| It has been estimated that 30% of Vietnam war | | | | feel the effects of adrenaline. Trauma |
| veterans, 10% Gulf war veterans, 6% to 11% | | | | victims who develop post-traumatic stress |
| Afghanistan war veterans and 12% to 20% of | | | | disorder often have higher levels of other |
| veterans of the Iraq war have suffered from | | | | stimulating hormones (catecholamines) under |
| Post Traumatic Stress disorder. This is an | | | | normal conditions in which the threat of |
| anxiety disorder that can develop after | | | | trauma is not present. These same hormones |
| exposure to one or more terrifying events. | | | | kick in when they are reminded of their |
| | | | trauma. |
| The history of PTSD date back to the early | | | | |
| 1800's where military doctors began | | | | Military Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a |
| diagnosing soldiers with "exhaustion" | | | | very serious disorder with symptoms such as |
| following the stress of battle. This | | | | self harm, anger, violence and drug addiction |
| "exhaustion" was characterized by mental | | | | as well as depression. All of these are |
| shutdown due to individual or group trauma. | | | | common symptoms of Military Post Traumatic |
| Around this time there was a syndrome in | | | | Stress Disorder and sadly affects thousands |
| England called 'railway spine' or 'railway | | | | of soldiers every year who have serviced in |
| hysteria which bares a resemblance to what we | | | | the armed forces. Treating Military Post |
| call PTSD today. This was found by people who | | | | Traumatic Stress Disorder is done through |
| had been in the catastrophic railway | | | | psychotherapy and basic counselling but can |
| accidents of that time. | | | | take a lot of time and patience. |
| | | | |
| In World War I and II the term 'shell shock' | | | | Sadly a number of people who are experiencing |
| and combat fatigue' were terms to describe | | | | and suffering from Post Traumatic Stress |
| veterans who exhibited stress and anxiety | | | | Disorder, also known as 'war trauma', is said |
| after being in combat. The official | | | | to hugely increase in the next few years due |
| designation of "Post Traumatic Stress | | | | to the number of soldiers who are fighting in |
| Disorder" did not come about until 1980 when | | | | areas such as Helmand and Basra. There are |
| the Third edition of the Diagnostic and | | | | concerns that the Iraq war is producing more |
| Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) | | | | cases of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder than |
| was published. | | | | any other conflict in decades, one of the |
| | | | main reasons for this is that the violence |
| This anxiety disorder occurs when you are | | | | has been so widespread and exposure to it so |
| afraid and your body activates the fight or | | | | constant over long periods of time. The |
| flight response. This reaction to fight | | | | suicide bombers, roadside mines and the |
| releases adrenaline, which is responsible for | | | | constant threat of attack within the Iraq war |
| increasing your blood pressure and heart rate | | | | poses a unique challenge to the mental health |
| as well as increasing glucose to muscles (to | | | | of the soldiers who are serving in it. |
| allow you to run away quickly in the face of | | | | |
| immediate danger). However when this danger | | | | If you are one of those suffering and are |
| has gone your body begins to go through a | | | | thinking of claiming compensation for you |
| process that shuts down the stress response | | | | suffering then you should do so right away. |
| and this process involves the release of | | | | It is your civil and legal right to claim |
| another hormone known as cortisol. If your | | | | compensation for injuries psychological and |
| body doesn't generate enough cortisol to shut | | | | mental. No-one should suffer in silence. |
| down the stress reaction you may continue to | | | | |