Recent Middle East conflicts are known for close-quarters battle. As such, there are no safe places or front lines; soldiers are often unsure whether indigenous personnel are friend or foe. Troops almost never experience anything while deployed without constant fear of loss of life. They never relax and adrenaline is constantly pushed through the body at alarming rates. Constant high levels of adrenaline create problems over time.
As a result of the acute traumas and general stress that characterize life in a war zone, soldiers frequently experience an array of symptoms and reactions during the transition back to their homes and civilian life. Caused by psycho-biological reactions to extreme stress, these are normal, expected responses to soldiers' experience of highly abnormal war-time events and are in no way a sign of personal weakness or inadequacy. Further, with the passage time and the opportunity to live in a more tranquil environment, these symptoms and reactions typically diminish.
Common symptoms and reactions experienced by returning war veterans include:
Again, the bulleted items above are all normal responses to the very abnormal events and conditions experience in war, and they usually diminish over time.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disabling disorder that may develop following a traumatic event. Often, people with PTSD have persistent frightening thoughts, memories, and dreams of the terrifying event and feel emotionally distant. An event resulting in PTSD usually involves experiencing death or dismemberment, in some fashion, and a feeling that one was helpless during that event. Common symptoms of PTSD include the following:
If you feel you may be suffering from PTSD, visit one of the following links or speak with a counselor.
Resources:
James Madison University: For Returning War Veterans
San Diego State University: Student Veterans
