Research Paper Sample on Servicemen and Their Families: Challenges and Trauma

Introduction

It is a central interest to be observant of the typical issues that affect our servicemen and their families, considering that military members always undergo several challenges when operating both within and outside our borders. For numerous years, the families of the servicemen, both currently working and those who have formerly worked in the service, have gone through various traumatic situations such as experiencing an accident, war, witnessing cold-blooded murder, and so on. Some psychological matters are disastrous and consequently influence the members of the armed forces, maybe after retiring from duty or when on a mission, like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD) is a common disorder (Creech & Misca, 2017).

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It is usually difficult for one to recover from the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a kind of psychological disorder that is attributed to the impact of witnessing a catastrophic event (Creech & Misca, 2017). Victims of such situations may want to stay away from those tragic moments to evade emotional commotion due to triggers that might be caused by flashbacks, severe anxiety, or nightmares. Therefore, this literature will be based on research involving military members with PTSD and how it affects family dynamics. It is the mandate of the Department of Defense (DOD) to be concerned with the welfare of the military members.

Research Design

The research will entail concerns for the presence of PTSD amongst ex-servicemen after a member of the military finishes their duty. There is a need to determine the wellbeing of a family of such a victim. For that matter, PTSD is presumed to be the independent variable, while a family's health and dynamic depending on its presence. Correspondingly, this research dwells on the association of the existence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the impact on the family dynamic. Causes of PTSD to ex-servicemen are exposure to combat, facing death threats from an opponent, using a deadly weapon, experiencing an accident, or just a physical assault (Munro et al., 2019). Thus, the research design will be focusing on the influences of PTSD. Again, it will touch on the wellbeing of family members of the defense forces officer. Such impacts can be founded on the happiness and closeness of a family affected by the presence of PTSD.

Research Puzzle

The research puzzle will include an emphasis on the signs and symptoms of PTSD, and the influences on their families. For several years, PTSD has been recognized as impactful on members of the military and their families. Thus, there is an intention to give an insight based on aspects of PTSD. Such as signs and symptoms, and their eventual repercussions on both the victims and their close relatives. It is significant to focus on some of the symptoms and possible approaches that can aid military members with PTSD.

Signs and Symptoms, and Effects of PTSD

The symptoms of PTSD can evolve rapidly or may commence progressively and deteriorate over a period (Munro et al., 2019). Signs and symptoms may be seen in various distinct ways amid victims based on co-striking disorders, indication sternness, and discrete design. Besides, the PTSD symptoms may be categorized into either re-occurring, or avoidance, or hyperarousal indicators. Some of the examples of re-occurring signs that are common among members of the military are nightmares, flashbacks, or even rigorous physical responses to hallucinations. According to Munro et al. (2019), the avoidance indicators may include emotional numbing, hopelessness regarding the future, or feeling disconnected. Some of the hyper-inciting signs of PTSD might be having trouble sleeping, temper, or irritability. There are also indicators like having experiences of unseen things or being haunted, etc.

Next, the impacts of PTSD can be either short-term or long-term challenges. Typically, ex-servicemen experience long-term effects of PTSD. The prolonged effects of PTSD may be due to ignorance or evasion of the required treatment procedures for such disorder, which may be accompanied by depression. In the case of poor care to the sufferers of people living with PTSD, the experiences can be substantial impairment in their lives (Munro et al., 2019). Unfortunately, PTSD in an individual can expose them to more danger of advancing to a series of other mental syndromes and specific medical ill-health (Creech & Misca, 2017). Additionally, (Munro et al. (2019) indicate that the long-term disorders sometimes might worsen, or progress as a result of untreated PTSD, encompassing chronic pain, depression, anxiety, divorce or separation, substance misuse and addiction, social seclusion and withdrawal, and so on.

Care and Treatment for Members With PTSD

After war veterans have come out of mission or have been out of duty since retirement, the military health department must ensure that the necessary medical attention is offered. Among the available treatment procedures for PTSD, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is recognized as the best psychotherapy that can tremendously aid in lessening the signs of PTSD amongst ex-servicemen (Creech & Misca, 2017). It is as well efficient compared to other treatment procedures that engage a non-drug application.

