Throughout the 1960’s, America experienced a revolution of hope and change. John F. Kennedy became the president of the United States in 1960 and individuals across the nation followed his progressive plans. Societies protested against the unfair treatment of races, female activists demanded for women’s rights, and musical celebrities like Bob Dylan and the Beatles created music, “that became a symbol of young peoples’ rebellion against traditional values” (Society and Life 1). Although this time period had prosperous moments, it also faced a great deal of turmoil. American politics and civil rights movements were devastated with the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. The Vietnam War was a pressing
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These conditions took a toll on the soldiers’ physical and mental health. Adapting soldiers coming back from war were faced with a psychological condition known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Hochgesang 2). PTSD is a substantial problem that many returning soldiers face when coming back from war. According to Britannica, “Post-traumatic stress disorder follows a traumatic event particularly that involves actual or threatened death or serious bodily injury to oneself or others that creates intense feelings of fear, helplessness, or horror” (Emery 1). Although PTSD wasn’t given a label until 1980 the disorder is found in different historical context. PTSD has been traced back as far as three millennia. The Greek writer Herodotus describes the aftermath of a battle and how soldiers went blind after witnessing fellow soldiers being killed. In another case, an English Parliamentarian Samuel Pepys describes in his journal, symptoms of PTSD he experienced after the Great Fire of 1600. Lead experts and historians believe that these cases were describing what is now known as PTSD (PTSD 1). Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is distinctive from other disorders because medical professionals have a difficult time tracing it to a specific event. Although PTSD is found in different historical …show more content…
Mike A. was a corpsman that was deployed from 1967 to 1968. He recalls, “When I first came home I thought I was fine. But over time, I became short-tempered and paranoid. I was always on edge and alert—Hyper vigilant they call it” (Torment 2). Mike like many other soldiers witnessed the gruesome death of many men that he served with. He tells about his “survivors guilt” and how he turned to alcohol abuse; a common coping mechanism associated with PTSD. Living with PTSD and the stigma associated with this disorder is a constant struggle for many veterans (Torment 3). Although some soldiers decide to employ self-medicating tactics to manage with the disorder, there are now various options for treatment. The most effective form of treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy offered through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. During twelve sessions, soldiers are taught to change and handle their upsetting thoughts into new perspectives. Another form of therapy is prolonged exposure therapy. Through PE, soldiers are able to progressively advance towards their traumatic memories, feelings, and situations that the soldier had once been avoiding. Aside from therapy, medications are available for PTSD. The most common medications prescribed are Sertraline, Paroxetine, Fluoxetine, and Venlafaxine. These all classify as antidepressants that balance the
These conditions took a toll on the soldiers’ physical and mental health. Adapting soldiers coming back from war were faced with a psychological condition known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Hochgesang 2). PTSD is a substantial problem that many returning soldiers face when coming back from war. According to Britannica, “Post-traumatic stress disorder follows a traumatic event particularly that involves actual or threatened death or serious bodily injury to oneself or others that creates intense feelings of fear, helplessness, or horror” (Emery 1). Although PTSD wasn’t given a label until 1980 the disorder is found in different historical context. PTSD has been traced back as far as three millennia. The Greek writer Herodotus describes the aftermath of a battle and how soldiers went blind after witnessing fellow soldiers being killed. In another case, an English Parliamentarian Samuel Pepys describes in his journal, symptoms of PTSD he experienced after the Great Fire of 1600. Lead experts and historians believe that these cases were describing what is now known as PTSD (PTSD 1). Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is distinctive from other disorders because medical professionals have a difficult time tracing it to a specific event. Although PTSD is found in different historical …show more content…
Mike A. was a corpsman that was deployed from 1967 to 1968. He recalls, “When I first came home I thought I was fine. But over time, I became short-tempered and paranoid. I was always on edge and alert—Hyper vigilant they call it” (Torment 2). Mike like many other soldiers witnessed the gruesome death of many men that he served with. He tells about his “survivors guilt” and how he turned to alcohol abuse; a common coping mechanism associated with PTSD. Living with PTSD and the stigma associated with this disorder is a constant struggle for many veterans (Torment 3). Although some soldiers decide to employ self-medicating tactics to manage with the disorder, there are now various options for treatment. The most effective form of treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy offered through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. During twelve sessions, soldiers are taught to change and handle their upsetting thoughts into new perspectives. Another form of therapy is prolonged exposure therapy. Through PE, soldiers are able to progressively advance towards their traumatic memories, feelings, and situations that the soldier had once been avoiding. Aside from therapy, medications are available for PTSD. The most common medications prescribed are Sertraline, Paroxetine, Fluoxetine, and Venlafaxine. These all classify as antidepressants that balance the