US Vets: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment of PTSD - Research Paper

Introduction

Many veterans in the US experience common haunting symptoms of PTSD, meaning post-traumatic stress disorder. The effect gives them a difficult time in readapting to the new life out being in the military (Smith et al., 2019). They are emotionally numbed and feeling disconnected, constantly feeling as if they are on edge or even frequent panicking or exploding, and it is difficult to live with untreated PTSD. This discussion, therefore, focuses on the causes of PTSD, symptoms of PTSD in US veterans, recovery steps for veterans with PTSD and finally ways to help veterans with PTSD

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Causes of PTSD

PTSD, also known as combat stress or even shell shock, happens after the experience of a spartan ordeal or any event that threatens life. Although it is usual for one's mind and body to get shocked after that kind of occurrence, the situation develops PTSD once the nervous system of a person becomes stuck. In any stressful event, the nervous system quickly responds through automatic and reflexive ways. The first way is mobilization, which happens when one needs to defend himself or herself or conquering a certain menace of a war situation. It makes the heart beat high, raising blood pressure, tightening muscles, and as a result, increasing the strength and one's reaction speed. After conquering the danger, the nervous system hence composures the body, dropping the heart and blood pressure hence returns to normal balance.

The second way is immobilization, which happens when one experiences excessive stress in a certain condition, and despite the passing of the threat, someone still remains stuck. It is because of the inability of the nervous system to go back to its normal state of balancing hence not able to continue from that event, which is PTSD.

Symptoms of PTSD in Veterans

Some veterans develop PTSD symptoms in some hours or days that follow traumatic events. Occasionally, the symptoms fail to surface for some time that may amount to years after they return from placement. Though PTSD advances inversely in every veteran, there still exist several sign bunches. The first one is a repeated or disturbing reminder of that traumatic occasion, that includes nightmares, stressful thoughts, and recurrences, making the veteran feel that the event is like happening again. There is also an experience of many emotional and physical responses reminding of the trauma like uncontainable shuddering, panicking, and also heart palpitations.

The second symptom is extremely avoiding the things reminding the veteran of that traumatic event. They find themselves evading people, some places, circumstances, and thoughts related with depraved reminiscences. They hence isolate themselves from friends and their families and consequently trailing interest in daily happenings. The third symptom is having negative vicissitudes in their thoughts and moods. They start developing negative views regarding to themselves and the world, insistent emotions of shame, fear, and a guilty and reduced capability to experience positive feelings.

The last symptom is that the veterans are emotionally reactive, jumpy, and also being on guard every time. It is exhibited by their much anger, irritability, sleeping difficulties, behaving recklessly as well as hypervigilance. Veterans with PTSD always develop thoughts of committing suicide. Those suicidal feelings or thoughts do not portray character defect and also does not mean that the veterans are weak or crazy.

Recovery Steps for Veterans With PTSD

Veterans with PTSD should take several steps for them to recover fully. The first step has regular exercise, which is the main step the veterans are encouraged to take. Exercise helps their adrenaline to burn, quick of release endorphins, and also in improving their moods. Focusing on their bodies and feelings as they exercise helps their nervous system to unstuck hence getting out of stress response of immobilization.

Veterans are encouraged to have a rhythmic exercise that involves both arms and legs, including swimming, running as well as dancing. The action helps them not to focus on their thoughts but now focusing on the way their body feels. They are hence encouraged to do sports like climbing rocks, weight training, frequent boxing, and also martial arts, which allow them to focus on their body movements (Smith et al., 2019). Also, they are encouraged to pursue outdoor practices in nature such as camping, whitewater rafting, hiking, mountain biking as well as rock climbing. Such exercises help in challenging their sense of vulnerability hence transitioning the veterans back to normal life.

The second step they should take is self- regulating their nervous system. In most cases, PTSD makes veterans feel vulnerable, desperate, and helpless. They hence forget that they can control their nervous system than they may think. They should hence practice the following when they feel anxious or agitated, thus changing their arousal system and stay calm. Firstly, they should have mindful breathing of 60 breaths, focusing attention on every breath, which helps in calming themselves in any situation (Smith et al., 2019). Secondly, it is the sensory input where they should understand what can work best for each since people respond differently. Lastly, it is reconnecting emotionally to uncomfortable situations without getting overwhelmed. It helps them make a great difference in their ability to balance their moods, managing stress hence getting back control of their life.

