Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health disorder that can affect anyone who has experienced or witnessed a traumatic event. Many Veterans of the United States Armed Forces have experienced trauma while in service, and this trauma can manifest itself in PTSD symptoms. It’s important to understand the signs of PTSD so that Veterans and their loved ones are able to get the help they need.
What is PTSD?
PTSD is a mental health disorder that can occur after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Symptoms can include intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, nightmares, negative thoughts about oneself, avoidance of people and places that remind one of the traumatic event, difficulty concentrating, hypervigilance, anger outbursts, and more. In order for someone to be diagnosed with PTSD, these symptoms must persist for at least one month.
What Are the Symptoms?
The most common symptoms of PTSD include nightmares, flashbacks, irritability, panic attacks, depression, and feeling emotionally numb. These symptoms can be triggered by certain events or reminders of the trauma experienced in the past. For example, if someone was in a car accident and suffered an injury during the incident, they could experience flashbacks when driving or hearing loud noises. Similarly, someone who experienced combat may feel anxious around fireworks or other loud sounds that remind them of gunfire or bombs.
Veterans may also become easily agitated and moody due to their PTSD. They might become angry and withdrawn from people around them because it’s difficult for them to control their emotions at times. Additionally, some veterans can experience physical pain as a result of their trauma such as headaches or even chest pain due to stress or fear related to their experiences in the military.
The Impact on PTSD in Veterans
Veterans of the United States Armed Forces are especially vulnerable to developing symptoms of PTSD due to the unique traumas they may experience while serving their country. These experiences may include combat exposure, military sexual trauma (MST), disasters or accidents during service or training exercises, or even witnessing an injury or death of another service member during deployment. These events can leave lasting psychological effects on Veterans and cause them to experience intense fear, helplessness, guilt, shame and other emotions associated with trauma.
Getting Help
For many Veterans struggling with PTSD it is important that they seek professional help in order to treat their condition. There are many resources available such as individual therapy sessions with a qualified therapist who specializes in treating veterans with PTSD; group therapy sessions; support groups; medications prescribed by psychiatrists; and holistic therapies such as yoga or meditation. It is also important for family members and loved ones to be supportive and provide understanding for those suffering from PTSD.
Finding Support in Utah
Veterans often times face unique challenges when it comes to dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Experiencing trauma while serving their country can have lasting psychological effects on Veterans which can lead to depression, anxiety and other related disorders if left untreated.
The good news is that there are resources available for veterans who are struggling with PTSD so they do not have to go through it alone. With proper treatment and support from friends and family members those suffering from PTSD can find relief from their symptoms and start living healthier lives again.