Post Traumatic Stress

Discussion in 'Veteran Accounts' started by Trincomalee, Oct 3, 2007.

  1. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    If Tim's last book about Dunkirk is anything to go by, I don't think anyone will be disappointed.

    Good luck Tim
     
  2. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

    • Samantha Healy
    • From: The Sunday Mail (Qld)
    • February 27, 2011 12:00AM


    [​IMG]
    SOBERING STATISTIC: Defence figures show that 31 enlisted Defence personnel have, or are believed to have, committed suicide since 2005. Source: Supplied





    AUSTRALIAN families, friends and communities have buried 23 soldiers killed in Afghanistan since 2002.

    Each one was hailed for their heroism, remembered for their larrikinism and commended for their dedication to their mates and their mission.

    But there is an even sadder and often silent statistic that is forgotten - the number of soldiers, sailors and airmen and women who have ended their lives for reasons that don't command a full military funeral or public acknowledgement by politicians.

    New Defence figures show that 31 enlisted Defence personnel have, or are believed to have, committed suicide since 2005.

    Of those, 10 were in Queensland the highest among the states, with seven suspected suicide cases in NSW and six in the ACT.

    The suspected suicide deaths of two other Queensland soldiers earlier this year are also being investigated by the coroner but are not included in the figures at this stage.


    Young Diggers president John Jarratt believes the number of confirmed suicides is just the tip of the iceberg with many more going unaccounted for once they have been discharged from the defence forces.

    ``Look at Vietnam. The number killed was far outweighed by the number who took their own life in the years after their service,'' Mr Jarratt said.

    ``We call it the invisible wounds of war, people dying not in combat but as a result of combat, years later.''

    He warns the problem will get worse as more young soldiers embark on multiple deployments to wars where their enemy is not always easily identifiable.

    In 2009, Professor David Dunt of Melbourne University's School of Population Health compiled a report on suicides in the veteran community for the Federal Government.

    Titled Review of Mental Health Care in the Australian Defence Force and Transition Through Discharge, the report looked at the risk of self-harm, the contributing factors among ex-service members who have committed or attempted suicide, the extent of suicide in the veteran community and lifestyle or other factors that may be contributing to suicide. It made recommendations based on its findings.

    The acclaimed professor, who was given unprecedented access to the files of Defence and Veterans Affairs, found that suicide data was ``harder to quantify'' once defence personnel left the ADF.

    The 2009 report found that the ADF had done well in supporting mental health research but ``less well'' in supporting ongoing recording of mental health clinical data (client characteristics, contact type, diagnosis, quality-of-life measure etc) which is routine in public community mental health services.

    ``On the one hand we need better statistics and analysis but on the other hand the programs we offer should be as effective and accessible as possible. We owe that to them,'' Prof Dunt told The Sunday Mail.

    ``We need to apply a report card to each recommendation made, to each program implemented, to make sure they are not bogged down in bureaucracy, that they are working and still apply.''

    While suicide statistics among enlisted personnel are kept by Defence no one is adequately monitoring suicide among veterans after they have been discharged.

    The Sunday Mail asked the Department of Veterans Affairs about suicide rates among veterans and was told that they were unable to provide any ``comprehensive data''.

    This is despite the department commending Prof Dunt's inquiry into suicide rates among veterans in 2009.

    After the report's release, DVA said it was ``committed to supporting veterans at risk of suicide and increasing the awareness of members of the veteran community about suicide prevention''.

    There is no argument that DVA provides a range of services to assist veterans at risk from suicide but without adequate data about the rate of suicides among its own clients it would be near impossible for DVA to determine the success or failure of its programs and initiatives.

    A DVA spokeswoman said it was difficult to obtain suicide statistics for several reasons.

    ``DVA estimates there are currently around 370,000 surviving current and former members of the ADF, of whom currently only some 185,000 receive services from the department,'' the spokeswoman said.

    ``In most cases it would be difficult to determine the reasons why a person has committed suicide, and it may not necessarily relate to their service. For legal and/or privacy reasons, when a client dies DVA cannot inquire about the cause of death unless it has a direct bearing on entitlements for their dependants.''

