Today’s Soldier Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Essay

We usually think of war injuries as being physical, although one of the most common war injuries is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and the effects can be devastating. PTSD is an emotional illness classified as an anxiety disorder and usually develops because of a terribly frightening, life-threatening, or otherwise highly unsafe event, often experienced in combat. Although this condition has likely existed since humans have endured trauma, PTSD has only been recognized as a formal diagnosis since 1980 and statistics regarding this illness indicate that approximately 7%-8% of people in the United States will likely develop PTSD in their lifetime, with the lifetime occurrence in combat veterans ranging from 10% to as high as 30%.†¦show more content†¦The more severe or chronic symptoms of PTSD can include but are not limited to; flashbacks were they relive the traumatic event for minutes or even days at a time, reacting as though the events were still occurring. Have a n increased tendency and reaction to being startled, and a disproportionate suspicion to threat along with shame or guilt and irritability or anger. They may also suffer the inability to experience pleasure, feel emotionally numb, and a reduced interest in activities they once enjoyed. Have poor concentration, difficulty remembering things, and experience hearing or seeing things that are not there. Furthermore, it is common for them to develop poor self-esteem, have poor relationships, self-destructive behavior, hopelessness about the future, substance abuse, and anti social behavior along with depression. Soldiers with PTSD may tend to avoid people, places, and things that remind them of the event. They often avoid thinking or talking about the traumatic event, seek isolation, and are highly sensitive to normal life experiences. Chief complaints in patients diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder include two major symptoms: anxiety, which causes an abnormal reaction to loud noises and difficulty sleeping due to repeated nightmares. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders causes and effects can be vastly different for female soldiers than male soldiers. Female soldiers suffering from PSTD often do not get proper medicalShow MoreRelatedPost-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Causes Symptoms and Effects Essay1382 Words   |  6 Pagestwenty one. This is the number of soldiers wounded or killed in action, received an amputation, or suffered from a Traumatic Brain Injury during Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom. What this number does not include are the 39,365 cases of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (more commonly known as PTSD). 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