How Does A Recruit Avoid PTSD?

[anthony]

I laugh, as I'm sure many of those who've seen combat would, because the 'ongoing cost' is actually pretty minimal and the aid they offer is for the most part substandard, even with the new wave of awareness, many still get denied aid and pensioned off to keep costs down. I know a guy who went to Bosnia, he got very little assistance on his return, so he left the military and became a medic, hoping he'd have better coverage (ha!), he's since left this career.

The cost is actually quite significant after the fact. If Governments must employ people to help those with PTSD, then that is a cost. If they are paying for medication, another cost. If they are paying pensions, another cost. Add these and lots more costs across all those with PTSD just from military establishments, let alone the civilian population, and the cost exceeds a trillion dollars globally per annum just from militaries. One trillion per annum. Not sure how this is to be sneezed at? I would hate to see the cost projection if you added civilian and military.

Who gets PTSD is a crap shoot essentially. Whether you informally debrief all of your calls or not, some will still never develop PTSD. All of the literature dictates that two people can be exposed to the same situation and not have the same reaction - one may develop PTSD while the other won't. Why? There are MANY theories but if there was a concrete answer, there'd be a strategy for prevention now wouldn't there? None of us would even be here.

What you say is correct, however; they haven't really tried anything in a pro-active manner until recently through education prior to deployment. PTSD within the military has always been dealt with after the fact... which we all know is too late. Civilian information was the first to increase awareness through TV and media advertising. The military is still behind the ball, though they are becoming more aware now because they are losing soldiers to something that an be avoided / avoided longer if handled differently. Some militaries are employing more counsellors, training SNCO's to do more counselling during deployments, etc etc.... all in hope to minimize the numbers by having people talk about their traumatic events at the time instead of harbouring the negative emotion which causes PTSD. If the trauma is not harboured within, then the fear is non-existant thus PTSD is a non-issue.

Society as a whole is beginning to work towards a pro-active method, though yes... nothing is established thus far. The military are trialling beta-blockers as a daily dose to see if it reduces PTSD in soldiers on operations, as it stops the trauma passing through the brain as normal which would develop PTSD typically.... nothing long enough yet to see results. Civilian society is beginning to trial pro-active education and countries making more free counselling available to trauma sufferers.

The problem is old... though society is aware and trying to come up with solutions.

 

[tgrl]

The cost is actually quite significant after the fact. If Governments must employ people to help those with PTSD, then that is a cost. If they are paying for medication, another cost. If they are paying pensions, another cost. Add these and lots more costs across all those with PTSD just from military establishments, let alone the civilian population, and the cost exceeds a trillion dollars globally per annum just from militaries. One trillion per annum. Not sure how this is to be sneezed at? I would hate to see the cost projection if you added civilian and military.


What you say is correct, however; they haven't really tried anything in a pro-active manner until recently through education prior to deployment. PTSD within the military has always been dealt with after the fact... which we all know is too late. Civilian information was the first to increase awareness through TV and media advertising. The military is still behind the ball, though they are becoming more aware now because they are losing soldiers to something that an be avoided / avoided longer if handled differently. Some militaries are employing more counsellors, training SNCO's to do more counselling during deployments, etc etc.... all in hope to minimize the numbers by having people talk about their traumatic events at the time instead of harbouring the negative emotion which causes PTSD. If the trauma is not harboured within, then the fear is non-existant thus PTSD is a non-issue.

Society as a whole is beginning to work towards a pro-active method, though yes... nothing is established thus far. The military are trialling beta-blockers as a daily dose to see if it reduces PTSD in soldiers on operations, as it stops the trauma passing through the brain as normal which would develop PTSD typically.... nothing long enough yet to see results. Civilian society is beginning to trial pro-active education and countries making more free counselling available to trauma sufferers.

The problem is old... though society is aware and trying to come up with solutions.

Anthony, this is a great idea, but what I know of Vietnam (only war I know of personally, not trying to be biased), there would have been no way of providing counceling and talking about experiences during that war. They were too busy experiencing trauma, after trauma, after trauma and fighting a war.

I also have never heard of all combat exposed vets seeking regular counceling with a good councelor for a couple of years directly after war, so we don't know if that would work or not as well. I would advise ALL combat exposed vets to do this on their own sinse it's not maditory. You will not really be completely aware of what's happening to you when PTSD creeps up on you. Don't wait or take the risk, that's the advice I have for all combat vets reading this.

 

[anthony]

TGRL... what you say is correct... but the military is changing and adopting new strategies in order to try and limit the fallout after operations. No war is trauma after trauma though.... there is plenty of rest inbetween. This is why SNCO's are now being focused for providing counselling to soldiers, in an effort to limit holding trauma in when it occurs.

I believe its a good step forward for militaries around the world, though I will also say, it will take years before we likely see any real benefit or substance as to whether adopting a more pro-active method is working or not. Then... as you say... it will kind off come down to whether or not it happens during operations.

 

[anthony]

I would personally like to think they give more of a shit about soldiers than they show... but honestly... it is all about the bottom line to Governments IMHO.

 

[NarcSis]

Some good reading on current efforts in Canada to deal with PTSD and soldiers returning from active duty, look up OSISS and/or Stephane Grenier - I heard him speak last year, he was not only an inspirational speaker but a key proponent of the changing attitude toward how our Military now looks at returning soldiers.

 

[anthony]

I really cannot wait until all militaries adopt a pro-active approach to this... because its getting out of hand rapidly.