    Mr Jarratt said Young Diggers, run by veterans, was assisting Defence personnel who recently returned from Middle East battlefields who were getting into trouble with the law, self-medicating or struggling to adjust to civilian life.

    ``Calls to us have quadrupled since those Brisbane troops came back in October . . . a lot just want to talk, a lot are sounding off and getting angry, some are just confused.

    ``They feel they can't talk to their mates for fear of being seen as weak, or their families because they don't understand.

    ``They don't even feel comfortable talking to their superiors for fear of being stripped of any further deployments.''

    One of the young soldiers being assisted by Young Diggers is re-enlisting with the army because he feels ``he can't make it in the civilian world'' and will be re-deployed on his third tour later this year.

    ``That is the irony. Even the most screwed up of them are back in their comfort zone back there (in conflict). When you take them out of that zone they can't cope,'' Mr Jarratt said.

    Young Diggers also launched a new online toolkit called ``Suicide - The Invisible Wounds of War'' last week giving Defence personnel and their families a place to access information about combat stress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicide.

    The group said such stresses affected 10-30 per cent of troops who had served in active combat zones.

    ``The military, especially the army, is getting better. The navy is not,'' Mr Jarratt said.

    ``We have to do better. They served for us and now their lives depend on it.''

    If you or someone you know needs help call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit Defence Force - Veterans Compensation & Welfare Advice - Young Diggers or Department of Veterans' Affairs home page for a list of places available to help.

    Suicide - Young Diggers
     
  3. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

    Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) App Helps Thousands
    May 17, 2011
    WASHINGTON – The PTSD Coach smartphone application (app), launched in April by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD), has already helped more than 5,000 users connect with important mental health information and resources.
    “This new tool is about helping Veterans and Servicemembers when and where they need it,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “We are encouraged so many have already downloaded this resource and hope many more will utilize this convenient tool to access VA services.”
    Since its launch, the PTSD Coach app has been downloaded by thousands of individuals. While 96 percent of the users so far are located in the United States, the app has also been downloaded in 25 other countries. The app lets users track their PTSD symptoms, links them with public and personalized sources of support, provides accurate information about PTSD, and teaches helpful strategies for managing PTSD symptoms on the go.
    Currently, the PTSD Coach app has received perfect customer review scores on the iTunes App Store. Comments from Veterans and family members are overwhelmingly positive and one user describes the app as “a must for every spouse who has a family member with PTSD.” Professionals have sent positive reviews, suggestions and offers to collaborate on research evaluating the PTSD Coach app.
    The app has also already proven to be a useful tool for the staff at the Veterans Crisis Line. Within the first two hours of the app’s official launch, the Crisis Line staff were contacted by a distressed Veteran who reported being instructed by the app to call the crisis line and was subsequently given an appointment at the local VA medical center. Crisis Line staff have begun to regularly recommend this resource to callers.
    The app is one of the first in a series of jointly-designed resources by the VA National Center for PTSD and DoD's National Center for Telehealth and Technology to help Servicemembers and Veterans manage their readjustment challenges and get anonymous assistance. Given the popularity of mobile devices, VA and DoD hope to reach tens of thousands of Veterans, Servicemembers, and their family members with the new suite of apps.
    Information on the PTSD Coach app is on the VA’s National Center for PTSD Website: Mobile App: PTSD Coach - National Center for PTSD. More apps from DoD's National Center for Telehealth and Technology can be found at: Mobile Applications | T2 Health.



    From: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
     
  4. Wills

    Wills Very Senior Member

    An old salior we knew who lived local to me. Minton (first name), or Mit as he was called. Funnily enough he was at one time on the Met station at Trincomalee. Well poor old Mit 84 when he passed on. Twice torpedoed and blown across the deck of a carrier. He was found clinging to wreckage after two days. Mit had a flat, one chair a small table, one knife,fork and spoon, a mug, A telly and a picture of the Queen Mary, he had been on her maiden voyage, About 4 years before he died he was awarded 40 odd thousand for asbestos related lung disease. Mit was an independent minded man, he was buying watches and handing them out to anyone, buying another the next day, he did pay in advance for his funeral and spent as quickly as he could. Leather jackets bought and given away, his family sat him down and talked he was having none of it, it is odd to say but when he had got rid of his money he was happier! Had I accepted the watches he kept trying to give me I could have set up a shop!
     
