PTSD in War Veterans: An Existential Psychology Approach
This paper examines post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among war veterans through the lens of existential psychology. Beginning with the formal recognition of PTSD in the DSM-III (1980), the paper traces how existential analysis — rooted in the philosophies of Nietzsche, Heidegger, and Sartre — frames trauma as a destruction of the individual's worldview and core assumptions about life, meaning, and self-worth. The paper discusses how extreme combat exposure disrupts authenticity and generates existential anxiety, illustrated through a clinical case study. It then surveys key treatment approaches, including the HEARTS model and structured meaning-making through logotherapy, demonstrating how existential therapy addresses underlying causes rather than symptoms alone.
- Introduction: History and formal recognition of PTSD
- PTSD and Existential Analysis: Existentialist philosophy applied to trauma
- The Destruction of Core Assumptions and Authenticity: How trauma shatters worldview, identity, and meaning
- Treatment Approaches: HEARTS model, logotherapy, and meaning-making therapy
- Conclusion: Holistic value of existential PTSD treatment
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What makes this paper effective
- Grounds the existential framework in concrete philosophical sources (Nietzsche, Heidegger, Sartre, Marcel), giving theoretical claims scholarly weight before applying them clinically.
- Uses a vivid, specific case vignette (Mike's suicide attempt) to anchor abstract existential concepts — authenticity, worldview collapse — in recognizable human experience.
- Moves logically from theory to symptoms to treatment, ensuring the argument builds cumulatively rather than jumping between ideas.
- Integrates multiple cited sources cohesively, letting quotations extend the argument rather than merely decorate it.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates effective conceptual scaffolding: it introduces a philosophical framework (existentialism), maps its key terms (authenticity, worldview, ontological priority) onto a clinical condition (PTSD), and then evaluates specific therapies (HEARTS, logotherapy) as practical expressions of that framework. This scaffolding technique allows readers without a philosophy background to follow the argument while maintaining academic rigor.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with historical context establishing PTSD as a formally recognized disorder. A theoretical section then introduces existential philosophy and its core concepts. The longest section applies those concepts to the psychological experience of trauma, supported by cited research and a case study. A dedicated treatment section surveys two evidence-informed models. A concise conclusion synthesizes the argument and restates the value of the existential approach.
Introduction
The reality of trauma and shock resulting from exposure to violence and warfare is not new. As Foa and Meadows (1997) observe, "the concept of trauma-related emotional disturbance has existed for over a century, having names such as shell shock, war neurosis, and rape trauma syndrome" (p. 449). However, the recognition of this condition as a formal medical and psychological disorder is relatively recent. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was only formally introduced in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) of the American Psychiatric Association in 1980 (Foa & Meadows, 1997, p. 449). This means that treatment protocols and methods of addressing PTSD among veterans are still at a comparatively early stage of development.
One of the more recent methods of understanding and treating this condition is through existential psychology and analysis. This paper explores existential views on PTSD and its treatment. The importance of this form of analysis and treatment will become clear from the discussion that follows. Existentialism is a perspective that views PTSD in terms of a more holistic understanding of lived experience and the ways in which extreme trauma can affect the individual.
References
Allers, R. (1961). Existentialism and psychiatry: Four lectures. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.
Colaizzi, P. F. (2002). Psychotherapy and existential therapy. Journal of Phenomenological Psychology, 33(1), 73+.
Foa, E., & Meadows, E. (1997). Psychosocial treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder: A critical review. (pp. 449+).
Fuchsman, K. (2008). Traumatized soldiers. The Journal of Psychohistory, 36(1), 72+.
Hersch, E. L. (2008). Toward a psychology of uncertainty: Trauma-centered psychoanalysis. Journal of Phenomenological Psychology, 39(2), 244+.
Miars, R. D. (2002). Existential authenticity: A foundational value for counseling. Counseling and Values, 46(3), 218+.
Roysircar, G. (2004). Child survivor of war: A case study. Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development, 32(3), 168+.
Southwick, S. M., Gilmartin, R., McDonough, P., & Morrissey, P. (2006). Logotherapy as an adjunctive treatment for chronic combat-related PTSD: A meaning-based intervention. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 60(2), 161+.
Vandervoort, D., & Rokach, A. (2003). Posttraumatic relationship syndrome: The conscious processing of the world of trauma. Social Behavior and Personality, 31(7), 675+.
Wilson, J. P., & Thomas, R. B. (2004). Empathy in the treatment of trauma and PTSD. New York: Routledge.
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