MoonHowler

PTSD seems to have a lot of rumors flying around about it. This mini video sheds a little light on the topic. It obviously isn’t just a military “disease.”

Do you know anyone with PTSD? How do you relate to them differently or do you?

16 Thoughts to “A brief look at PTSD”

  1. George S. Harris
    April 4, 2014 at 11:53 pm

    I’m not sure I have what you would call PTSD but I can tell you that certain things bring back memories of my time in Vietnam. Several years ago I did an oral history for the Navy Medical Department about my experiences in Vietnam. Near the end of the interview, the h historian asked me, “If there is one thing you remember about Vietnam, what is it?” My reply, “The smell of blood.” If I watch certain movies, particularly war movies, Vietnam comes back. I don’t dream about it, I don’t have outbursts, I don’t dwell on it, but it is there. I don’t like to go to military hospitals these days because seeing all those young folks with missing parts is something I have a hard time dealing with. And writing this, well it isn’t one of my favorite things.

  2. Moon-howler
    April 5, 2014 at 5:23 am

    I have two in-laws with PTSD. My brother in law was finally diagnosed. My husband’s uncle also had debilitating PTSD. He had served under Patton in WWII. I believe the term they used back then was that he was shell-shocked.

    How many other cases of PTSD go undiagnosed. We seem to pick up on ones from war real fast. How about from fires or automobile accidents? You all might remember when my brother’s house burned to the ground 2 years ago and he went back to rescue the dog. He almost didn’t make it back out alive. He and my sister in law ended up with nothing. Then he had to fight tooth and nail with the insurance company. I feel certain he had PTSD.

  3. Censored bybvbl
    April 5, 2014 at 5:52 am

    My family doc told me that more people who have been in traffic accidents suffer from PTSD than from physical injuries. I was in an accident caused by a red-light runner more than a decade ago. My car was totaled and I had an ambulance ride to the hospital where I was quickly discharged. However, one of the great joys of my life – road trips – was lost that day. I’m hyper aware of all cars approaching from side roads, can’t stand to have semis next to me, and don’t like to ride with other drivers. It only diminishes with xanax – not while I’m driving obviously and not daily.

    A younger relative of mine was in a horrible accident as a teenager. Almost thirty years later, she’ll only get in a car with another driver if that driver is her mother. She trusts no others.

    1. Moon-howler
      April 5, 2014 at 10:35 am

      We need to talk. Thank you for sharing. You confirmed my suspicions.

  4. Starryflights
    April 5, 2014 at 10:01 am

    Our veterans deserve the best of treatment available for PTSD and other injuries.

    1. Moon-howler
      April 5, 2014 at 10:32 am

      They certainly should! I think that is one thing we can all agree on. This long waiting list for vets to get treatment and services must be fixed. It violates a promise we made to them.

  5. Kelly_3406
    April 5, 2014 at 8:35 pm

    An article in the Washington Post revealed that the shooter may have been set off by a dispute over paperwork. Anybody who has spent time in the military has experienced frustration associated with obtaining service from various agencies on bases/posts. It is like dealing with the DMV for everything — long lines, red tape, impersonal service, unannounced closures, and finger pointing over shared responsibilities. Dealing with these organizations has made my “blood boil” on numerous occasions.

    While not excusing this horrible massacre, it is not hard to see how military bureaucracy could push an unstable person (possibly affected by PTSD) with a chip on his shoulder over the edge.

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/argument-over-paperwork-sparked-fort-hood-shooting-spree-witnesses-say/2014/04/04/8775acce-bc36-11e3-96ae-f2c36d2b1245_story.html

  6. George S. Harris
    April 6, 2014 at 10:16 am

    So now the Army is saying that an escalating argument, not his psychological issues, was the reason Specialist Lopez went on a shooting rampage. Really? I continue to say that the Army is coming up with yet another excuse for the failure to properly deal with Lopez’s psychological state of health. They want us to believe that this argument, with no underlying issues, was the seminal incident. I have a LOT of trouble with this idea. How often are you angry enough to kill and wound people?

    @ Kelly_34: ” Anybody who has spent time in the military has experienced frustration associated with obtaining service from various agencies on bases/posts. It is like dealing with the DMV for everything — long lines, red tape, impersonal service, unannounced closures, and finger pointing over shared responsibilities. Dealing with these organizations has made my “blood boil” on numerous occasions.”

    Oh really? Did it “boil” enough that you decided to go get a gun and shoot someone? Lopez had purchased the gun sometime before, brought it on the base illegally, had quite a bit of ammunition (or so the Army says), yet “they” say there was no premeditation. Hmmmm… This man was sick and yet this doesn’t seem to be important.

    I’m not making excuses for him, but what I am saying is that this is just another case of the military not fully appreciating the full effect of mental illness in whatever form it manifests itself. Not to mention that Fort Hood is perhaps the largest military base in the U.S.–thousands of soldiers there, thousands of daily “transactions” take place–things are bound to not satisfy our “McDonald’s” mentality for an instant solution. Top this off with mental issues and you have the ingredients for a bomb. And don’t forget that HR people have feelings and frustrations also-they’re not the devil.

  7. Kelly_3406
    April 6, 2014 at 2:30 pm

    @George S. Harris

    George: If you read my last paragraph, we are basically in agreement. The guy definitely had mental issues. It seems that he became incapable of dealing with bureaucratic treatment, took it personally, and became violent.

  8. George S. Harris
    April 6, 2014 at 11:46 pm

    Thanks for point that out. I was in such a furor I skipped over it. Please accept my sincere apology. I’m so angry at the Army’s excuses and cover up. This is a BIG part of the reason for so many suicides–the military doesn’t want to admit folks have a problem. It’s bad for their macho image. I speak from a long (39 year) experience.

  9. Kelly_3406
    April 7, 2014 at 8:03 pm

    @George S. Harris

    Apology accepted but not required. I skip over stuff when I get upset too.

  10. George S. Harris
    April 7, 2014 at 10:34 pm

    I just read a piece in the latest DAV (Disabled American Veterans) magazine that the same treatment used to treat PTSD in our troops is being used to treat young rape victims. As we have already noted PTSD doesn’t have to come from war.

    1. Moon-howler
      April 8, 2014 at 10:26 am

      Thanks for sharing that info, George.

  11. Cargosquid
    April 8, 2014 at 8:15 pm

    Some links about Ft. Hood.

    http://www.missionvalor.org/?p=145

    http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/04/06/linking-fort-hood-shooting-to-ptsd-hurts-vets-trying-to-heal-says-dakota-meyer/

  12. Cargosquid
    April 8, 2014 at 8:16 pm

    And a personal account from a combat vet

    http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/04/fort-hood-shooting-military-ptsd-violence

  13. Cargosquid
    April 8, 2014 at 11:32 pm

    Whatever works! HAHAHAHAHAHA!

    http://www.freep.com/article/20140408/FEATURES08/304080055/Florida-veteran-naked-PTSD-therapy

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