  5. bdmalta

    bdmalta Junior Member

    A moving interview with WW2 veteran bomb disposal officer was on BBC Radio 4's Broadcasting House on Sunday (12 June 9am; see iplayer). He talks openly about the mental effects of dealing with some 1500 bombs; he was diagnosed with PTSD in 2009. The item included a piece on new evidence being presented to Parliament this week on the subject of PTSD. Worth a listen.
     
  6. Formerjughead

    Formerjughead Senior Member

    A very interesting thought occured to me today while watching an episode of the "Indestructables" on National Geographic Channel:

    The crux of the matter is not always the situation or the circumstance; but, more the self doubt and self deprication that arises in the wake of the event, the second guessing per se. The "What if I only did (insert self doubting criticle action here) differently."

    Is it possible that every event in our lives prepares us for a singular defining moment and regardless of the outcome we will be left with a fractured self reflection?
     
  7. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    We don't do 'What If's' here :p

    Sorry I couldn't resist
     
    Formerjughead likes this.
  8. canuck

    canuck Closed Account

    A very interesting thought occured to me today while watching an episode of the "Indestructables" on National Geographic Channel:

    The crux of the matter is not always the situation or the circumstance; but, more the self doubt and self deprication that arises in the wake of the event, the second guessing per se. The "What if I only did (insert self doubting criticle action here) differently."

    Is it possible that every event in our lives prepares us for a singular defining moment and regardless of the outcome we will be left with a fractured self reflection?

    Often, the reverse is true. I recall a 60 Minutes episode where a successful corporate CEO was asked about a simple plaque on the wall of his office. On it was the date, "December 23, 1944". The man went on to describe being nineteen years old, huddled in a frozen, wet foxhole in the Ardennes for two entire days while his unit was decimated by constant shell fire.
    When he realized later that he was unlikely to ever, in his lifetime, have to endure anything nearly as bad, he had the plaque made. He used it as motivation and whenever times were tough or life wasn't going well, he merely had to look at the date on the wall. Every problem seemed very small in comparison.
    Obviously his 'defining moment' became a positive motivator.
     
  9. Formerjughead

    Formerjughead Senior Member

    Often, the reverse is true. I recall a 60 Minutes episode where a successful corporate CEO was asked about a simple plaque on the wall of his office. On it was the date, "December 23, 1944". The man went on to describe being nineteen years old, huddled in a frozen, wet foxhole in the Ardennes for two entire days while his unit was decimated by constant shell fire.
    When he realized later that he was unlikely to ever, in his lifetime, have to endure anything nearly as bad, he had the plaque made. He used it as motivation and whenever times were tough or life wasn't going well, he merely had to look at the date on the wall. Every problem seemed very small in comparison.
    Obviously his 'defining moment' became a positive motivator.

    I think that might be why some react and present differently, and it would seem that accepting things for what they are would be a very healthy approach. I think the example you provide is along the lines of what Brian , Tom and Ron have expressed; but, then again there is the rub: Why do some assimilate their experience and grow from it while others are so adversely affected?

    I have said before that people have a capacity for traumatic events and that capacity is different for everyone.
     
  10. canuck

    canuck Closed Account

    I have said before that people have a capacity for traumatic events and that capacity is different for everyone.

    I completely agree. Even in the day to day life, people have widely varying abilities to cope with stress. Some thrive while others fall apart.
     
  11. Theobob

    Theobob Senior Member

     
  12. canuck

    canuck Closed Account

    I think that alcohol has a part to play,i would like to bet that Brain,Tom and Ron have never been a slave to drink.
    Most of the vets i have met who have been "troubled" got to grips with their drinking.It seemed to make a difference to the outcome.
    Maybe someone will do a study in it!


    Is it the chicken or the egg as far as booze is concerned? I'm sure some turn to the bottle when they can't deal with what they've experienced. I would certainly defer to our vets on this one.
     
