the mental side of war

Site Issues 2005 Archive Room
#1

i was reading about the lingering affects that many soldiers have after being in intense combat situations. soldiers throughout history have developed mental disorders after returning from combat (the ancient greeks are famous for it) but they were not treated until WWI. In WW1 it was called shell shock, in WW2 soldiers just called it going physcho, now its called…

Post Traumatic Stress Disease- stress hormones like adrenaline scorch a painful event deep into long-term memory, scientists believe. People get very edgy and fearful, prone to nightmares or flashbacks. They desperately want to avoid reminders of their shock, even to the point of feeling numb.

I was wondering if anyone here knows somebody with a mental disorder that was caused by combat. I think that it is just awful to hear about guys losing their entire lives because they cant forget one memory that happened years and years ago…

NOTE: there are many many other mental disorders out there caused by combat, PTSD is just one common one.

Sources:
http://www.detnews.com/2005/health/0508/21/A08-279792.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4124558.stm

#2

I think that most serving members know more than one person who has at times exhibited symptoms of PTSD.
It is not just limited to soldiers, but civilians such as policemen, firemen or indeed anyone who has been involved a traumatic situation can all be affected too.

I also imagine that Mike M. may well have some mates that to a greater or lesser degree have shown signs of it.
Firefighting and it’s associated emergency work puts those carrying it out in some less than pretty situations.

Unfortunately many people have seen PTSD as in some way unmanly or weak and this can keep those suffering from it from asking for help.
Often the sufferer may not even realise what is happening to him, but the symptoms may be there.
Heavier drinking or smoking, shorter temper, lack of concentration, loss of sexual function are just some of the signs.

For more information look at the Combat Stress website here:
http://www.combatstress.org.uk/home/default.asp

#3

Recent research seems to indicate that PTSD is not only a mental problem with allied stress-related diseases.

This article in New Scientist highlights a link between PTSD and cancer, daibetes and heart disease

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg18725143.800.html

There is an editorial about it as well in the same issue.

Kind regards

Fluffy

edit - spelling

#4

ww2fanatic1944

not treated until WWI.

Not sure about this. In the British army it was classed as a failing so had the following punishment

When flogging came to an end in 1881 a new way of dealing with soldiers found guilty of minor offences such as drunkenness was also introduced. This was called Field Punishment Number One and involved the offender being attached to a fixed object for up to two hours a day and for a period up to three months. During the First World War, these men were sometimes put in a place within range of enemy shell-fire.

The procedure was not standardised, and allegations arose that men were being attached to the wheels of guns in emplacements that were within range of enemy shell-fire.

See here www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWfield.htm

#5

PTSD is a bit of a catch all for for a series of Psychological and Physical responses to a particular event or situation. Inspite of the ammount of reaserch on PTSD we still have very little understanding of why it can so profoundly effect some people involved in a particular event and not others.
The whole issue is so utterly complex as it covers individual response to stimuli, fight/flight, nature /nurture, power/vunerability, stress management and immediate support.
There is no cure or definitive treatment but most people can develope stratagies to cope with their feelings and emotions with the approprite level of support. Most people will work through PTSD and be able to put their experience in to an acceptable context within their own psyche though it’s more a case of learning to live with it than getting over it.
I went through PTSD 15yrs ago and it is only in retrospect that I can see how it effected my behaviour and it’s consequences for those around me.
It’s 05.15am so I’m off to my bed but I’ll get back to this later as " I’ts my bag baby"

#6

well the interesting thing is that some soldiers claim that they have PTSD, just to get pulled off the front. and the doctors dont know enough about it to tell if the soldier is really faking or not.

#7

WW2Fanatic, This exemplifies why I called PTSD a catch all and why many of us in the field have a problem with the over use of the term. The key word is Post as in after and not during a traumatic experience.
Soldiers exposed to significant periods of combat may experience combat stress(shell shock) which is a causality of PTSD. The stress is caused by the inner conflict of having to overide the flight response and being in fear of death for a significant period. This level of PTSD differs from those who go on to develope problems following a single life threatening incident and may produce more long term difficulties however the single incident can act as a catharsis for victims with prior repressed truma which again complicates things and requires a greater degree of theraputic intervention.
My PTSD was due to being caught up in an armed robbery during which one of the three twats held a gun to the back of my head. This was a short term single incident but was also the key to the pandoras box of my personal experience and resulted in around 6 months of significant difficulties, a year of therapy and a controlled resonance that still continues.
The problem with PTSD for the sufferer is that it is like walking around with your flies open everyone else can see it but you. However to falsley claim combat stress is the ultimate act of sanity, if you havent read Catch 22 pick up a copy
I’m begining to bore myself so I’ll leave it for now but may pick it up next evening if anyone is interested