Combat Stress Vs Ptsd - Interesting Article

[anthony]

Found a very good article on differing combat stress (normal reaction) to PTSD (abnormal reaction) to being in a combat zone. There is a difference, and this piece clearly shows some of the overlap... though there is more. You can near have identical symptoms to PTSD on return home, still combat stress, yet not have actual PTSD... especially those who think they have it, yet then recover in a few months being home and get back on with life again.

One thing that highlights to me in the article that is often forgotten about when talking about PTSD, is that PTSD is debilitating, in that it stops you performing in a major sphere of your life.

http://journaltimes.com/lifestyles/...cle_425b11c6-1bd0-58d2-94e1-fd626655cbde.html

 

[Sleeping Dragon]

I'd like to take a closer look at parts of the article.

"However, the real key to effective management of combat stress and long-term adjustment is something that veterans have known through the ages: namely, veterans have to be in regular contact with other veterans. Talking about difficult experiences with members of the same unit is the best way to process combat experiences, stay grounded, get rid of lingering doubts and concerns and prevent the development of abnormal problems. This is done frequently while in the combat zone and should continue when you return home".

No problem with the above. It's just not promoted nearly enough by the military and V.A.

"However, through observation of anniversaries, lifelong interactions with members of the unit and other veterans, you can move into different phases of your life without too much difficulty".

".....without much difficulty". Really????????

"PTSD is a higher hurdle, but not one you can’t overcome. If you’re experiencing PTSD symptoms, seek help. New, evidence-based treatments effectively address PTSD, even for veterans of prior wars".

"......overcome". With all due respect Anthony, it just ain't so. I've been through three different types of therapy including cognative process. Each helped in its own way, But, none was a cure becuase there is no cure. There are triggers I can't even identify that cause production of huge quantities of norepinephine along with other stimuli. I can't stop or control that. My only option is to live with it, and use all I've learned to cope as best I can. That's the reality of post traumatic stress.

SD

 

[Sarg]

Well, we all knew that if jumped on right out the gate, the lingering effects of PTSD are lessened. Lessened, not cured. My concern over articles like this is we old guys have seen them try to rename, reshape, requalify and redefine PTSD for financial reasons only. The VA hates PTSD and has since they were forced to accept it. I defer to a gentleman on this board, who said, "You've either got it or you don't".

Sarg

 

[anthony]

That's the reality of post traumatic stress.

No, that is your reality of PTSD, not "the" reality of PTSD. PTSD affects everyone differently, and you can't broad brush how it affects you as though that is how it affects everyone else.

Time by itself will lessen PTSD, it may worsen PTSD, it is individualistic. Normally, as a majority, it lessens symptoms because with time there is distance from trauma, distance from memories, and also with age comes wisdom of what to just let go. Old veterans still suffer symptoms of PTSD, though many don't suffer as badly. Some do... but the majority do not, because time has elapsed.

Yes, there is no cure for PTSD. PTSD is treatable though, and whilst you may try 3 treatments that didn't work for you, that is a limited number of overall options available out there. You also have to be realistic, in that one of the treatments you did try, may have simply been delivered poorly by the therapist and didn't match you as a therapeutic relationship.

The information in that article is quite correct... PTSD can be treated, trauma can be healed. Nobody is saying its easy, because it's not. People find healing with PTSD in all different manners. Some change their lifestyle towards holistic methods, and it works for them, not for others. Some find relief in therapy, not others. Some find relief by isolating themselves in the woods, but doesn't work for others. The list goes on and on.

The ultimate issue is in finding what works per person for treating their PTSD.

This article though is more about identifying combat stress versus PTSD. Combat stress is normal. It is normal to come home with adjustment and stress issues, then recover within a few months. What this is saying that help should be sought immediately, but people should not be handing out diagnoses until a period of time has elapsed to ensure a person has the disorder versus a normal adjustment period on returning home.

 

[OldDoorGunner]

When I first went to a Vet Center here in the US. Guess what, most of us guys were in our late 50's and up. Most had Delayed on set......Mine was not, as I had lived with mine for 40 years, I just did not know what it was and when I was told I had it, I would not accept it, took over a month before I did....

 

[Sleeping Dragon]

you can't broad brush how it affects you as though that is how it affects everyone else.

OK, I'll modify my comment to "That's my reality of post traumatic stress". But, please be realistic about how many others experience a reality of their own that causes suffering that lasts a lifetime.

When I began cognative process therapy my counclior advised that of all who begin that process only half finish. Of that half only half of those truely bennifit from the process. It's not a matter of a bad process or bad counciling. The problems are simply that deeply seated and difficult.

also with age comes wisdom of what to just let go

If there is a way to just let go I guess I'm far too limited in my ability to find it. I've learned how to hang on. I've found ways to keep from hurting those I love. I found the beauty in Arizona sunsets that Sarg told me about.

But, a part of my wisdom comes from my experience in the places that turned me into a

This is a good place to stop.

 

[Deleted member 43454]

Good article distinguishing between combat stress and PTSD.
I recall they spoke about it, but all of it was just quickly thrown into combat stress,
i.e, "Alright for the first few months you may have these problems." And then they just increase...
And the alcohol consumption continues to rise... and trouble starts.
Would of been nice for these thoughts to have vanished in a few months.

