Paper Sample on Iraq War Syndrome: A Scientific Review of Post-War Effects

Introduction

There is a scientific review that has supported the war syndromes after the Iraq war. Some of the observed symptoms are chronic lack of sleep, physical injuries and pains, PTSD, anxiety, clinical depression, and neuropsychological deficits. The neuropsychological conditions are likely to lead to communication disorders such as attention problems, working memory, or executive functions that are mainly associated with TBI. HPA axis dysregulation maintains and mediates the cascade of biological events and chronic stressors to dysregulation, which are the underlying factors for post-war-related syndromes. An individual experience at war challenges to fit into a healthy life away from war. The post-war experiences hugely affect how veterans handle their communication, which is essential in fitting back into society.

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The onset of chronic physical, emotional, and cognitive disorders, responsible for communication issues, is a contributing factor to HPA axis dysregulation. The study review has proved that the HPA axis's dysregulation is responsible for severe insomnia and hyperarousal observed in combat veterans post-war. This part of the brain is particularly sensitive to war (Dieter, & Engel, 2019). PTSD is very much responsible for cognitive defects, whereas blast-related/ head injuries are responsible for the neuropsychological functioning deficits. Combat veterans may continue to fight an internal enemy within themselves long after returning home, psychological experience of CWS.

The Continuous Battle

The continuous battle within themselves may make them withdrawn from society and exhibit negative communication behaviors. Resumption of domestic responsibilities, adjustment to different work schedules, the pressure from the families and friends, and being in a less structured environment are some of the stressors that lead to psychological problems for the soldiers post-war. The psychological problems are hugely reflected in their communication patterns, which the society perceives as negative, making it hard for the veterans to be warmly accepted back into civilian life.

About 2.6 million servicemen had been deployed to fight in the Iraq and Afghanistan operations by 2015, with most of them diagnosed with PSTD and TBI (Dieter, & Engel, 2019). The conditions interact and lead to individual suffering and disabilities. The conditions continue to haunt and affect not only the servicemen but also their families even after deployment. The effects of these wars are mostly exhibited in the communication patterns of the veterans. The veterans are more likely to develop communication disorders that may be informed of their speech, and their behaviors, making it hard for them to get along with the society in civilian life.

The repercussions of war are continuous rather than discrete variables, making their effects variable as well. The variables include headaches and orthopedic, which have been identified as severe pain, sight impairments, PTSD symptoms, and clinical mental health challenges. Due to their inability to do more, work, and family responsibilities, anxiety is prevalent among the veterans (Dieter, & Engel, 2019). Their inability to cope with work and family is a result of the negative communication patterns that the servicemen adapt post-deployment, making it a challenge for them to interact well with the rest of the society. Some noticeable communication-related deficits among the veterans include their inability to process information quickly, concentration challenges, and easily distracted and impulsivity concerning cognition.

The repercussion of war is dynamic. They consist of the stressors associated with deployment life, such as disruption of sleep schedules or the lack of enough sleep, fear of injury and death, the created distance between family and friends, and working in a very structured environment. Another component of the war repercussion is the onset of the severe, physical, and emotional conditions and the cognitive challenges prevalent in their communication disorders. The stated components present a huge challenge for the veterans to integrate with society post-deployment. Communication is essential in the developing of meaningful relationships, securing the environment, and engaging with society. It is, therefore, important to look at the communication disorders prevalent in combat veterans.

Acquired Stuttering in Veterans

Acquired stuttering (AS) is simply a fluency disorder, an aspect of communication disorder. An absence of an adaptation effect characterizes the condition, stuttering on any syllable within a word, grammatical and substantive words. Unemployment, poor living standards, social and emotional challenges, and lack of self-esteem and reduced self-image are some of the negative outcomes of this communication disorder. Stuttering is a communication disorder that can be treated through the use of supportive therapy and modification of behaviors (Norman et al., 2018) AS can be neurogenic or psychogenic. Neurogenic stuttering is associated with diseases like Alzheimer's and neurogenic disorder resulting from traumatic brain injury (TBI). Psychiatric diseases are linked to psychogenic stuttering.

