TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR PTSD COMBAT SOLDIERS
Introduction
In
the world today, there are increasing number of military actions and interventions
both within and in other foreign countries. Soldiers returning from these
operations are faced with a myriad of problems among them, the Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD). This disorder results from the nightmares of war that
are characterized by cries from innocent civilians, agony due to injuries,
death of colleagues and harsh conditions among others. This situations there
call for an integrated intervention strategy that will contain the stress and
assist them integrate well within the society. This essay seek to explain the
various options the care givers and the families of the combat soldiers have in
assisting them cope with the stress.
Understanding
PTSD
Reger
et al (2012) posit that posttraumatic stress disorder has remained a common
problem among soldiers returning from deployment. Interest in this area came on
the increase since the start of the 1980s. Beginning from that time, various
researchers have investigated different aspects of the disorder. Scientific
literature is at present huge, challenging ready mastery, and even the finest;
most determined works of research are inescapably synoptic. A number of
researches have been carried out in this area, but with development, various
controversies have come up. Yet, this field has remained a significant one as
cases of posttraumatic disorder increase among veterans. Psychiatrists have in
the past suggested that stressing or traumatizing events could cause severe
stress symptoms even in previously well-adjusted persons. Among soldiers
returning from deployment, interest in the disorder has increased as more and
more cases are being reported. Stress among returning soldiers is a lot and so
is the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder. This paper reviews the
available research on treatment options for combat soldiers suffering from
posttraumatic stress disorder.
Kim,
et al (2012) asserts the posttraumatic stress disorder emanates from exposure
to events that cause psychological trauma. Therefore, posttraumatic stress
disorder is an emotional disorder which is grouped among anxiety disorders.
Kim, et al (2012) continues to suggest that individuals with the disorder
re-experience the traumatic events and may respond by avoiding places, people,
or anything else reminds them of the events. Avoidance and hyperarousal are
widespread symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. While the symptoms of
posttraumatic stress disorder have been presented since people began to
experience traumatic situations, it has been grouped as a disorder only in the
80s. Nevertheless, it has been known by other terms prior to the coining of the
term posttraumatic stress disorder, even at the time of the American Civil War.
Soldiers were argued to suffer from “soldier's heart” during the American Civil
War. Even at the time of the First World War, soldiers were seen to suffer
symptoms that were consistent with the disorder. The soldiers were said to have
“combat fatigue.” “Gross stress reaction” was the term that was used for PTSD
during the Second World War. The term “post-Vietnam syndrome” was developed
during the Vietnam War in reference to the symptoms that were consistent with
the disorder. It was after the Vietnam War that the term posttraumatic disorder
was used.
Research has also been carried out in assessing the
treatment ability of the prevailing health care system and approximated the
cost of offering quality health care for returning soldiers. The research
revealed that there is a major problem in terms of mental health of the
returning soldiers. However, there have been efforts in addressing the health
problems for the military veterans. The country has invested in programs for
helping soldiers suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder. The returning
soldiers suffering from posttraumatic stress
disorder and trauma can access help from centers such as VA hospital or Vet
Center. Such soldiers get treatment for the disorder as well as counseling to
the soldiers and their families. In addition, every military department has
programs for its members that help in counseling members in order to relieve
the posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms (Novaco, et al. 2012).
Treatment
Options for PTSD
There
are various identified treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder, which
include: Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy; Family therapy;
Medication; and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. The United
States government has put efforts in helping those veterans suffering from
Posttraumatic stress disorder. This has been achieved through the establishment
of counseling and treatment centers for both the victims and their family
members, most of them being free. These centers include VA hospital or Vet
Center and the National Center for PTSD, additionally every branch of military
in the country has its own center where counseling services are provided for
free for the veterans and their families.
Treatment
for posttraumatic stress disorder alleviates the symptoms by helping the
individual affected to deal with the trauma that they have experienced. Instead
of circumventing the trauma and anything that reminds the person about it, in
the treatment the person is encouraged to remember and process the events,
emotions and feelings that were felt during the time when the trauma took place
(Kim et al. 2012). Together with being provided with an outlet for feelings
that the person has been hiding inside, treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder
helps in restoration of the individual’s sense of control and lowering the
strong hold the reminiscence of the trauma has on the life of the victim. In
the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder, the individual is required to
explore the thoughts and emotions related to the trauma; work through emotions
of self-blame, guilt and distrust; learn
the ways of coping with and controlling invasive memories; and deal with the
problems posttraumatic stress disorder has led to in life and
relationships (Kim et al. 2012).
Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy
Cognitive-behavioral
therapy in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder entails carefully and
progressively exposing the individual suffering from trauma to his emotions,
thoughts and circumstances which acts as a reminder of the trauma. The therapy
also entails recognition of stressing thoughts about the traumatic experience,
particularly the thoughts that are indistinct and illogical, and substituting
them with one that are more logical and balanced image (Rauch, Eftekhari and
Ruzek, 2012).
Family therapy
It
has emerged from research that posttraumatic stress disorder affects both the
victim and the people around him. From this perspective, Sloan, Bovin and
Schnurr (2012) propose group therapy as a treatment option for an affected
soldier. This involves therapy provided to groups rather than individuals.
