War and Employment Related PTSD:

Physical and mental injuries caused by trauma have always been a part of war and employment such as emergency response teams, firefighters, etc. The effect on the human mind is widely known today, as well as in history. Self-blame, depression, disturbed sleep, anger, violence, anxiety, alcohol abuse, and PTSD are many problems that people face after such trauma has occurred in their life. It can be very hard for others to understand just what that person is going through, and most are not sure how to help.

War Related PTSD

In warfare soldiers are trained to respond to stress and violence. Because war is brutal, bloody, and violent, some soldiers come home suffering from PTSD. Factors such as - the longer the person was in combat, if they were imprisoned, if they felt betrayed by another - can increase the risk of developing PTSD. It is not limited to combat survivors: nurses, administrative officers, supply officers, and anyone else that was exposed to the effects of warfare can suffer from PTSD. In a war, a kill or be killed mentality can make a person feel powerful yet powerless at the same time. Soldiers can be left feeling stress, regret, self-hatred, and shame, and survivor guilt. Soldiers may have witnessed the deaths of comrades they were close with. Survivors may feel that they should have somehow prevented the death, or injury.

There is the intense flow of energy that comes with the fight or flight response when the adrenal glands are responding. People may feel this exhilaration as a kind of “high”. In a battle situation soldiers are encouraged to use this “high” to fight, but when the soldier comes home back to civil society, they can have a hard time adjusting to controlling that response.

Veterans may feel expressions of fear or grief will be seen as signs of weakness, while anger will be seen as a sign of strength. Veterans who are unable to express their feelings in appropriate and healing ways may turn to substance abuse, compulsive behavior, outbursts, abuse, become depressed, and sometimes suicidal. When they experience triggers they can act in ways that seem unusual to others. When a person has been trained to react with aggression their potential for violence is higher. Managing self-control is very important when faced with these situations. Overall as a veteran of the war experience, there are physical strains, psychological strains, and unresolved issues that cause stress in everyday life.

Employment Related PTSD

PTSD sufferers experience trauma in many ways. When a place of work involves violence, blood, death, crime, etc., a person can suffer similar to how war veterans suffer. Workers may find that they are either numb from it, or find it hard to separate their home life from their work life. The stress can be overwhelming and they may become depressed, anxious, begin to abuse alcohol and drugs just to cope with the pain of seeing awful things happen to other people. Police officers, emergency medical technicians and firefighters frequently must deal with these traumatic events. Some find it hard to cope, and members of the immediate family are often the first ones to notice changes in behaviour, or personality changes in the person suffering. Family members can seek help. Trying to understand PTSD without professional help can take much longer and be more stressful on the family unit. Sometimes the person with PTSD may decide to hide their feelings of anxiety, and stress, but eventually one day it can surface, and may be explosive. They may become suicidal and others may not see the signs of depression. If your workplace involves violence, pain and death, it is a good idea to get help in understanding the affects, and how this trauma can cause PTSD.

Home Life Affects:

A person who has PTSD can have a difficult time functioning as an employee, a parent, a partner, or as a member of the community. Their quality of life is affected in a negative way. If the person suffering doesn’t get the help for themselves, it can affect their family and friends.

Family Life:

When a family member suffers from PTSD, the family unit can be damaged by the stress from unmet needs. Family members can find it difficult to talk about problems, communicate about feelings, and adjust to the changes in the person with PTSD. A person may feel anger, frustration, or even rejection from family members - which can lead to self-blame, depression, feelings of helplessness, and guilt. The relationships within the immediate family can be strained. If there are children in the home, they can also go through these feelings; they may not understand why daddy doesn’t play with them anymore, or why mommy doesn’t want to get out of bed in the morning. The structure and consistency that the children were used to in the home has been lost, this can lead to behavioral problems at home and school, loss of interest, and feelings of rejection from that parent.

Community:

In the community a person suffering from PTSD, who would have otherwise been a positive impact on the community, may be unable to attend to responsibilities. This may include inability to attend church, community meetings, home owner’s association meetings, community fundraisers, etc. A person suffering from PTSD can have an outburst in public, which can be terrifying and embarrassing for family members. Financial strain can result; for example a person affected by PTSD may lose their job, and a family can be swept away by poverty, can lose their homes, be forced to move, and struggle to put food on the table. Others in the community may start to spread rumors, cut off friendships, and pass judgment towards the sufferer.

Substance Abuse and Addictive Behaviour:

Another effect of PTSD is the sufferer may turn to drugs and alcohol to try and numb the pain, relieve anxiety or depression. The feelings associated with the hyper-arousal stage can be difficult to deal with and a person may find themselves drowning in alcoholism, food addiction, anorexia, compulsive sexual activity, or even gambling, to avoid feeling pain. Unfortunately these coping mechanisms are temporary, and the feelings and symptoms return. The sufferer is right back where they started. This can cause a sense of helplessness, desperation, suicidal thoughts/actions, dependence on the substances, and low self-esteem. This can in turn isolate a person from family, work and community. Depression is a major factor in substance abuse; most PTSD sufferers cannot control the feelings on the inside, so they try and control their symptoms, and therefore cause more issues than just the traumatic event. Addictions, compulsions, depression, and substance abuse are some ways of trying to cope with the emotional pain that comes with PTSD; until the pain is faced and addressed, these problems will only continue.

Stay Tuned for our final part in this Series:
Healing, Treatment Options