Physical Health And Ptsd
PTSD affects physical health as well. It’s important to note that any treatment plan for PTSD in Vietnam veterans should take account of not just the psychological impact, but the physical aspect of the disorder. Physical conditions which are more common in those living with PTSD include:
- Respiratory-related disorders such as emphysema
- Digestive tract disorders such as GERD and peptic ulcer disease
Combat Veterans Face Increased Risk
The work you did while serving can greatly impact the likelihood that you will develop PTSD. Among veterans who served in active combat, 17 percent reported symptoms of PTSD. There are several possible reasons for this.
First, combat veterans are more likely to suffer injuries in the line of duty. Physical injuries can contribute to this risk, particularly traumatic brain injuries that may affect how a veteran deals with trauma. As veterans face the struggle of physically healing from their injuries, many do not receive proper mental health care. In this way, the mental effects of trauma go untreated, which can greatly increase the risk of PTSD.
Helping A Veteran With Ptsd
When a loved one returns from military service with PTSD, it can take a heavy toll on your relationship and family life. You may have to take on a bigger share of household tasks, deal with the frustration of a loved one who wont open up, or even deal with anger or other disturbing behavior.
Dont take the symptoms of PTSD personally. If your loved one seems distant, irritable, angry, or closed off, remember that this may not have anything to do with you or your relationship.
Dont pressure your loved one into talking. Many veterans with PTSD find it difficult to talk about their experiences. Never try to force your loved one to open up but let them know that youre there if they want to talk. Its your understanding that provides comfort, not anything you say.
Be patient and understanding. Feeling better takes time so be patient with the pace of recovery. Offer support but dont try to direct your loved one.
Try to anticipate and prepare for PTSD triggers such as certain sounds, sights, or smells. If you are aware of what causes an upsetting reaction, youll be in a better position to help your loved one calm down.
Take care of yourself. Letting your loved ones PTSD dominate your life while ignoring your own needs is a surefire recipe for burnout. Make time for yourself and learn to manage stress. The more calm, relaxed, and focused you are, the better youll be able to help your loved one.
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Sexual Assault In The Military
Sexual misconduct is disturbingly common within the United States military. In fact, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs coined the term military sexual trauma to describe all forms of sexual assault or harassment experienced during military service. Survivors of these acts of sexual aggression often experience PTSD, as do survivors of sexual assault in civilian life.
Statistics pertaining to sexual assault in the military are alarming, including the following data points:
- Twenty-three percent of female veterans reported sexual assault while serving in the military.
- 55 percent of female veterans and 38% of male veterans experienced sexual harassment while serving in the military.
- Though stereotypes suggest survivors of sexual assault are predominantly female, more than half of veterans with military sexual trauma are men.
Trauma stemming from sexual harassment and assault can be no less devastating to veterans than experiences of combat, and prevention is a stated priority for U.S. Department of Defence. Additionally, VA health care facilities often offer services specifically designed for veterans who were sexually assaulted while serving.
Where You Served Affects Your Ptsd Risk
While all military personnel face some level of PTSD risk, those who served in certain areas may be more at-risk. Veterans deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan in operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom display an 11 to 20 percent chance to develop PTSD in a given year. For context, that means that of the 1.9 million veterans who served in these operations, between 209,000 and 380,000 will develop PTSD.
Veterans of the Gulf War , with 12 percent of them developing PTSD, or 660,000 of the 5.5 million American military personnel in that conflict. These veteran PTSD statistics indicate that the Gulf War and Iraq War were similarly traumatic for service members. Unfortunately, however, the PTSD rates for other conflicts go much higher.
In the 1970s, a study showed that 15 percent of Vietnam War veterans developed PTSD. However, as time has gone on, that number has doubled to a staggering 30% of Vietnam veterans with PTSD, or 810,000 of the 2.7 million service members, in the National Vietnam Veteran Readjustment Study. These veteran PTSD statistics suggest that lifetime risk of PTSD may be higher than the numbers suggested for recent conflicts. For this reason, its important to seriously monitor your mental health as you age to ensure that you do not display PTSD symptoms.
for Veterans by Veterans
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How Common Is Ptsd In Adults
Most people experience a traumatic event at some point in their lives. It’s typical for us to recover over time. But some people develop PTSD. Learn how many adults have PTSD in the United States.
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PTSD can occur after you have been through a trauma. A trauma is a shocking and dangerous event that you see or that happens to you. During this type of event, you think that your life or others’ lives are in danger.
Going through trauma is not rare. About 6 of every 10 men and 5 of every 10 women experience at least one trauma in their lives. Women are more likely to experience sexual assault and child sexual abuse. Men are more likely to experience accidents, physical assault, combat, disaster, or to witness death or injury.
PTSD can happen to anyone. It is not a sign of weakness. A number of factors can increase the chance that someone will develop PTSD, many of which are not under that person’s control. For example, if you were directly exposed to the trauma or injured, you are more likely to develop PTSD.
