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PTSD affecting soldiers at home
BY ALYSSA ANTTILA
STATESMAN STAFF WRITER
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a term that has been thrown around a lot in the media lately with men and women returning home from the war in Iraq; but how much do we really know about it?
PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can occur after a traumatic event, according to the National Center for PTSD. A traumatic event can stem from fighting in a war, sexual abuse, terrorist attacks, natural disasters or a serious accident. The severity of PTSD depends on many factors such as the intensity of the event and how close you were to it.
The men and women serving in the military are bound to witness events that will be engraved into their memory at some point. Those memories can last for a lifetime, affecting their daily lives and lead to PTSD. “These soldiers see a lot of ugly things that affect their day-to-day functioning,” said Jeff M. Hall, outreach coordinator at the Twin Ports Veteran Affairs Outpatient Clinic. Hall, a veteran himself, works with veterans to get them the help they need in various aspect of their lives and guidance with PTSD. “They [veterans of war with PTSD] struggle with sleep, are easily startled, anger comes quickly, often depressed or have flashbacks,” Hall said. “It’s a cluster of a lot of symptoms.”
Forest Lake native Chris Barrett, and current UMD student, knows the perils of war first hand. Barrett was enlisted in the Reserve prior to Sept. 11, 2001 but went into active duty in 2002. He was part of the 82nd Airborne Division. According to the homepage of the 82nd Airborne Web site, the goal of the infantry is, “Within 18 hours of notification, the 82nd Airborne Division strategically deploys, conducts forcible entry parachute assault and secures key objectives for follow-on military operations in support of U.S. national interests.” To put it simply, “we eliminate the bad people,” said Barrett. “We are foot soldiers. We carry a gun and are supposed to kill the enemy.” Barrett was deployed to Iraq in August of 2003 and returned in March of 2004.
“You see a lot of crippled people and physical disabled there,” Barrett said. He also went on to elaborate his experience by describing the unique landscape. “They have a lot of agriculture and farms,” said Barrett. “There are rivers around Baghdad too.” In regards to PTSD, Barrett understands the affects it can have on those in the war. “It is quite prevalent,” Barrett said. “It’s a big problem and there needs to be more treatment available.” Barrett had a friend that was suicidal and wanted to get help but was reluctant to do so because of the embarrassment it may have and the response the officers may have. “Many people weren’t treated in the service because it looks bad for the officers if they have to let a guy go and get help,” Barrett said.
Barrett’s friend did end up getting help, but not without a string of challenges before him. When he returned to the infantry, the offices embarrassed him for leaving and getting help. “They called him the enemy,” Barrett said. “He couldn’t handle it and ending up getting sick to his stomach.” Legal action ended up taking place and the soldier was released with a Honorable Discharge. Many service men and women are afraid of admitting they have PTSD because of the consequences that may come along with disclosing this kind of information. Some fears include the idea it may harm their career, embarrassment, difficulty finding time to make an appointment and being treated differently because of it, according to Hall.
“There is 100 different ways to put coming back home,” Barrett said. “It was just weird. You go from a place expecting to get shot at with guns and bombs to civilian life.” The transition of returning to civilian life after being in a combat zone for a long period of time is not an easy thing to do. During that transition period is when many symptoms of PTSD begin to arise. “It [PTSD] could happen to you indirectly or directly,” said Dr. Kathy Dowell, assistant professor in the department of psychology. “Not all will develop PTSD.” Dowell has worked with PTSD patients and was a therapist prior to working at UMD. She worked mainly with children and adults that experienced traumatic events such as sexual assault, violent crimes and domestic violence.
“It is important for those that have the disorder to understand it’s not your fault,” Dowell said. “You experienced a traumatic event.” In addition to that, Dowell feels the awareness of the disorder has improved and the willingness to talk about it has changed. The National Center for PTSD recommends those with problems seek counseling. From there, the necessary steps that need to be taken will be discussed, such as different therapies or the use of medications. “The earlier the intervention, the quicker they will get better,” Hall said. “A majority will adjust and function, but there still is a minority that will have difficulty.” Hall also recommends going to seek help with the support of others and talk to those around you.
“There are more services in place for them now,” Hall said. “The Vietnam vets changed laws and now a new class of vets will get the treatment they need.” With more services in place for veterans, Hall believes they will be able to adjust more easily than generations before them. Both Hall and Dowell feel that PTSD isn’t becoming more of a problem, but the public is becoming more aware of it. “They [veterans] are not victims, and don’t want to be treated as victims,” Hall said. “It is part of the mix, you get banged up psychologically, but they are proud of what they have done.”
