PTSD Over the Last Several

PTSD

Over the last several years, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been increasingly brought to the forefront. This is because a number of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan were experiencing them most common symptoms. These include: the existence of a recognizable stressor, the re-experiencing of events, reduced involvement in the world around them and instances of sleep disturbance / guilt / trouble concentrating. (Freidman, 2010, pg. 5) This is important, because they are highlighting how the condition can affect so many veterans who have returned from these areas. To fully understand what it taking place requires conducting a literature review that will examine: the purpose of our study and the lasting impacts on those individuals who are suffering from the disease. Once this takes place, it will offer the greatest insights as to the long-term effects of the condition and how we could possibly treat these individuals.

Literature Review

In order to establish the background surrounding PTSD, we will examine a wide variety of sources including: scholarly journals and books. This will create a basic foundation for the research study that we will be conducting. As, it enables us to: comprehend the overall scope of the disease and possible treatment options that are available.

In the literature that was written by Foa (2009), it discusses the common ways PTSD is diagnosed with a focus on several different areas. The most notable include: re-experiencing the trauma, avoidance and hyper arousal. At the same time, the same time there are secondary symptoms that were discovered such as: changes in personality, guilt, disassociation, trouble with intimacy, substance abuse, depression and other anxiety disorders. In general, this condition can affect a number of different people to include: combat veterans and individuals who have endured extreme amounts of stressors (i.e. sexual assault or natural disasters). As a result, PTSD can affect nearly every single aspect of the lives of the individual and the way they are interacting with society. This information is useful, because it is providing a basic foundation for understanding the condition and what groups are most likely to be affected. (Foa, 2009, pp. 23 -- 26)

Moreover, Anderson (2009) found that the most common form of therapy is the cognitive behavioral method. The reason why this was chosen is because, it can provide everyone with the ability to look at how their thoughts and the way they are interacting with the world is impacting their lives. At which point, mental health professional can introduce new ways of evaluating these events and their underlying meanings. The information from this source is useful, because it is specifically identifying what steps are being taken to help individuals who are suffering from the disease in overcoming these issues. (Anderson, 2009, pp. 175 -- 180) These different sources are important, because they are providing us with a basic background about the condition and its underlying effects on veterans. At the same time, they are highlighting how we can specifically treat these individuals. As a result, this is helping to focus our study on more effectively understanding the causes and the impact this disease is having of the lives of veterans along with their families.

The Study

The focus of our research will be to concentrate on PTSD development in soldiers that were deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. There will be an emphasis on how this is impacting their lives based on the experiences that they endured during various events. Once this occurs, we will be able to offer specific insights about how to be able to more effectively understand their condition. This is the point that we can determine the best way of helping them to overcome these issues.

Methods

To comprehend the impact of PTSD requires conducting a study of 20 different veterans who were serving in combat zones. The age group that we will be focusing on is from 18 to 35 years old to include: the ranks of Specialist to First Lieutenant. At the same time, there are a number of different demographics that will be taken into account such as: those people who are single, married, divorced and with or without children. Everyone that is participating in the study will have to sign an informed consent agreement. At the same time, their commanding officers must give them permission to participate in the anonymous survey.