Veterans with PTSD –Common Family Problems
Sad news coming out of Phoenix Arizona where it was reported a married returning war veteran shot his wife during a domestic dispute and stated he did so because of his military training and coping skills taught to him by the United States Army. Basically, what the ex-soldier was saying that his military life created problems for his family relationships and caused him to lose control of his anger and set him up for failure in his life, his marriage and his mind.
According to the Veterans Administration, male veterans are more likely to have problems related to their personal relationships or marriages, being sound parents and having poor coping and functional skills dealing with family issues. This is not to imply that female veterans do not experience the same type of problems as they are also prone or susceptible to the same symptoms of PTSD as their male colleagues when they deal with their personal issues.
Looking at marriage problems there are reports of not sharing their thoughts and feeling with their spouses and in personal relationships there appears to be identical issues reported around intimacy and other emotional issues that tend to give them lower satisfaction of the relationship or life itself. In marriage, PTSD veterans tend to be divorced twice as much as non-veteran and 3 times more likely to divorce 2 or 3 times during relationships. In addition to the numerous divorces, their relationships are also reported to be shorter than normal indicative of their problems to handle intimacy and emotional issues related to family issues.
It must be stressed and emphasized that veterans with PTSD are more prone to experience more physical and verbal aggression as well as domestic or family violence issues. In addition, this violence is not just restricted to family but extends beyond their support group or families. Regarding violence, veterans with PSTD commit more family violence than other spouses or partners.
Impacting their daily health and wellness it must be said with most certainty that PTSD impacts the mental health of the veteran and his or her partner. It has been reported that post trauma stress disorder has impacted lower levels of happiness; less satisfaction in their personal lives; excessive disappointment or demoralization / discouragement and reporting more than 50 % feel they are near the rim of a “nervous breakdown” in their lives.
Therefore it is reasonable to conclude that living with a veteran with PTSD who has gone through serious trauma such as a war or other critical incident involves having a high risk of violence within the family setting or circle. Family members and friends must seek effective ways of helping these veterans and assist them in treatment that consists of education for the entire family, support groups for both partners and veterans, therapy either group or individual and preemptive family counseling.
Source:
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/partners-of-vets.asp
One reader writes -
ReplyDeletePrayers and blessings for the children and family members of this tragic event. The children may now experience PTSD. The military philosophy rather than war exposure holds responsibility. There is no draft. People that volunteer for military service do so willingly. Some enter the military with noble intentions of protecting freedom, freeing people in other countries. Some enter the military with the desire to exert power and control over others. Some can’t think independently and follow others like sheep. Obviously the psychological testing of new recruits failed. Obviously the superior officers failed to recognize and address a developing problem. Interesting studies and follow ups have been done with combat veterans and prisons of war. Some go on to be highly successful, show tremendous ingenuity and fortitude. Did they possess these characteristics before the event or were the characteristics developed because of the event? 9/11 produced PTSD nationwide. Each person reacted, reorganized their psyche and adapted differently. Basic training teaches kill or be killed. Translate to power and survival or dead. How many people enter the military anticipating action or glory and recognition in some form? I have a personal friend that travels all over the world counseling military personnel and their families. Counseling is available. Not everyone choose help. Family and friends, regardless of a person’s military, have a moral, social and spiritual responsibility to confront a person showing signs and symptoms of mental decline. It is unfortunate that the support system can be the weakest form of defense. If someone admits to wanting to kill themselves or someone else, CALL THE POLICE and let them deal with it. Every state as a statute for involuntary commitment to a psychiatric facility for evaluation. I don’t know that his wife suddenly became the enemy. In his deluded tormented mind anyone could be the enemy. She was the victim of his abusive personality. Personality is formed about the age of 2. Personality does not change. Only actions change. My ex-husband was a disabled Viet Nam veteran. I never had a good night’s sleep until we got divorced. He was not abusive during the day, held a job, and had the respect of friends, family and co-workers. He was very hard working and very devoted. However, he did suffer terrible nightmares, and I got choked. He didn’t mean it, he didn’t realize it. He was in a terrifying dream that caused him to act contrary to his normal waking state. It would take him several minutes to full wake up. He would be shaking and sweating and asking what happened. He would be upset and apologize. But the nightmares continued. In a terrifying dream state he was in Viet Name and in hand to hand combat. He did not believe he had a problem. The military carries machismo to the extreme. Should it, after all war is war. It is not little boys playing solider, it is the real thing. Kill or be killed. If as a nation we continue to send people off to war we can expect these unfortunate events to continually occur. Rather than build bigger bombs maybe the military should devote time and attention to teaching better coping skills and debriefing