Importance Of Recognizing Ptsd
Understanding how common PTSD is in Vietnam veterans, and the complications of the condition, it’s clear why it is so important that the condition is recognized. Studies have found several types of treatment to be helpful, but in order to seek treatment, veterans need to be aware that what they are experiencing is something that can improve with treatment.
If you are uncertain whether or not you may have PTSD, look at these requirements for a PTSD diagnosis and make an appointment with your doctor to talk about your concerns.
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Deal With Flashbacks Nightmares And Intrusive Thoughts
For veterans with PTSD, flashbacks usually involve visual and auditory memories of combat. It feels as if its happening all over again so its vital to reassure yourself that the experience is not occurring in the present. Trauma specialists call this dual awareness.
Dual awareness is the recognition that there is a difference between your experiencing self and your observing self. On the one hand, there is your internal emotional reality: you feel as if the trauma is currently happening. On the other hand, you can look to your external environment and recognize that youre safe. Youre aware that despite what youre experiencing, the trauma happened in the past. It is not happening now.
State to yourself the reality that while you feel as if the trauma is currently happening, you can look around and recognize that youre safe.
Use a simple script when you awaken from a nightmare or start to experience a flashback: I feel because Im remembering , but as I look around I can see that the event isnt happening right now and Im not in danger.
Describe what you see when you look around .
Try tapping your arms as you describe what you see to help bring you back to the present.
Ptsd Is Not Just For Veterans Its A Trauma Disorder That Affects Millions
Research shows that individuals who suffer with post-traumatic stress disorder, better known as PTSD, have experienced severe trauma at some point in their lives. The trauma could come in the form of sexual assault, a natural disaster, a car accident or anything that would prompt someone to have a harrowing reaction.
However, many believe that PTSD is a mental health condition that affects only those who have come back home from war, but this is not the case.
We must see PTSD, and other trauma-related disorders, as mental health issues that face many survivors of human rights violations, said Tina Kempin Reuter, associate professor in the University of Alabama at Birminghams College of Arts and Sciences and director for UAB Institute for Human Rights. Whether theyre survivors of genocide, ethnic cleansing, racial or ethnic persecution, and other forms of direct and indirect violence, many of these individuals continue to battle their traumas across their lifetime.
PTSD affects 3.5 percent of the U.S. adult population, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or approximately 8 million Americans who live with the condition. Approximately 37 percent of people diagnosed with PTSD display serious symptoms.
Symptoms can include flashbacks, night sweats, insomnia, panic attacks, and isolating themselves from friends and family.
Many who experience PTSD also may struggle with suicidal ideation and may attempt to take their life.
How to cope with trauma
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Major Shifts In Your Moods Or Thoughts
Veterans with PTSD often have major shifts in their moods, or mood swings, that come on suddenly and without warning. They may also have intense feelings of shame or guilt about events in their military career, which may lead to feelings of unworthiness. These negative emotions often lead to severe depression or anxiety for Veterans.
Intrusion Of Thoughts Memories Flashbacks And Dreams
This category, sometimes called re-experiencing symptoms, describes any kind of repeated, unwanted recollection of the traumatic events in question. These intrusive forms of thinking include memories and dreams, which can often be quite vivid. In some cases, individuals with a diagnosis of PTSD experience flashbacks in which they feel as if they are witnessing or reliving the traumatic event again.
For veterans, intrusive thoughts might include memories, dreams, or flashbacks of distressing combat experiences. Similarly, disturbing recollections of injuries or fatalities might repeatedly or unpredictably intrude on their thoughts.
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The Rates Of Ptsd In Military Veterans
Regardless of which war or conflict you look at, high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans have been found. Throughout history, people have recognized that exposure to combat situations can negatively impact the mental health of those involved in these situations.
In fact, the diagnosis of PTSD historically originates from observations of the effect of combat on soldiers. The grouping of symptoms that we now refer to as PTSD has been described in the past as “combat fatigue,” “shell shock,” or “war neurosis.”
For this reason, researchers have been particularly interested in examining the extent to which PTSD occurs among veterans. Rates of PTSD in Vietnam veterans, Persian Gulf War veterans, and Iraq War veterans are provided below.
‘higher Levels Of Ptsd Among Veterans’ Says Study
Post-traumatic stress disorder of serving Army personnel and military veterans has increased in the last 10 years, a new study suggests.
Most sufferers were veterans who saw active combat 17% reported symptoms of probable PTSD.
Experts said the delayed onset of the illness, and the loss of support when leaving the army, were probable causes.
And more veterans are seeking treatment, as awareness of PTSD has increased.
The study of nearly 9,000 of the military, by King’s College London, is published in the British Journal of Psychiatry. It shows that PTSD in the military increased from 4% in 2004-5 to 6% in 2014-16.
Among veterans deployed in a combat role to Iraq or Afghanistan, 17% reported symptoms suggesting probable PTSD, compared to 6% deployed in support roles such as doctors and aircrew.
