Support Groups For Families Of Veterans With Ptsd - Many military veterans experience a range of mental illnesses that disproportionately affect military personnel. These conditions can include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and substance abuse, among others. Due to the traumatic environment in which active military combatants serve, veterans are at significantly higher risk of developing these health problems. These concerns can often be addressed and resolved with the help of a mental health professional.
Post-traumatic stress is an anxiety problem that can develop after a person has been exposed to a traumatic or overwhelming life experience. While the human body tends to return to baseline after experiencing a stressful event, people who experience PTSD continue to release hormones and chemicals related to stress. Posttraumatic stress is characterized by four basic types of symptoms:
Support Groups For Families Of Veterans With Ptsd
While traumatic events — such as participating in fights, experiencing sexual abuse, or being in a car accident — must occur for PTSD to develop, not all traumatic experiences lead to post-traumatic stress disorder. Only a small percentage of people who experience trauma experience PTSD. The lifetime prevalence of PTSD among American women is 10%, while only 4% of American men will experience PTSD at some point in their lives.
Ptsd: For Patients And Families
The prevalence of PTSD is much higher among US war veterans than among US citizens. Between 11-20% of Operations Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Enduring Freedom (OEF) veterans experience post-traumatic stress in any given year. Each year, approximately 12% of Gulf War veterans (Desert Storm) and 15% of Vietnam veterans are affected by PTSD. The lifetime prevalence of PTSD for Vietnam veterans is 30%.
Military personnel are at high risk of developing post-traumatic stress because military personnel are deeply involved in war events that can be frightening, terrifying and sometimes life-threatening. A single emotionally overwhelming event may be enough for the development of PTSD, but coping often facilitates prolonged and repeated exposure to traumatic events.
Military Sexual Trauma (MST), defined by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as "assault of a threatening nature or physical assault of a sexual nature that occurred while the victim was in the military, regardless of the geographic location of the trauma." , gender of the victim or relationship to the perpetrator," is a major and widespread concern in the military.
Some studies estimate that about 1% of experienced men (32,000 men) and 22% of experienced women (23,000 women) are victims of sexual assault or repeated sexual assault during their military service. Between 10% and 33% of women may have experienced an attempted rape during this time. MST prevalence rates can range from 4% to 85%, depending on the method of data collection and the definition of MST used.
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There are several emotional, behavioral, physical, and mental health issues associated with MST. Prominent among these are depression, post-traumatic stress, anxiety, substance dependence, and an increased risk of suicide. About 50-60% of female veterans who experience MST eventually develop post-traumatic stress. The rate is nearly three times higher than that of male veterans under comparable circumstances. Among servicewomen who develop PTSD as a result of military sexual trauma, an estimated 75% develop comorbid depression and more than 30% may develop anxiety.
Military personnel who experience post-traumatic stress as a result of exposure to military sexual trauma are more likely to abuse alcohol, drugs and other substances than women who have experienced similar trauma. A study of more than 2,300 male and female military personnel serving in the OEF/OIF found that sexual assault was the only stressor independently associated with suicidal ideation among female veterans, even when depression and alcohol abuse were the cause.
Mental health issues that negatively impact mood, such as depression and anxiety, are also common among military veterans - and there are many different reasons why veterans may experience these issues. Factors such as poor health (physical and mental), unemployment and financial problems can contribute to negative thoughts and moods.
Upon returning home, some veterans reported feeling disconnected from family members and friends. The belief that no one can relate to their experiences or be able to provide meaningful emotional support can lead service members to suppress their feelings or seek social isolation. However, such actions can only aggravate the situation.
Ptsd In Veterans Of The Iraq War: Everything You Should Know
There are other factors that can play a role in developing negative thought patterns. For example, the grief of losing friends during war, combined with survivor's guilt, can lead to the development of depression and anxiety if not treated effectively.
Traumatic brain injury is one of the most talked about topics in the medical and mental health community right now, as many veterans have returned home with symptoms of the condition. It has been referred to as the "signature wound" of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Traumatic brain injury can be caused by a blow to the head, hitting an object on the head, or a nearby explosion.
People who experience a brain injury may become confused, disoriented, think slowly or delayed, and may even go into a coma. Memory loss of events before and immediately after the injury is also common. Other symptoms associated with TBI include headaches, dizziness, and difficulty concentrating. In some cases, traumatic brain injury can lead to physical deficits, behavioral changes, emotional deficits, and loss of cognitive ability.
In recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, 78% of all war injuries are caused by explosive ordnance. Mild TBI or concussion is one of the most common combat injuries, affecting approximately 15% of all active military combatants in Iraq and Afghanistan. Due to the devastating impact of roadside bombs in these countries, the ability to effectively treat traumatic brain injuries is of great importance in veterans' care.
Help For Veterans
Post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, and traumatic brain injury are at the forefront of palliative care for most people, but there are other mental health conditions that deserve attention. This includes:
A person serving in the military does not necessarily develop a mental illness. In addition, a mental health concern experienced by a veteran may not be related to the veteran's military service. Mental health professionals who work with veterans typically assess each individual individually and consider all symptoms and life experiences before making a diagnosis or beginning treatment.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers a wide variety of mental health services and therapies to help military veterans. Treatment can be delivered in a variety of settings: short-term inpatient care, outpatient care at a psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery center (PRRC), or residential care.
For veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress, antidepressants, anti-anxiety, and mood stabilizing medications may be prescribed by a doctor or psychiatrist. These medications can address depression and anxiety issues, reduce irritability, improve sleep patterns, and help reduce nightmares or intrusive thoughts.
Supporting Veterans: Know The Warning Signs Of Ptsd And Addiction
While the use of medications that affect mood is common, especially in the treatment of depression and anxiety, talk therapy can also be very helpful. For example, cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and interpersonal therapy (IPT) can help bereaved veterans reduce emotional pain and restore positive social relationships. Certain types of treatment - such as cognitive processing therapy (CPT) or long-term exposure therapy (PE) - can also be used to promote positive thought patterns and behaviors in older people with mental health problems. Medical guidelines strongly recommend both CBT and PE for the treatment of post-traumatic stress. Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Programs (MH RRTP), established by the VA, provide 24/7 health care for veterans with PTSD.
Veterans with traumatic brain injuries can experience a variety of mental health issues. Different therapeutic strategies can be employed depending on which areas of a person's functioning are affected. Common treatments for TBI include rehabilitation therapy (for example, speech therapy), medications, assistive devices, and learning strategies to address cognitive, emotional, and behavioral impairments.
Military life and deployment can take its toll on any member of the family system. Children and teens can become irritable or defiant, and parents can face the increasing burden of caring for a family on a daily basis. Commitment can make family members feel anxious, alone, or powerless. Military families also run the risk that a family member who has been deployed may return seriously injured or not return at all. A family that has no contact with extended relatives or the military community will experience more stress during this time.
While joy and relief can often be experienced when a deployed family member returns home, the initial joy can be replaced by feelings of frustration when reunification issues arise. The returning parent may have undergone personality changes or developed mental or physical health problems, children may have been born or reached a different stage of development, and the marital bond may have weakened. The need to adapt to new roles within the family system can lead to heightened tensions between family members.
Veterans Support Group
Many resources are available to military families before and during deployment. Family therapy programs help parents explain the deployment process to young children, while there are assistance programs to help returning veterans and their relatives navigate the reintegration process with few problems.
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