The third step of recovering is connecting with others where the veterans with PTSD get encouraged to find someone like a friend or a family member to talk to and who would not judge them. Volunteering themselves to the needy also helps them connect with others and hence reclaiming their sense of power. Also, joining a support group of PTSD veterans helps in meeting other veterans with the same challenges and hence feeling they are less isolated and together work towards recovering. They are encouraged to avoid talking about their combat experiences if they feel that they are not ready for disclosing. Again, they should share with others about their needs or the help to be offered since it's only through sharing they can find comfort.

The fourth step of recovering is taking care of their bodies. Some symptoms of PTSD in veterans like concentration problems, anger, as well as insomnia, can sometimes be hard on their bodies and eventually affecting their overall health (Smith et al., 2019). They should hence take time to relax through different relaxation practices like massage, which reduces stress, easing anxiety and depression, helping them sleep better as well as increasing that feeling of being in peace. They should also find safer ways of blowing off steam, such as going for a hard run, singing along to very loud music, or even finding a secluded place for screaming at the top of their lungs.

They should also support their bodies by taking a healthy diet such as Omega-3, which plays a very significant role in emotional health, including fatty fish but avoiding processed foods and sugar since they worsen mood swings and also energy fluctuations. Having plenty of sleep is also an important practice since the lack of enough sleep worsens their anger and moods. Developing a relaxing bedtime practice like having a hot shower is encouraged and also having 7 to even 9 hours of good and quality sleep every night (McGrane, 2011). Lastly, they should avoid drugs since there are many temptations of engaging in drug abuse for numbing painful memories. They should hence stop and avoid abusing those substances since they worsen the PTSD symptoms.

The fifth step of recovering is dealing with those nightmares, flashbacks as well as intrusive thoughts. Veterans with PTSD have flashbacks that entail visual and hearing memories of the combat. They always feel that the event is happening again. Their internal emotional reality makes them feel that the trauma is currently occurring, but when they look at the external environment, they realize that they are safe. They should hence state to themselves in looking around that they are safe when they feel the trauma. They should also use a very simple script that explains their feeling and the reason while assuring safety to themselves when they awaken from the nightmare of experiencing a flashback.

Also, they should fight the thoughts by describing to themselves what they are seeing, the present date, and the things that they see at that time, hence assuring them that they are very safe. Trying to tap their arms also is of great help since the act help in bringing them back to the present. Additionally, when they experience a flashback, they should use their senses to bring themselves back to present through the following ways: firstly, is movement through moving around vigorously while jumping up and down, rubbing their hands together as well as shaking their heads. Secondly, they should also try the touch sense through splashing cold water on their faces or even pinching themselves. Thirdly is the sound through turning on loud music clapping and also talking to themselves, assuring that they are safe. Fourthly, is smelling something like perfume or a certain scent linking themselves to present. Lastly is tasting somethings, chewing gum, or even drinking a glass of cold drink helping them back to present.

The sixth step of recovering is working through the survivors' guilt. Veterans with PTSD always feel guilty since they witness death or injuries of their close individuals. The experiences haunt them later with much questions like how they survived and why they did not save them hence blaming themselves for their friend's fate thinking that they were the one deserved to die instead of their friends. To recover from this, they should ask themselves some questions like if they did their best at that time, whether they could have prevented the incident or even whether if they had died, their friends would have survived. After that assessment, they would be able to move on. Though they feel guilt, they should redirect their energy into honoring those friends rather than punishing themselves.

The last step is seeking professional treatment, which helps them in accepting that the incident is now past. The doctors or therapists offer medication to veterans like antidepressants helping them to feel less miserable and worried. Also, they provide counseling or therapy, which helps them to identify those distorted and irrational thoughts concerning the past event while replacing them with the further balanced picture.

Ways to Help Veterans With PTSD

Veterans who return home from the military service with PTSD, their family members take full responsibilities of household tasks, handle frustrations of their loved ones, and also endure their anger and distressing behavior. They hence help them through supporting, understanding, and being patient to them as they recover. They should also not pressure or force them to talk since many find it difficult to share their experiences and hence finding comfort. Again, trying to anticipate and also preparing PTSD triggers like some smells and sounds or even realizing the causes of upsetting reactions would help the veterans in calming down. Lastly, it is not taking the PTSD symptoms personally when the veterans are angry and irritating.

Conclusion

Many veterans in the US return home from military service with PTSD symptoms. It happens due to many experiences of trauma and life-threatening events in the line with duty. They hence develop distressing thoughts and nightmares, withdrawing from their friends as well as developing reckless behaviors. They are hence encouraged to engage in exercises, getting connected...