| It has been estimated that 30% of Vietnam war | | | | continue to feel the effects of adrenaline. Trauma |
| veterans, 10% Gulf war veterans, 6% to 11% | | | | victims who develop post-traumatic stress disorder |
| Afghanistan war veterans and 12% to 20% of | | | | often have higher levels of other stimulating |
| veterans of the Iraq war have suffered from Post | | | | hormones (catecholamines) under normal conditions in |
| Traumatic Stress disorder. This is an anxiety disorder | | | | which the threat of trauma is not present. These |
| that can develop after exposure to one or more | | | | same hormones kick in when they are reminded of |
| terrifying events. | | | | their trauma. |
| The history of PTSD date back to the early 1800's | | | | Military Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a very |
| where military doctors began diagnosing soldiers with | | | | serious disorder with symptoms such as self harm, |
| "exhaustion" following the stress of battle. This | | | | anger, violence and drug addiction as well as |
| "exhaustion" was characterized by mental shutdown | | | | depression. All of these are common symptoms of |
| due to individual or group trauma. Around this time | | | | Military Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and sadly |
| there was a syndrome in England called 'railway spine' | | | | affects thousands of soldiers every year who have |
| or 'railway hysteria which bares a resemblance to | | | | serviced in the armed forces. Treating Military Post |
| what we call PTSD today. This was found by people | | | | Traumatic Stress Disorder is done through |
| who had been in the catastrophic railway accidents | | | | psychotherapy and basic counselling but can take a |
| of that time. | | | | lot of time and patience. |
| In World War I and II the term 'shell shock' and | | | | Sadly a number of people who are experiencing and |
| combat fatigue' were terms to describe veterans | | | | suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, also |
| who exhibited stress and anxiety after being in | | | | known as 'war trauma', is said to hugely increase in |
| combat. The official designation of "Post Traumatic | | | | the next few years due to the number of soldiers |
| Stress Disorder" did not come about until 1980 when | | | | who are fighting in areas such as Helmand and Basra. |
| the Third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical | | | | There are concerns that the Iraq war is producing |
| Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) was published. | | | | more cases of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder than |
| This anxiety disorder occurs when you are afraid and | | | | any other conflict in decades, one of the main |
| your body activates the fight or flight response. This | | | | reasons for this is that the violence has been so |
| reaction to fight releases adrenaline, which is | | | | widespread and exposure to it so constant over long |
| responsible for increasing your blood pressure and | | | | periods of time. The suicide bombers, roadside mines |
| heart rate as well as increasing glucose to muscles | | | | and the constant threat of attack within the Iraq |
| (to allow you to run away quickly in the face of | | | | war poses a unique challenge to the mental health of |
| immediate danger). However when this danger has | | | | the soldiers who are serving in it. |
| gone your body begins to go through a process that | | | | If you are one of those suffering and are thinking of |
| shuts down the stress response and this process | | | | claiming compensation for you suffering then you |
| involves the release of another hormone known as | | | | should do so right away. It is your civil and legal right |
| cortisol. If your body doesn't generate enough | | | | to claim compensation for injuries psychological and |
| cortisol to shut down the stress reaction you may | | | | mental. No-one should suffer in silence. |