Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Discussion in 'Survival Medicine' started by chelloveck, Mar 24, 2014.


  1. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    A significant proportion of SM members, and also SM visitors who are serving and ex-serving military personnel, first responders (LEO / Fire, and ambulance / paramedic) and others may have experienced or witnessed traumatic events, both man-made and natural disasters. In the event of societal breakdown, PTSD and other mental health issues will need to be addressed by survivors, their families and communities. There is a tendency to concentrate on FAKs and first aid training for physical illness, injury and trauma. Those who are preparing for the worst also need to prepare themselves to deal with and apply first aid to the psychological and emotional injuries that may come with experiencing close up and personal, violent threats to one's survival.

    ADVISORY:

    The following Youtube clips are confronting and may be disturbing to some who have experienced, or presently are experiencing psychological trauma,...if you feel you may be vulnerable to such exposure, you may be well advised to have someone whom you trust to be with you, for support should you decide to view the video content.

    These video clips contain uncensored obscenities (but appropriate in context), and are NSFW.










    The Australian Defence Force has a smart 'phone app called 'PTSD Coach' available for online download to ADF members to help them to manage their treatment of PTSD in conjunction with conventional psychological and pharmacological therapies. Similar digital technologies are available to serving members and ex-serving members of the USA and undoubtedly other countries also.

    PTSD Coach Australia - Android Apps on Google Play






    AUSTRALIAN GUIDELINES FOR THE TREATMENT OF ADULTS WITH
    Acute Stress Disorder and
    Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

    http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/publications/attachments/mh13.pdf
     
    Last edited: Mar 24, 2014
  2. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    Last edited: Mar 24, 2014
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  3. Georgia_Boy

    Georgia_Boy Monkey+++

    Chelloveck, excellent posts.
    GB
     
  4. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    Thankyou GB. My hope is that some will benefit from the information. My son acquired PTSD consequent to service in East Timor. It has taken quite a toll on him and his family.
     
  5. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    All I can say is, PTSD is real and if you get a call and they want to talk, please stop everything and listen. Don't say you will call them back later cause many times there is not a later.
     
  6. Georgia_Boy

    Georgia_Boy Monkey+++

    chelloveck; My first business job after my stint in the USNavy had me working with the VA and I got to meet a few WWII, many Korean vets w/ "shellshock" so was concerned about my two grandsons who did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. God watched over them as they are well.....
    My ignorance showed when I realized I knew nothing about the E. Timor peacekeeping. If the Australian troops had the BS ROEs that ours had to operate under I imagine your PTSD numbers are much higher than if they had real wartime ROEs (kill or be killed).
    Regards, GB
     
    chelloveck likes this.
  7. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

    e

    "so was concerned about my two grandsons who did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. God watched over them as they are well....."

    Not to worry you but be advised that PTSD effects can hit many years later. Also note that Heart problems have been found to rear their ugly head from PTSD troops now in their 40s to 50s. This from VA Reserch.
     
    Last edited: Mar 24, 2014
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  8. HK_User

    HK_User A Productive Monkey is a Happy Monkey

  9. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    I appreciate your care and sensitivity to the issue of PTSD.

    I don't know what the stats are for the incidence of PTSD for peace keeping operations, as compared to large scale nation state against nation state high intensity combat operations, or low intensity asymmetric unconventional warfare. They are all operational environments that represent real war: Just that the stressors may vary somewhat between them.

    ROEs will vary from conflict to conflict depending on the operational mission, environment, and political objectives of those who send their men and women into harm's way. For armed forces that comply with the laws of armed conflict (LOAC), they will, at some level be at somewhat of a tactical disadvantage to those who are not prepared to abide by the LOAC. However, strategic advantages may be gained by complying with the rules of armed conflict. The other thing to remember is that ROEs are there to protect the physical and mental well being of one's own service men and women as much as of innocent civilians and non combatant opponents. The difficulty with peace keeping operations is that the latitude to act can be very narrow, and may take more time to get higher authority to confirm approval to act, than is necessary in a rapidly escalating and unstable situation. This puts a heavy burden on junior commanders and their subordinates to make ethical decisions to comply with orders that may be contrary to their own moral inclinations and sense of justice. It places our troops at greater personal risk and vulnerability than if the ROE were more expansive. It is that internal conflict within each man and woman in that place and in that moment that creates the psychological environment that puts them at risk of developing PTSD.

    We have a responsibility to our servicemen and servicewomen to help them to recover from the traumas of armed conflict that they have been exposed to when doing their duty on our behalf. We failed in that responsibility in the case of Vietnam War veterans: We have a moral obligation to do a better job of it in following conflicts.
     
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  10. Georgia_Boy

    Georgia_Boy Monkey+++

    Chelloveck, Amen, well said!
    GB
     
    chelloveck likes this.
  11. oldawg

    oldawg Monkey+++

    Well put Chell.
     
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