Page 58 - January Febuary 2016 Issue
P. 58
PTSD Among Military Personnel: A Review
2. acute catastrophic stress reaction, involves diagnosed with posttraumatic personality
panic reactions, cognitive disorganization, disorder.
disorientation, dissociation, severe
insomania, tics & other movement disorders, Need for assessment for proneness to PTSD at
paranoid reactions, and incapacity to manage the time of personnel selection
even basic self care, work & interpersonal
functions. Treatment includes immediate From the above discussion it becomes
support, removal from the scene of trauma, evident that prevalence of PTSD among
medication for immediate relief from anxiety military personnel deserves a closer look
& insomnia, and psychotherapy. and development of preventive strategies. It
has been noted that PTSD is not merely an
3. uncomplicated PTSD, where group, after effect of combat related events. In peace
psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, time too, dysfunctional coping strategies to
pharmacological or combination of these are stress like suicide, attacking superior oficers,
used for treatment (Herman, 1992; Scurield, soldiers running amuck, excessive alcoholism
1993). etc. have been reported. Though rare, cases of
suicide have been reported even from training
4. PTSD co-morbid with other disorders is academies.
more common than uncomplicated PTSD and
is usually associated with disorders such as The chances of PTSD among soldiers working
depression, alcohol/substance abuse, panic in LIC environment where they live in extremely
disorder, & anxiety disorders and therefore uncertain environment are high. They live under
deserves concurrent treatment. the fear of unexpected attack at a unexpected
time and direction. Such stresses cannot
5. Post-traumatic personality is due to completely avoided. Only two strategies are
exposure to prolonged traumatic situations possible here:
like childhood sexual abuse. They may
have borderline personality disorder, 1. Equip the soldiers to face the threat without
somatoform disorder, or dissociative identity falling prey to PTSD
disorder. Their behavioral problems include
impulsivity, aggression, sexual acting out, 2. Identify those who are prone to PTSD and
eating disorders, alcohol/drug abuse and screen them out.
self-destructive actions. The emotional
problems include affect liability, rage, The importance of identifying PTSD proneness
depression, and panic. Cognitive problems among candidates at the time of recruitment
include fragmented thoughts, dissociation, assumes importance here. Suitable psychological
and amnesia. Inpatient treatment involving assessment techniques and tools have to be
behavioral and affect management with developed for this purpose. The development
emphasis on family function, vocational of such an assessment technique/tool must be
rehabilitation, social skills training, and preceded by a through survey of PTSD among
alcohol/drug rehabilitation is done for those military personnel and identifying personality
58
2. acute catastrophic stress reaction, involves diagnosed with posttraumatic personality
panic reactions, cognitive disorganization, disorder.
disorientation, dissociation, severe
insomania, tics & other movement disorders, Need for assessment for proneness to PTSD at
paranoid reactions, and incapacity to manage the time of personnel selection
even basic self care, work & interpersonal
functions. Treatment includes immediate From the above discussion it becomes
support, removal from the scene of trauma, evident that prevalence of PTSD among
medication for immediate relief from anxiety military personnel deserves a closer look
& insomnia, and psychotherapy. and development of preventive strategies. It
has been noted that PTSD is not merely an
3. uncomplicated PTSD, where group, after effect of combat related events. In peace
psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, time too, dysfunctional coping strategies to
pharmacological or combination of these are stress like suicide, attacking superior oficers,
used for treatment (Herman, 1992; Scurield, soldiers running amuck, excessive alcoholism
1993). etc. have been reported. Though rare, cases of
suicide have been reported even from training
4. PTSD co-morbid with other disorders is academies.
more common than uncomplicated PTSD and
is usually associated with disorders such as The chances of PTSD among soldiers working
depression, alcohol/substance abuse, panic in LIC environment where they live in extremely
disorder, & anxiety disorders and therefore uncertain environment are high. They live under
deserves concurrent treatment. the fear of unexpected attack at a unexpected
time and direction. Such stresses cannot
5. Post-traumatic personality is due to completely avoided. Only two strategies are
exposure to prolonged traumatic situations possible here:
like childhood sexual abuse. They may
have borderline personality disorder, 1. Equip the soldiers to face the threat without
somatoform disorder, or dissociative identity falling prey to PTSD
disorder. Their behavioral problems include
impulsivity, aggression, sexual acting out, 2. Identify those who are prone to PTSD and
eating disorders, alcohol/drug abuse and screen them out.
self-destructive actions. The emotional
problems include affect liability, rage, The importance of identifying PTSD proneness
depression, and panic. Cognitive problems among candidates at the time of recruitment
include fragmented thoughts, dissociation, assumes importance here. Suitable psychological
and amnesia. Inpatient treatment involving assessment techniques and tools have to be
behavioral and affect management with developed for this purpose. The development
emphasis on family function, vocational of such an assessment technique/tool must be
rehabilitation, social skills training, and preceded by a through survey of PTSD among
alcohol/drug rehabilitation is done for those military personnel and identifying personality
58