People with brain damage have been highly linked to having AS as one of their most identified communication disorders. An external force may disrupt the normal brain function, a condition that is popularly referred to as Traumatic brain injury (TBI). A survey conducted in 1990 has shown that brain damage is one of the conditions that result in AS, with the majority of those between the ages of 16-30 indicating higher chances of associating the communication disorder to brain damage than the older population (Norman et al., 2018). However, it is difficult to distinguish AS from other communication disorders linked to speech-language deficits such as dysarthria or aphasia. It is not easy to associate PTSD and stuttering. However, communication disorder has been identified in people suffering from social anxiety disorders linked to people with PTSD. It is important to conduct studies on possible stuttering and PTSD, especially in people with a high prevalence of PTSD; an example is the combat veterans. A patient’s medication is likely to communication disorders such as stuttering, commonly referred to as drug-induced stuttering. Neuroleptics, antiepileptic, and medications meant to treat depression have been linked to causing communication disorder symptoms. The biological reactions that come along with the use of these medications are attributed to the stuttering symptoms.

A study sample was drawn from 309,675 U.S soldiers that had previously fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, to establish the relationship between TBI, PSTD, and communication disorder, acquired stuttering (Norman et al., 2018). The secondary goal of the study was to examine the relationship between the medication patterns on the identified soldiers and AS. Data from the VHANR of the soldiers who had fought in both Iraq and Afghanistan had acquired the VHANR care was used for a retrospective study. ICD-9 codes were used to check for stuttering to create the link between TBI, AS, and PSTD. The multivariable logistic regression was applied to establish the connection between comorbidity and medications that come with stuttering. From the study, it was identified that 0.08% of the combat veterans had AS (Norman et al., 2018). The veterans with PTSD and TBI were more exposed to the condition than those who did not have these conditions. Most of those with AS were recommended to take a medication to treat the communication disorder on speech fluency, 66% (Norman et al., 2018). Speech fluency medication may include; antidepressants, anxiolytics, and antiepileptic drugs. Clinicians treating veterans with PTSD and TBI have been advised to look into the impact of the suggested medication on speech fluency.

The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have left the veterans with the signature injury that is a traumatic brain injury, a condition that puts them at the risk of developing communication disorders such as stuttering. Particularly, TBI and PSTD have been referred to as the invisible wounds of the post-operation in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Mental health impairments and severe physical injuries are prevalent in veterans who have been diagnosed with TBI and PTSD. Veterans with communication disorders are at a high risk of unemployment. In any job market, communication skills are essential. Seeing that most veterans have been diagnosed with TBI and PTSD, which impairs their communication, they are disadvantaged when it comes to securing employment. The veterans do have a challenge in integrating back into society. The enduring impacts of veterans suffering from stuttering as a communication disorder could be positively impacted by the identification of the people with the condition—the study further researched the identification of veterans at the risk of AS and recovery possibilities. Treatments for PTSD and TBI for veterans with the conditions should be explored.

The Characteristics of Effective Communicative Partners

Traumatic experiences are responsible for PTSD conditions. The condition is most likely to lead to negative communication impacts. High levels of arousal, unstable attitudes, socially distancing, excessive irritation, and anxiety are the PTSD symptoms associated with communication problems among the returning servicemen (Kohlmann, 2015). The identified communication problems make it a challenge for the veterans to engage with their family and friends back in civilian life. For married veterans, their spouses are their communication partners. Particular geographical patterns, celebrations, conditions, noises, and smells are some of the triggers of PTSD. The riggers vary in extent and complexity. Veterans can exhibit withdrawal behaviors, a negative communication pattern, in fear of the trauma-related triggers (Kohlmann, 2015). The stigmatization in the military culture has caused many veterans to struggle individually and silently struggle with PTSD symptoms, rather than openly communicating on their mental health challenges and seeking help. Spouses and family members willing to support the returning servicemen have a challenge in developing a trusted environment, due to the veterans' isolation through masking and denial.

Conclusion

Most servicemen suffer from hyperarousal after deployment. The condition symptoms are exhibited in the veterans' negative communication patterns, such as feelings of jittery and conversations indicating irritability. Irritation fear, attention challenges, and insomnia are reported to be consequences of hyperarousal in the servicemen Kohlmann, 2015). The accuracy of PTSD diagnosis has become an area of concern as it has become the most diagnosed condition among veterans.