Coming Home: A Field Guide (Part 3: Understanding PTSD)

This might surprise some, but it’s only been in the last couple decades that anyone has gotten serious about studying PTSD. In fact, that very term, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, wasn’t coined until the 1970s.

Early in America’s history, warriors that suffered from it were said to be “exhausted.” In World War I they were “shell-shocked,” and in Vietnam they wore “a thousand yard stare.” We know more about the condition today than ever, but, as mentioned previously, we also have more troops experiencing it a higher rates than ever. There’s no respite from the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s a 24/7, completely organic arena of warfare. The troops aren’t safe in the chow hall. They aren’t safe when they sleep. And they’re certainly not safe when the step outside the wire.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association (think of the DSM as the bible of psychology) maintains the following criteria for symptoms of PTSD:

1. Re-experiencing of the traumatic event.

2. Numbing of responsiveness to or reduced involvement in the external world.

3. Miscellaneous: memory impairment; difficulty concentrating; hyperalertness or an exaggerated startle response.

And, according to the same manual, there are three forms of PTSD:

1. Acute: the onset of symptoms within six months from the event and a duration of less than six months.

2. Chronic: a duration of symptoms for six months or more.

3. Delayed: the onset of symptoms at least six months after the trauma.

It should be noted here, that the whole caveat to diagnosing the condition is the operative word “Trauma.” What exactly constitutes trauma? And what counts as trauma? The Veteran’s Affairs Department would argue that a lot of a veteran’s experiences probably weren’t “traumatic,” but for the sake of the argument I’m just going to say that anyone who served overseas and armored themselves with bulletproof plates, helmets, first aid kits, rifles and grenades with the knowledge that they could die, should qualify to meet the criteria “traumatic.” Those realities are so far outside the normalcy of a typical American life, and therefore, by my definition, much more serious and potentially damaging to the psychology. Just the idea of knowing your mortality could cease at any second should count.

Here is another list of more specific symptoms of PTSD according to the DSM: “the person experienced, witnessed, or was confronted with an event or events that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to that person’s integrity of self or others; recurrent distressing dreams of a traumatic event; intense psychological distress at exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event; efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings, or conversations associated with the trauma; difficulty falling or staying asleep; irritability or outbursts of anger.”

Does this sound like you? I think many of these symptoms can be found in almost any veteran. Are any of these debilitating your daily existence? How difficult is it for you after war to perform even the basic responsibilities of your life?

Search your soul and mind. Be honest. You might want to look into this yourself.

Next post: How to get governmental assistance if you know you are or think you are suffering from PTSD

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