PTSD in War Veterans Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

PTSD in War Veterans - Research Paper Example This paper will analyze several problems encountered by war veterans upon their return to the US, focusing on issues such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), homelessness and unemployment. War veterans facilitate peace across the globe, but the ironic truth is that they usually have no peace in their lives after returning from missions and combat. Different nations handle war veterans differently; while some nations openly support their veterans via programs initiated by the government, other nations simply ignore their war veterans. Countries across the globe have distinctive holidays, traditions and ceremonies to honor their war veterans (Durboraw 51). For instance, UK’s Remembrance Day held on 11th November honors veterans who died during their service to either the nation or monarch. The US version of this holiday is Veterans Day. Many war veterans find it difficult to settle back in the US and adjust to ordinary life because of their experiences during military conf lict. This section looks at some of the principal difficulties encountered by war veterans after returning to the US. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder The consequences of active service in military or armed forces are sometimes intense and long lasting. Many veterans are subject to diseases and disorders that are directly associated with their military service. One such disorder is PTSD, an acute anxiety disorder, which develops after a person is exposed to an event that causes psychological trauma (Keane and Barlow 124). PTSD develops when persons (war veterans in this case) are exposed to events that threaten their lives or other people’s lives, or their psychological, sexual and physical integrity. Such events overwhelm the veterans’ capacity to cope thereby resulting in psychological trauma (PTSD). War veterans primarily face the problem of recounting their original traumas through recurring nightmares and flashbacks. In addition, these veterans also face other serio us difficulties such as increased arousal that results in sleeping difficulties, intense unwarranted anger, hyper vigilance and avoidance of elements associated with the traumatic experiences (Friedman 1288). As a result of the aforementioned symptoms and difficulties, war veterans’ social and occupational functioning, as well as other essential areas of functioning are adversely affected. According to medical practitioners, PTSD is classified under the cluster of anxiety disorders that are characterized by aversive experiences that are considered anxiety-related, behaviors and physiological responses that materialize from exposure to psychologically traumatic occurrence (Keane and Barlow 89). Many war veterans in the US suffer from PTSD at least 30 days after returning home. As a result of all these frequent posttraumatic stress symptoms, war veterans experience substantive disruptions in one or more of the essential areas of their life function. War veterans primarily exper ience high adrenaline responses during military combat, which result in PTSD. PTSD in war veterans results from such over-reactive adrenaline responses that make grave neurological patterns in the brain. These patterns persist long after the occurrence that elicited the fear, making the individual extremely responsive to potential fearful occurrences. As a result, veterans suffering from PTSD are unable to handle stress situations with a