Dd In The Military Essay

Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is an anxiety disorder triggered by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. This disorder was officially introduced in 1980 when it was added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, otherwise known as DSM. This manual contains criteria used to classify and diagnose mental disorders. Before it’s addition to the DSM, it had been noted in military personnel for centuries. PTSD’s symptoms and conditions can be traced back as far as the writings of Ancient Greece. This disorder has even been referenced in famous literary writers such as Shakespeare and other writers of his time period. In the First World War, doctors were prompted to examine the symptoms and nature of PTSD as it became more common in returning soldiers. This specific decade motivated the legitimization of the disorder. PTSD has a specific nature and course, mostly distributed my military personnel. An individual diagnosed with PTSD has experienced severe stress, a life threatening incident, or a war related experience. While civilians can develop this disorder, it is more prevalent in returning soldiers. For soldiers with PTSD, most have been on the front-line of …show more content…
Most individuals with a former military position may have been in a situation where they had an immense amount of fear but was unable to express it. During that time, it was more appropriate to express fear through anger. When veterans return to civilian life, any anger can often become destructive and dangerous. Feeling severe guilt can also be associated with PTSD, even though it is not official criteria in the DSM. PTSD can also have a delayed onset. The disorder can appear at least six months after the traumatic experience. This delayed onset is rare in civilian PTSD, but common in veterans. Over one-third of military personnel experience the delayed