Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a psychiatric diagnosis that involves a complex interworking of many post-traumatic thought cycles, responses, dreams, and more. PTSD is a disorder that many veterans experience due to the traumatic nature of their line of work. However, without proper access to care or any other form of support, a PTSD diagnosis may go undiagnosed. However, it’s important for the healing and recovery of your veteran that they receive proper diagnosis and treatment of PTSD if that is something they are struggling with. Without proper care and attention, your veteran may turn to some other form of coping to deal with their emotional disturbances. To avoid exacerbation of any troubles veterans may have, continue reading to see if your veteran could benefit from any PTSD treatment services.

What is PTSD?

PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that is the aftermath of a stressful or traumatic event. This event can be very violent, upsetting, or anything considered traumatic by the one experiencing it. Individuals can even have PTSD who didn’t experience the event, but watched it or experienced it in a close but detached manner. Anyone can get PTSD, regardless of age, gender, background, etc. Veterans are especially at risk for PTSD because of the traumatic experiences they may have in the service. Therefore, it is essential that they are screened or at least talk to someone as they transition back to civility so they learn to properly cope with the trauma, anxiety, or depression with them that they may experience while serving.

Symptoms of PTSD

If you begin to notice any of the following symptoms in your veteran, then it may be time to suggest to them that they are showing signs of PTSD and should talk to someone.

Re-living the event

When veterans constantly reliving a certain event that was particularly traumatic to them, this is a sign of PTSD. This could be in the form of a dream, day-dream, or just very vivid thought about a particular event. However, if these relivings become disruptive to everyday life, then that is when they become a major problem. These events may be so vivid, that veterans find themselves having trouble going to sleep, and therefore deal with issues related to sleep deprivation. These dreams or thoughts could be triggered by something that is similar, or reminders your veteran on the situation. They also can occur as a flashback, or a feeling like they are going through the even all over again.

Avoiding situations that are reminders of the event

If your veteran finds themselves avoiding everyday activities, or things they used to enjoy doing because it reminds them of an event, then they may have PTSD. For example, if your veteran was bombed in a convoy or experienced a traumatic car accident, then they may find themselves avoiding driving a car or riding in one. This helps them feel safe and stops them from being triggered as well. However, avoidance of certain things may be detrimental to their life function. Also avoidance of the event doesn’t help them deal with the original event at all. It is simply a safeguard to help them not deal with the traumatizing event.

Negative changes in beliefs and thoughts

Normally, the way that humans think and feel about people is influenced by what they have gone through or experienced. For veterans who may be experiencing PTSD, they may have negative thoughts and beliefs about certain people because of their trauma. They may believe there are no good people in the world if they were violated by someone close to them. They may have negative thoughts about religion or spirituality if they were forced to watch or undergo something disturbing. If your veteran was formerly a fairly positive or neutral person who has become quite the cynic, then it may be time to talk to someone.

Experiencing hyperarousal

Hyperarousal is the process of becoming “keyed up” or over aroused. Whatever their traumatic event was may have caused them to feel as if they need to stay on high alert or become a worrier. Anxiety is a sign of hyperarousal and can be a product of PTSD, or any other form of trauma. This hyperarousal may make it hard to sleep, concentrate, respond appropriately to loud noises or trust the environment that they are in. For example, if you have a veteran who has to sit with their back to the wall or is very easily agitated by normal stimuli, then it may be time to suggest that they see a professional.

Types of Treatment for PTSD

Treatment looks different for everyone with PTSD. First, and foremost, the diagnosis for PTSD takes a long time and requires a professional to make that judgement after prolonged exposure. PTSD can be a stigmatized disorder, so it’s important that if you consider your veteran to have this disorder, that you are very sensitive and talk to them in a way that empowers them. After getting them to agree to talk to someone, you may be presented with treatment options. These treatment options can either completely eradicate symptoms, or minimize them. How effective the treatment is depends on each individual.

Some treatment options include cognitive processing therapy (CPT), prolonged exposure (PE) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). All of these therapies help veterans process their trauma in different ways. CPT helps individuals change how they feel about their trauma. By changing the narrative, they may be able to lessen the blow of the trauma. PE helps individuals by having them talk so much about their trauma that they take the power away from it and determine how the trauma is going to be viewed. EMDR uses different stimulations to help with processing of the trauma. Medications have been shown to help as well, but it’s best to have a combined approach instead of just medications.

Talk to your veteran about their options and how they’re feeling. This may be a hard road to embark upon, but if it helps your family unit as a whole, then it may be worth it. Talk to your veteran and talk to a professional today. If you need any assistance with your veteran or would like more information, please look on our website for more information.

[Source]:

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/what/ptsd_basics.asp