  13. Formerjughead

    Formerjughead Senior Member

    ....I think that alcohol has a part to play,i would like to bet that Brain,Tom and Ron have never been a slave to drink.
    Most of the vets i have met who have been "troubled" got to grips with their drinking.It seemed to make a difference to the outcome.
    Maybe someone will do a study in it!

    Substance abuse can be a part of the overall PTSD matrix; but, to say that it is a factor in the cause would be a little tricky. There is a corollary with substance abuse, in general, when figuring out PTSD; however, it is far from being an indicator of PTSD.
     
  14. Nicola_G

    Nicola_G Senior Member

    Whilst I don't want to put my self on a par with the vets and what they went through, I've been through something that was extremely horrific for me and I made a conscious decision NOT to drink, and have managed to assimilate the experience and make it into a positive situation.
     
  15. spider

    spider Very Senior Member

  16. Formerjughead

    Formerjughead Senior Member

    Not everyone who has PTSD is an alcoholic and not every alcoholic has PTSD. I think we covered this in a much earlier thread.

    It has been my experience that PTSD affects drinkers and non drinkers equally and is just as likely to cause one to stop as it is to cause the other to begin.

    The pattern you want to look it is not drinking (per se), but excessive and sudden changes in behavior wether it be: drinking, eating, masterbation, introversion, extroversion, nesting, excercise, church or whatever. It's not so much the content as it is the abrupt change and the context of that change.
     
  17. Theobob

    Theobob Senior Member

    Not everyone who has PTSD is an alcoholic and not every alcoholic has PTSD. I think we covered this in a much earlier thread.

    It has been my experience that PTSD affects drinkers and non drinkers equally and is just as likely to cause one to stop as it is to cause the other to begin.

    The pattern you want to look it is not drinking (per se), but excessive and sudden changes in behavior wether it be: drinking, eating, masterbation, introversion, extroversion, nesting, excercise, church or whatever. It's not so much the content as it is the abrupt change and the context of that change.

    I was`nt trying to suggest that alcohol was a cause,just that it may play a part in the recovery.
    A lot of people drink alcohol to relax after a long stressful day at work.
    So it would`nt be unusual if someone who had experienced a traumatic event,to turn to alcohol to deaden the pain.
    I think it may make it worse!
     
  18. Formerjughead

    Formerjughead Senior Member

    I was`nt trying to suggest that alcohol was a cause,just that it may play a part in the recovery.
    A lot of people drink alcohol to relax after a long stressful day at work.
    So it would`nt be unusual if someone who had experienced a traumatic event,to turn to alcohol to deaden the pain.
    I think it may make it worse!

    It's not so much that you turn to alcohol to "deaden the pain" but, you consume alcohol to make people less irksome. I have found alcohol in excess only exacerbates the symptomatology of PTSD. Alcohol in moderation actually improves the social skills that are inhibited by the PTSD.

    I have found, and it is also my wife's opinion, that responsible consumption of alcohol actually improves communication and intimacy. The caveat is that too much or too little is not beneficial. For several years I did not drink responsibly and my drinking habits consisted of binge drinking which resulted in either a great night's sleep or a 200lb weeping mess that wanted to fight everyone.

    Currently I am on an alcohol regimen where I consume 4 pints of beer in the evening or 2 Rum & Cokes (served in a pint glass) and the world is good. I am in bed by 9PM and up by 6 AM with no night terrors or episodes of melancholy.
     
  19. canuck

    canuck Closed Account

    For several years I did not drink responsibly and my drinking habits consisted of binge drinking which resulted in either a great night's sleep or a 200lb weeping mess that wanted to fight everyone

    Brad,

    At least you were spared the delusion that you could dance! Booze has that universal effect of making young men engage in activities they are least capable of performing.
     
  20. Formerjughead

    Formerjughead Senior Member

    Brad,

    At least you were spared the delusion that you could dance! Booze has that universal effect of making young men engage in activities they are least capable of performing.

    And I would like to apologize to the citizens of Japan who bore the brunt of the collective global sigh of relief when I realized that I could not dance.

    (Too Soon to make Tsunami jokes?)
     

Share This Page