Family therapy is a form of group therapy and can be very effective and
productive. This kind of treatment can also assist the people close to the
victim in understanding what he is undergoing. It can also assist all the
people in the family to communicate in a more relaxed manner and work through
issues in their relationships cope. The use of this kind of therapy is
important owing to the fact that posttraumatic stress disorder has been found
to have detrimental effects on the family.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
This
form of treatment incorporates elements of cognitive-behavioral therapy with
movements of the eyes or other kinds of rhythmic, left-right prompt, like
sounds or hand taps. Eye movements as well as other kinds of lateral movement
stimulations are argued by researchers to be effective by “unfreezing”
information processing region of the brain. This is especially important given
that this part of the brain is interrupted at the time that the person is
exposed to trauma. The interruption leaves behind frozen psychological
fragments which are able to return to their original intensity after the
treatment. Once these fragments are freed by Eye Movement Desensitization and
reprocessing, they can be corporate into a consistent memory and then processed
(Rauch, Eftekhari and Ruzek, 2012).
Medication
Drugs
are sometimes used in the treatment of individuals suffering posttraumatic
stress disorder. The drugs are used in relieving accompanying symptoms of
anxiety or depression. Some of the commonly used drugs for posttraumatic stress
disorder are anti-depressants such as Prozac and Zoloft. In spite of the fact
that these drugs may come in handy in relieving stress and anxiety, they do not
offer a treatment for the causes of posttraumatic stress disorder.
PTSD
can also be treated through Behavioral activation where the combat soldier’s
behavior is assessed by the health care provider. In this context, the care
provider is able to help the soldier realize how the behavior will lead to
impair the general treatment. Soldiers are helped to accept the situations that
occurred and help them understand that everything occurred in the past, a
situation that help them full integrate with other society members.
Among
the most effective method of managing the PTSD is the use of Prolonged Exposure
(PE) therapy where the combat is exposed to a prolonged imagination of the
traumatic events and other safe situations that were avoided in the field. By
doing so, the soldier will learn to come to terms with the situations. Related
to this is the Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) where the soldier is exposed
to different events that require his overall thinking of the events and how to
deal with such situations. Both PE and CPT are aimed at assisting the combat
soldier to think independently in assessing the situations thus help in his
development.
There
are situations where the PTSD comes with the physical disability that could be
due paralysis, damage to the bones among others. Treatment of these physical
inabilities will help the soldier to assume normal duties and integrate well
with the society.
Psychotherapy
Drugs
used in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder are just used with the
aim of relieving the very distressing symptoms of the disorder. This is done to
allow the person suffering from the disorder to concentrate on psychotherapy.
Any treatment with the use of drugs should be used as part of psychotherapy.
Focus on different issues such as anger (Novaco, et al. 2012) and the effects
on family, education on the problem and options for treatment are looked into
in this process.
The
combat soldiers are assigned psychiatrists to help them ascertain the level of
mental torture experienced by the soldiers. These mental health providers
should engage the soldier to ascertain the extent of effect of the traumatic
events. Traumatized soldiers tend to change there lifestyles with an aim of
forgetting the events but in the process exacerbate the symptoms. The unhealthy
lifestyles they engage in involve smoking, fail to visit care providers, over
eating and inadequate sleep among others.
The main
objective of therapy is breaking down the patterns of self-defeat by
re-examining the traumatic events and the reaction of the patient to the
events. Coming to terms with the disease and the understanding of its
management is important in this case. Some of the techniques which are used in
enhancing the coping mechanisms of the patient include relaxation techniques
which are used in fostering the relationship between the patient and those
around him (Bradley et al, 2005).
Any
intervention method chosen should seek to address the nature of disorders accompanying
PTSD and chronic pain.Related to the PTSD is the chronic pain due to injury to
the soft tissues, bone fractures, burns, neuropathic pains and pain from
embedded metals in the body among others. There are pharmacological
intervention strategies that may target the treatment of pain. These involve
use of drugs like Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAD’s), anti
convulsants, tricyclic antidepressants among others. These drugs are aimed at
managing the pains accompanying the PTSD.
Conclusion
In
conclusion, post-traumatic stress disorder has emerged as an anxiety disorder
that is caused by exposure to traumatic events or experiences. Posttraumatic
stress disorder can be caused by exposure to stress resulting from various life
experiences such as involvement in war. A huge number of combat soldiers
involved in war suffer different symptoms related to posttraumatic disorder.
The genesis of the use of the term posttraumatic stress disorder is the
symptoms suffered by soldiers following the Vietnam War. Due to the stressful
experiences of the soldiers from the war, they suffered a lot of stress that
resulted in posttraumatic stress disorder. The issue has also been identified
in the increasing cases of soldier receiving treatment for posttraumatic stress
disorder. The effects of the disorder to the individuals suffering from the
disorder, his family and the society in general have been studied. Emotional
and physical health problems associated with the disorder are obvious.
More
research is needed to develop measures to address the problem of posttraumatic
stress disorder. Research is required to help inform more effective prevention
policies and refining the current treatment options for the combat soldiers. It
is also very important for policy makers in the area to develop policies aimed
at addressing the problem and providing effective treatment for the soldiers
with posttraumatic stress disorder. Development in prevention strategies is one
of the ways of achieving a considerable solution towards this end. This is
possible by researching on risk factors related to the disorder. This is also
possible by developing programs to counsel the soldiers before and after
deployment. Additionally, treatment and rehabilitation for returning soldiers
will go a long way in addressing the issue. Researchers should continue
developing models that help policy makers in the military in making informed
decisions in the implementation of effective interventions. There are various
difficult situations that combat soldier experience. Although there are various options available
for treatment of PTSD, there is no single method that can treat the situation.
Therefore there is need for an integrated therapy that will help in dealing
with the many situations faced by the soldiers.
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