Lead author Dr Sharon Stevelink, from the Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry & Neuroscience at King’s College, said: “For the first time we have identified that the risk of PTSD for veterans deployed in conflicts was substantially higher than the risk for those still serving.
“While the increase among veterans is a concern, not every veteran has been deployed and in general only about one in three would have been in a combat role.”
The findings are from the third phase of a major study which has been running since 2003.
The latest phase of the study surveyed participants between 2014 and 2016. 62% of them had deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, and the average age was 40.
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What Should I Do If I Think I Have Co
The first step is to talk to a health professional and ask about treatment options. Each VA medical center has an SUD-PTSD Specialist who is trained to treat both conditions. There are treatment resources at every VA medical center.
- Find a VA SUD Program
If you went through a traumatic event and have symptoms for more than three months, you may have PTSD. If you have questions about your drinking or drug use, learn more about treatment options. Treatment can turn your life around. Talk to a VA or other health professional about care for co-occurring PTSD and SUD.
Homeless Veterans Living With Ptsd
Aron Janssen, MD is board certified in child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry and is the vice chair of child and adolescent psychiatry Northwestern University.
It’s hard to imagine someone who served our country in the military living on the streets. Unfortunately, for many veterans, homelessness is a sad reality. Although theres no official count, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that nearly 40,000 veterans are homeless.
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Approximately 8 Million Adults In The Us Have A Diagnosis Of Ptsd2
PTS may be exacerbated by more frequent or severe exposures to trauma, and risk increases with history of trauma and stressors, personal or family history of psychopathology, and low social support.11
- In addition to being prevalent in military veterans, PTS is seen in first responders, rape and battery victims, and abused children.
Among people 13 years of age and older, 5.7% will develop PTSD during their lifetime.4 PTS is more prevalent in young adults, women, and African Americans, and high rates are also seen in Hispanics and Caucasians.
- Women are more than twice as likely as men to develop PTSD during their lifetime, and three times as likely to develop the disorder annually.1
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3.7% of Americans ages 13 years of age and older have a diagnosis of PTSD every year
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5.7% of Americans 13 years of age and older develop PTSD during their lifetime
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Over 138,000 new PTSD diagnoses among deployed military personnel from 2000-2015
average post-deployment PTSD prevalencein U.S. infantry personnel
The PTS Spectrum Has Been Defined, Providing a Useful Framework for Thinking About Diagnosis and Treatment12
Diagnostic Criteria
DSM-5 Diagnosis: Because our understanding of PTS constantly evolves, the DSM-5 was updated to assess four categories/clusters of PTSD symptoms13:
PTSD Is Highly Comorbid with Depression, Anxiety Disorders, and Suicidality14
In particular, when TBI and PTSD co-occur, symptoms may be difficult to delineate.
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What Percentage Of Veterans Have Ptsd
How many veterans suffer from PTSD? You may be shocked by the answer.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 11-20 out of every 100 veterans experience post-traumatic stress disordera number that is both overwhelming and, unfortunately, not always acknowledged to the degree that it should be.
PTSD is generally characterized by a few distinct categories of symptoms, which mental health professionals use to assess and treat the disorder. These categories, as described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , capture the kinds of mental health problems that veterans with PTSD experience to differing degrees.
To understand the daily struggles that PTSD can entail or to assess whether you or someone you love might be experiencing this condition, consider the following:
Intrusion of Thoughts, Memories, Flashbacks, and Dreams
This category describes any kind of repeated, unwanted recollections of the traumatic events. These intrusive forms of thinking include memories and dreams, which can be quite vivid. In some cases, individuals with a diagnosis of PTSD experience flashbacks in which they feel as if they are witnessing or reliving the traumatic event again. Similarly, disturbing recollections of injuries or fatalities might repeatedly or unpredictably intrude.
Avoidance of Reminders of Traumatic Events
This can also serve as a barrier to seeking treatment.
Alterations in Arousal and Reactivity
Non-Combat Causes of PTSD Among Veterans
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Ptsd In Persian Gulf War Veterans
Although the Persian Gulf War was brief, its impact was no less traumatic than other wars. From the time the Persian Gulf War ended in 1991 to now, veterans have reported a number of physical and mental health problems.
Studies examining the mental health of Persian Gulf War veterans are mixed, with some findings indicating that the rates of PTSD stemming from the Gulf war were lower than other wars, ranging from 816%. Some of these estimated rates are higher than what has been found among veterans not deployed to the Persian Gulf.
Risk Of Experiencing Trauma
Findings from a large national mental health study show that a little more than half of all women will experience at least one traumatic event in their life. Women are slightly less likely to experience trauma than men. The most common trauma for women is sexual assault or child sexual abuse. About one in three women will experience a sexual assault in their lifetime. Rates of sexual assault are higher for women than men. Women are also more likely to be neglected or abused in childhood, to experience domestic violence, or to have a loved one suddenly die.
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