Likewise, the medically concerned bodies have devised other treatment methods for ex-servicemen living with PTSD, encompassing meditation, yoga, and acupuncture (Munro et al., 2019). Just like other mental ailments, PTSD is not firmly correctable. The medical condition is majorly instigated by trauma and resulting in severe indications that seem to make regular functioning almost impossible or downrightly challenging (Munro et al., 2019). Thus, handling with distinct types of remedy and sometimes applying medicine can make a huge difference, though PTSD as no cure.

Research Question

Regarding the effects of PTSD on military members, there is a consequential trail traced back to the victims' family members, including their friends. As a result, it is a concern of greater magnitude when such issues emerge after an ex-serviceman has served their nation. It is heartbreaking to realize that some of the good men who gave their lives to defend the American interests within our boundaries and outside in countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Vietnam, and so on pass through hard times. To some extent, the past victories that they returned with at home never count to them and their families. Therefore, it is a critical part of apprehension to visualize the matters arising, find the best methods of approach, and bring a fruitful result.

Effects of PDST on Family Members of the Ex-servicemen

Concerning past research, there are several indications that PTSD may make someone a little challenging to live with them due to the adverse conditions. Staying with somebody who is frightened, experiencing frequent nightmares, and habitually dodges social scenarios can cause a catastrophe in some most caring families. There are severe impacts of PTSD on members of a family, as illustrated by early studies.

Impact of PTSD on Marriages and How to Mend the Broken Families

The effect of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) cannot only be tied to mental health, but it may also be linked to undesirably influence a union, a couple's relationship. The indications of PTSD might develop issues with trust, intimacy, togetherness, frequent communication, finding resolutions to problems, and the making of a decision. Consequently, it may cause the ruin of relationships (Brockman et al., 2016). One of the contributing factors regarding such a scenario is that a victim, war veteran loses interest in social events, diversions, or even sex. It may result in one of the partners developing an emotional interference, lack of connection, or feeling left out. A spouse with PTSD can feel secluded, estranged, and unfulfilled from the failure to solve the marital issues and assist their partner. The marriage associates can feel upset or powerless because their spouse could not manage the effect of the trauma. Subsequently, it can affect loved ones' emotional attachment while feeling irritated or detached from their associate.

Subsequently, the rage bursts out, and inappropriate instincts can specifically scare one of the partners. Physical or verbal ferocity may even transpire, expressively accumulating to an individual's marital disharmony. Typically, their partner might become awful of the unmannerly behaviors unveiled (Brockman et al., 2016). They can feel overstretched, nervous, and even controlled by the person living with PTSD or survivors. The symptoms might be much unadorned and reflect that partners frequently feel like they exist in a conflict zone, in the relentless menace of danger, or could have feelings of undergoing traumatizing situations.

Work and daily events habitually demonstrate to be a scuffle likewise for those detected to have PTSD and can result in advanced rates of couples dissociating and being unproductive. Consequently, ex-servicemen who have undergone through the experiences of the effects of PTSD have testified substantial marital hitches. Several research types have revealed that approximately 50 percent of their unions end in annulment and are nearly three times more likely to have numerous marriages, which eventually ends in separation (Iacovou, 2016).

There is a need for involving a therapist who is well-trained to aid war veterans in surviving the effects of PTSD. It can be considerable assistance to the specific survivor as well as to the partner. Discrete psychotherapy may be very factual in handling PTSD. Therapy can offer the essential skills to cope up with the indications of PTSD. Acquaintance therapy can also be useful in helping one to control their disturbance in a peaceful atmosphere. Virtual revelation therapy has equally demonstrated promising outcomes with war veterans. Marriage counseling is correspondingly tremendously valuable and exceedingly commended (Iacovou, 2016). The people living with PTSD can also be engaged through edification and sustenance groups to provide them with an apprehension of their situation and how to manage the marriage issues.

Conclusion

Still, there are possibilities that the affected families, marriages influenced by the presence of PTSD can make a milestone. The war veterans can get exposed to a series of therapeutic procedures that can alleviate the magnitude of trauma and aiding on how to cope up with depression. Consequently, the affected marriages can still stand firm since the lost trust can be gained back. As a result, survivors of PTSD can have a comprehensive communication with their spouse and objectively plan for robust family development. Therefore, it illustrates that getting back family dynamic is accomplished through harmonious engagement, which is an attribute of closeness and contentment.