Applying the psychological critical reading strategy from ‘Soldier’s Home” and ‘Redeployment’ I will convey the detrimental effects war has on a veteran, which leads to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a mental health condition that is triggered by a terrifying event, through either experiencing it or witnessing it (Mayo Clinic 2018). This chronic condition is often followed by suicide, the tenth leading cause of death. Combat veterans struggle with the return to civilian activity and managing ways to improve their quality of life. The main goal is to determine the factors that influence the greatest avenue in offering veteran’s mental health therapy, and ensuring a safe environment conducive to this plan and more importantly, reducing suicide rates.
Men and women of war often experience what is called “soldier’s heart,” which is now referred to as posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD (Office of research and Development 2018). For those living with PTSD following a traumatic experience, are left with feelings of rage, uncertainty and relive the terrifying moment, many times on a daily basis. Symptoms may also include nightmares, flashbacks, alcohol abuse or emotional numbness. Early recognition of these signs and symptoms will aid toward the diagnoses and prevention of suicide and psychological warfare. Many returning soldiers are confronted with curious questions of what they witnessed in combat and are often bombarded with the need to elaborate with these ostentatious stories of battle and death. In “Soldier’s Home” by Ernest Hemingway, Krebs faced this same challenge. The townspeople were intrigued of war experiences; they weren’t interested in the truth. He felt the need to make his story bigger than it was to impress others, because that’s what they desired. He went along with what was easier for them, even though it caused “nausea in regard to experience that is the result of untruth or exaggeration” (Hemingway 188). Just as soldiers bottle up their emotions, Krebs learned to put on a brave face, therefore slowly turning his anger towards his loved one, his mother. Families are often the first to experience the effects war has on a soldier, becoming a sound board, the one person they feel they can release their true pain to. Some can’t even do this; they will suffer in silence. Even more reason to offer veterans treatment plans and outlets to learn to cope in their everyday lives, and an avenue to release tension from all the devastation they have faced in battle. In “Redeployment” by Phil Kay, a soldier reflects on the horrendous act of shooting dogs, because they were eating human corpses, calling it “Operation Scooby” (Phil Kay 1). When he returned home, he had to face putting down his own dog, due to sickness, haunting and reminding him of what he faced in Afghanistan. A soldier’s life when returning from war can be difficult to say the least, leaving them feeling numb, depressed or suicidal. In the Civil War, many veterans were committed to insane asylums or took their own lives due to the horrific conditions they were exposed to on a daily basis, which took an emotional toll on their minds.
One theory holds that cognitive processing therapy (CPT), which is understanding the trauma that occurred and how to deal with the aftermath and prolonged exposure (PE) therapy, allows the veterans to be in a safe environment while discussing their trauma and then listening back to recordings of these events in between sessions. The goal is to help the veterans gain control of their emotions and be able to cope in a healthy way. A third treatment, called eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) has been found to have a tremendous benefit in improving the psychological symptoms of combat exposure. This treatment consists of undergoing EMDR therapy, while focusing their attention on hand taps, sounds and eye movements. Based on well-documented, evidenced-based experiments from Veterans Administration (VA), researchers have ongoing studies to evaluate mental trauma associated with war. This theory focuses on the fact that “53 of 100 patients who receive one of these three therapies will no longer have PTSD” (Office of Research and Development 2018).
A second theory explains that reducing PTSD symptoms and suicide rates using service dogs for emotional support have proven to provide emotional support and companionship. The Veterans Administration enrolled two hundred and thirty veterans with PTSD and found veterans with disabilities mentally and physically benefited from the company and support of these four-legged friends. Suicide rates of veterans from 2008-2016 were more than 6,000 and are growing more rapidly every year (Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention 2018). Service dogs will help the veteran become comfortable in overcoming their fear in public places and aid in the restoration of their emotional and physical independence.
Another researcher’s body of work also supports a plan to providing veterans with treatments are Bradley D. Stein and Terri L. Tanielian with Rand Corporation. Their argument is making others aware of the need for psychological treatment for veterans and making better informed decisions on how to address these issues. In their continuing research, they look at “addressing cultural influences on exposed individuals experiences” (Stein & Tanielian 2006-2018). The subject was studied in great detail and they feel they have made tremendous progress in interpreting the psychological shock of combat on unprotected individuals, thus decreasing PTSD and suicide rates among veterans.
In Veteran’s Association recent study in 2017, they found selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) were beneficial in treating depression in patients with PTSD, along with other forms of treatment such as group therapy to share their experiences and have a sounding board. An alternative pathway that researchers are more interested in, is an inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). These neurotransmitters play a role in relieving anxiety, by blocking the impulses between the nerve cells and the brain. Combining Pharmacotherapy and Psychotherapy can be used separately or in a combination to decrease the symptoms of PTSD. When a veteran is treated with the correct medications to treat the symptoms, they are more at ease and willing to start psychological treatment to provide a controlled, safe environment to help them function in society again and increase their healing and well-being. These alternative treatments describe the impact of why veterans need support when they return home from war that further prove the necessity in preventing harm to our soldiers. Patients respond differently to treatment, therefore, further improvements are necessary to individualize treatment. Understanding the symptoms along with neurological and psychological processes will further help to address and decrease the likelihood of a soldier developing PTSD after such horrifying exposure. Supporting our veterans can make a huge difference in how they respond once they return home. Visiting wounded vets in the VA facility may help to brighten their day. Taking the time to spend with a vet can offer them an opportunity to open up and make a connection with someone who is willing to sacrifice their time and really listen to them in a sincere way, because they often times feel very isolated. Isolation can easily lead a veteran to feelings of hopelessness, increasing their risks of suicide. Many soldiers that have attempted taking their lives, reported they just wanted the pain to go away. Not all soldiers will develop PTSD from combat exposure, but some symptoms may occur months to years later, so understanding and recognizing the symptoms are necessary in getting the veteran the help they need.
Overall, there are several key theories that support the advancements of ensuring a safe environment and offering mental health therapy for veterans. There are also many secondary sources regarding the psychological effects of war that further prove my thesis. Many advancements have been made in an effort to understand PTSD and treat the symptoms so many veterans suffer with. An important responsibility of citizens is decreasing the stigma associated with mental health disorders and PTSD. Up until recently, soldiers feared looking weak or risk damaging their career if they asked for help. With the use social media platforms and research, soldiers feel more comfortable to step forward in an effort to restore their health. Spreading the word enhances our ability to provide our soldiers and veterans with treatments for PTSD that have a strong evidence-base. The men and women who have fought for our country need our help and services, just as they helped protect this country. They sacrificed themselves, their families, along with their mental health. Learning about PTSD is a valuable tool that will provide in both VA and other mental health care facilities. They didn’t ask for this; they freely gave it. Determining the factors that influence the greatest avenue in offering veteran’s mental health therapy, and ensuring a safe environment conducive to this plan and more importantly, reducing suicide rates, with early detection, we can help stop this travesty.
