Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Military Personnel and Veterans
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD is a major mental illness affecting approximately 8% of the US population at some point in their lifetime. While everyone is at the risk of developing PTSD, some groups, including military personnel and veterans, are more vulnerable. PTSD is caused by exposure to shocking, scary, and dangerous events. These are the type of events prevalent in times of war where veterans directly experience and witness death, severe injuries, and other hostile events.
According to the US Department of Veteran Affairs, the prevalence of PTSD among war veterans ranges somewhere between 5-20% among those deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001. The rate is even higher, with more than 30% of those deployed to Vietnam likely to develop PTSD, with approximately 12% having long-lasting and chronic symptoms two years after deployment. Doctors and other crew members not directly involved in the war had lower chances of developing PTSD, with a prevalence of less than 6%.
Symptoms of PTSD in Veterans
For military personnel and veterans, the most common symptoms reported include nightmares, emotional imbalances, and intrusive thoughts. Other symptoms may include sleeping problems, increased irritability, anger, and aggression, anxiety, problems creating and maintaining relationships, thoughts of self-harm, among others. These symptoms will differ with each individual. For some people, the symptoms can be visible in a few weeks after exposure, while it might take months or even a year to be visible in others.
The probability of a veteran developing PTSD depends on various factors but mainly on the type of conflict endured and the period of exposure. Veterans with pre-existing psychiatric disorders are also more likely to develop PTSD. Another factor that highly contributes to a veteran’s PTSD is age and lack of family support. Young and first-time soldiers are twice more likely to develop PTSD than those who have served for some time. The period of transitioning after leaving the military can also induce stress that can develop into PTSD. An individual may need to find other engaging activities like a new job or involving oneself in physical outdoor activities during the period of transition.
Treatment for PTSD in Veterans
PTSD in veterans is manageable and treatable. There are various treatment options available to help Veterans dealing with PTSD. This includes a series of therapies such as prolonged exposure therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and cognitive processing therapy (CPT). There are also medications used to treat anxiety and depression that have been proved to be helpful. The Vet Center Program is also another available option for Veterans suffering from PTSD.
