tried to put some sort of help in the path of their employees.
Good post and interesting subject.

[Sunny]

The point raised is a fair one and the taboo will remain to exsist.
If you want to help a friend, a family member or a colleague it will have to start with recognition as the person suffering in many cases will be the last to admit anything is wrong.

PTSD

Definition
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a kind of anxiety disorder. It can occur after you've seen or experienced a traumatic event that involved the threat of injury or death.

Causes
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may occur soon after a major trauma, or it can be delayed for more than six months after the event. When it occurs soon after the trauma, it usually gets better after 3 months. However, some people have a longer-term form of PTSD, which can last for many years.

We do not know what causes PTSD, but psychological, genetic, physical, and social factors are involved. PTSD changes the body’s response to stress by affecting stress hormones and chemicals that carry information between the nerves (neurotransmitters). Having been exposed to trauma in the past may increase the risk of PTSD.

Having good social support helps to protect against PTSD. In studies of Vietnam veterans, those with strong support systems were less likely to get PTSD than those without social support.

People with PTSD re-experience the event again and again in at least one of several ways. They may have frightening dreams and memories of the event, feel as though they are going through the experience again (flashbacks), or become very upset during anniversaries of the event.


Symptoms
Symptoms of PTSD fall into three main categories:


1. Repeated "reliving" of the event, which disturbs day-to-day activity

• Recurrent distressing memories of the event
• Repeated dreams of the event
• Flashback episodes, where the event seems to be happening again and again
• Physical reactions to situations that remind you of the traumatic event

2. Avoidance

• Inability to remember important aspects of the trauma
• Lack of interest in normal activities
• Feelings of detachment
• Sense of having no future
• Emotional "numbing", or feeling as though you don’t care about anything
• Less expression of moods
• Staying away from places, people, or objects that remind you of the event

3. Arousal

• Irritability or outbursts of anger
• Sleeping difficulties
• Difficulty concentrating
• Exaggerated response to things that startle you
• Excess awareness (hypervigilance)

You also might feel a sense of guilt about the event (including "survivor guilt"), and the following symptoms, which are typical of anxiety, stress and tension.:

• Paleness
• Feeling your heart beat in your chest (palpitations)
• Headache
• Fever
• Fainting
• Dizziness
• Aggitation, or excitability upset during anniversaries of the event.

Treatment

Treatment aims to reduce symptoms by encouraging you to recall the event, express your feelings, and gain some sense of control over the experience. In some cases, expressing grief helps to complete the necessary mourning process. Support groups, where people who have had similar experiences can share their feelings, are very helpful.

People with PTSD may need to treat depression, alcohol or substance abuse, or related medical conditions before addressing symptoms of PTSD. Behavioral therapy is used to treat avoidance symptoms. This can include being exposed to the object that triggers your symptoms until you become used to it and no longer avoid it (called graded exposure and flooding).

Medicines that act on the nervous system can help reduce anxiety and other symptoms of PTSD. Antidepressants, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as fluoxetine (Prozac), can be effective in treating PTSD. A doctor should monitor you if you take these drugs, because they can have side effects. Sedatives can help with sleep disturbance. Antianxiety medicines may be useful, but some types, such as benzodiazepines, can be addictive.

I think this sort of sums it up, to go short: recognize and be a friend, if it concerns yourself: don't hide away from friends and family but as for their support.

[gasman]

Link I found on NHS direct seems very informative and they have some contact groups. Post-traumatic stress disorder Introduction - Health encyclopaedia - NHS Direct

[littlewoman]

PTSD is an extension of our bodies normal learning process that goes astray a bit. Normally when we hurt ourselves or see others get hurt we learn from that. Its how we learn to walk, climb, fight etc. We learn that doing certain things is not good for us. But the memory of this is usually subconcious, we don't remember all the times we fell off our bikes when we were kids but subconciously we do remember what led to that. So with PTSD flashbacks and anxiety attacks can be triggered by something that reminds us of the event, such as a smell or sound.

Some of the symptoms such as sleep problems, anxiety attacks, depression etc. can be treated by acupuncture, it has a lot less side affects than pills and is very effective. Also using acupressure can give the person some control over their own symptoms which can help them recover. There's also a chinese massage technique called Chi ni tsang which is highly effective. Its a bit complicated to explain how it works, but is does. So its worth a try.

Counselling can work but it doesn't work for everyone, going over the trauma again and again can just make it worse if you're not getting anywhere and many counsellors are not equipped to deal with soldiers and other professionals (firefighters etc) that deal with a lot of trauma as part of their everyday lives but are affected by certain specific incidents.

[mjay]

Ptsd can be a very detrimental illness and hard to recognise at first. I agree totally with little woman about triggers, I was sitting with a friend one day a few years go and I fidget a lot, this day in particular i was chewing a lighter, never a good idea I know, but I bit it too hard and it bust making a loud bang, this scared the living day lights out of this friend a man whom iv known forever and never saw him react like this to anything. Later he talked to me adressing a subject he ussually keeps very close to his chest, he was in a bomb many years ago and he said that the sudden bang brought back the terror off that day. It never happened too him before that, but when this incident occured he went asap to see some one to talk through something that obviously still deeply affected him. The point im trying to make in a long winded way is that many people dont show any out ward signs and dont even realise the state of their inner mental health untill its too late. And off course you also have the big boys dont cry mentality going on in the military where blokes in particular would be embarrassed to go and seek help.

[kenpsd]

Erinys were keen to follow up on major incidents with offers of Counselling, I was always spoken to by the 'headsheds' after 'dramas' on the ground. I was given advice on what to look for in my team as a possible indication of problems. My impression, maybe wrongly, that some of the PMCs look after their staff better than some military units, I hasten to add that this is a personal opinion based on discussions with my son ( Currently serving with a Scottish Infantry Unit) and my own experiences. I recall after returning from Lebanon in 1984 and the fairly dramatic events at the US Embassy Annex, I was visited at Longmoor by 2 'visitors' who wanted to discuss the experience with me. I was quite happy to talk to them.Did it make me feel better, I can't say for sure, going on the p*ss with the lads made me feel much better, well until the next day that is....hangover from hell. PTSD is a real problem, but each person will deal with it in their own way and if that means having to get or take help from the professionals then so be it. After all we would not expect to have to carry out our own Surgical procedures....would we??