When you are trained to distinguish subtle differences in the routes, highways, dirt roads, by passes, overpasses.
All that trash, shit on the roads. I'll probably always be easily triggered while driving.
Sometimes I get that slight feeling I might get hit by a piece of trash as I drive.
Silly thought, but my mind will actually try to justify it like, "Oh well, what if some crazy f*cker decided he wanted to destroy all this calm.
And your slacking driving on by."
Somebody gives me wrong turns and there's a lot of congestion or traffic and I will raise my voice. (Gotten way better at this, if I am chillen.)
When it comes to staying inside vehicle tracks and not driving outside the cleared area.
Lead to my anger and quick switch to get pissed if someone makes an error while in heavy traffic etc.

And to be honest I was driving RG-33's and Maxxpro's before I even had an actual state drivers license. I got my first car when I got out lol.
On the plus side driving convoy distance from the vehicle in front seems polite.... lol.

But yea I tried to see it as combat stress that was going to pass, I hoped. But I was out 2011, and 2013 when I drove from Texas to Iowa I hallucinated and saw an Afghan in a mandress walking through new mexico in the pitch black darkness with a cane. Maybe it was some random dude and I saw what was on my mind... had just been overcome with a lot of stress and failure dropping outa school etc...

But that whole time in between I was taking on a load that I could not carry as if war had not affected me and I didn't need time to decompress. I had to get smacked in the mouth to realize I was pretty messed up.

 

[Sleeping Dragon]

I need to finish this. It was on my mind long before this thread began. Before I start I'm gonna issue a big TRIGGER WARNING to those who may want to leave this one alone.

I arrived in Vietnam as a ball playing, beer drinking good old boy. I returned home a stone cold killer. Those I killed didn't have names, faces, families or anything that make them human. After my best friend was killed and I loaded what was left of him on the chopper along with many others I didn't allow myself to get close to anyone. I simply killed Vietnamese, loaded dead and wounded and did my job.

That ball playing, beer drinking good old boy couldn't do that job. But, the job had to be done. So, I changed. Now here's my reality. I didn't kill to survive. That doesn't fit because it involves rational action. I killed because I became a killer, as savage and brutal as any animal in any jungle. In order to deal with the beast I became the beast.

There may come a time when I trust enough to let go. But, it's not going to happen in this world. The things I've learned through counciling, and this site get me through the day. But, the beast will always be there because I am the beast.

SD

 

[Deleted member 43454]

Respect, SD.

I think that was a big part of the reason. I just wanted to go back. Not just the thrill but living in that environment.
They asked me why I re-enlisted and re-classed for 5 more years for a measly 1200-2500 (I dont recall somewhere in there) bonus in Afghan...
I wanted to find and eliminate these f*ckers till I died. And I surely wasn't going to do that driving 5mph hitting IED's lol.
Garrison did me in. I was very motivated in a combat zone.
"There's good deployed soldiers, and there's good garrison soldiers." comes to mind.

 

[combatgoldfish]

Good article distinguishing between combat stress and PTSD.
I recall they spoke about it, but all of it was just quickly thrown into combat stress,
i.e, "Alright for the first few months you may have these problems." And then they just increase...
And the alcohol consumption continues to rise... and trouble starts.
Would of been nice for these thoughts to have vanished in a few months.

When you are trained to distinguish subtle differences in the routes, highways, dirt roads, by passes, overpasses.
All that trash, shit on the roads. I'll probably always be easily triggered while driving.
Sometimes I get that slight feeling I might get hit by a piece of trash as I drive.
Silly thought, but my mind will actually try to justify it like, "Oh well, what if some crazy f*cker decided he wanted to destroy all this calm.
And your slacking driving on by."
Somebody gives me wrong turns and there's a lot of congestion or traffic and I will raise my voice. (Gotten way better at this, if I am chillen.)
When it comes to staying inside vehicle tracks and not driving outside the cleared area.
Lead to my anger and quick switch to get pissed if someone makes an error while in heavy traffic etc.

I'm very much the same way.

It's scares people that are in the car with you stateside when you zig zag under an overpass just in case someone on top of the overpass try to drop a grenade on you.

Sometimes I see brown dust coming up from a construction site and I'll go back to Iraq in my mind.
I still scan not as bad but I'm consistently on defense.
Those little traffic wires on the street that count cars always set me off.
Hate stopping on a bridge or under an overpass.
"That piece of trash or tire wasn't there yesterday, wth is it there?"
Etc.

Everyone going out of the wire has that degree of combat stress but I believe it's when that doesn't stop even after the decompression period that it's becoming PTSD. At least that's my thought process.

 

[Gary Snider]

I'm not a writer and my concentration isn't very good just a fair warning. I read the article and I believe it is on point from the combat stress side of it. I think anger and avoidance should be pointed out more as key indicators something is not right. But then again PTSD has its own way of affecting each person. My second time coming back was just like the article stated in the combat stress part. Jumping under desk, not staying out in the open, feeling for the rifle...ect...Then what I didn't realize after coming home the third time was a lot of anger and avoiding work, ex-wife, kids...i only found peace in the garage. Fast forward five years later its all happening over again. ..... the article didn't mention it drains, and strips away you until only a shell is left hiding in apartment waiting for something good to happen.

 

[Grizzly]

waiting for something good to happen

Or expecting something bad to happen.