Question

The United States has sent extremely large numbers of troops to countries like Iraq and Afghanistan over the past decade. Record numbers of soldiers returning from combat duty in the Middle East have been diagnosed as suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Considering our understanding of PTSD, why do you imagine these figures have grown so rapidly over the last few years? What might be possible treatment options for addressing this matter? Explain.

Answer 1

As hundreds of thousands of service men and military veterans have seen combat and have been confronted by deaths. Long exposure to death and destruction has lead figures to grow so quickly over the last few years. Many of them have been victims themselves, have seen their colleagues being killed, or have viewed death up close. The PTSD also develops in some people who experience a shocking, scary, or dangerous event or the most vulnerable to this disorder are those who are living through dangerous events and traumas. One the best and precaution not to experience this disorder is to avoid thoughts or feelings associated to the traumatic event.

                                                                                                                               Deadly attacks over the past few years in Iraq and Afghanistan have had left tremendous and ugly impressions on the mental health of the combats involved triggering the surge in this disorder. Exposure treatment, a kind of therapy is used to treat PTSD, during this therapy PTSD patients defy their traumatic memories through talking. This type of treatment has sufficient evidence to cure this disorder. Changing traumatic memories in advance can be of great use so that these memories do not get consolidated in the brain. Medications like antidepressants may also help control PTSD symptoms in some patients. Psychotherapy, which involves talking with a mental health professional is another way by which this disorder can be treated.