When people think about American veterans, they envision a person with honor, courage, and a noble life filled with the prosperity that their hard work entails. While this may be what every American wants to assume about the lives of veterans, it is not nearly close to what is really going on with many veterans in the United States today. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) affects around 10-12 percent of veterans, and if left untreated or ignored, it can wreak havoc on a life (Veterans, 5). The negative effects of PTSD range anywhere from sleep loss, anxiety, and depression to alcohol addiction, drug addiction, and suicide (Veterans, 8). Some veterans with PTSD end up homeless with no treatment and no way to save themselves, and that is
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When looking at the veteran suicide rate, it is estimated that 22 veterans commit suicide each day. Due to the Department of Defense losing track of some of its veterans as they retire, suicide statistics in veterans are most likely higher, as they are not kept track of equally throughout all branches (Veterans, 3). Drugs or alcohol are involved in one-third of Army suicides, the branch with the highest suicide rate at 23.8 percent (Braunschweiger, 3). One veteran describes their struggle with drug abuse and PTSD by saying, “They tell us not to do drugs, but how do I sleep? How do I forget what I saw?” —Theresa, 44, Gulf War Veteran, Davis, California. (Braunschweiger, 1). Many veterans that return from the front lines of combat experience highly graphic and guilt laden thoughts about acts committed or witnessed during their time at war, leading to a large spike in feelings of depression and, subsequently, suicidal thoughts (Hudenko, 13). Many veterans do not know where else to turn when they are plagued with such thoughts, and when they turn to drugs and alcohol instead, it can lead to people being unsympathetic or even disbelieving when a veteran tries to relay their symptoms to someone. A 23 year old Marine, Jeffrey Lucey, committed suicide …show more content…
There are many people who are making strides in the medical world to raise awareness for PTSD and its effects, and new treatments and preventative measures are being discovered each and every day. Support groups for veterans with PTSD can be found anywhere, and veterans themselves are helping their fellow soldiers make it through and conquer the disorder. While there is progress being made, there are still some obvious problem that need to be overcome. Veteran suicide rates being at an all time high is something that cannot be ignored, and treating PTSD and the depression that it can lead to is a start in the right direction to protect our veterans. The societal view of PTSD is slowly evolving, as more people become familiar with the disorder and the stigma is slowly broken, but if we start to truly inform and educate others on PTSD, then a true change will be brought about. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is an alarming problem that is rampant is United States veterans, but with the new treatments being developed and the increasing awareness of the general population, we can all work together to eradicate the stigma behind PTSD and the effects of the disorder as a
When looking at the veteran suicide rate, it is estimated that 22 veterans commit suicide each day. Due to the Department of Defense losing track of some of its veterans as they retire, suicide statistics in veterans are most likely higher, as they are not kept track of equally throughout all branches (Veterans, 3). Drugs or alcohol are involved in one-third of Army suicides, the branch with the highest suicide rate at 23.8 percent (Braunschweiger, 3). One veteran describes their struggle with drug abuse and PTSD by saying, “They tell us not to do drugs, but how do I sleep? How do I forget what I saw?” —Theresa, 44, Gulf War Veteran, Davis, California. (Braunschweiger, 1). Many veterans that return from the front lines of combat experience highly graphic and guilt laden thoughts about acts committed or witnessed during their time at war, leading to a large spike in feelings of depression and, subsequently, suicidal thoughts (Hudenko, 13). Many veterans do not know where else to turn when they are plagued with such thoughts, and when they turn to drugs and alcohol instead, it can lead to people being unsympathetic or even disbelieving when a veteran tries to relay their symptoms to someone. A 23 year old Marine, Jeffrey Lucey, committed suicide …show more content…
There are many people who are making strides in the medical world to raise awareness for PTSD and its effects, and new treatments and preventative measures are being discovered each and every day. Support groups for veterans with PTSD can be found anywhere, and veterans themselves are helping their fellow soldiers make it through and conquer the disorder. While there is progress being made, there are still some obvious problem that need to be overcome. Veteran suicide rates being at an all time high is something that cannot be ignored, and treating PTSD and the depression that it can lead to is a start in the right direction to protect our veterans. The societal view of PTSD is slowly evolving, as more people become familiar with the disorder and the stigma is slowly broken, but if we start to truly inform and educate others on PTSD, then a true change will be brought about. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is an alarming problem that is rampant is United States veterans, but with the new treatments being developed and the increasing awareness of the general population, we can all work together to eradicate the stigma behind PTSD and the effects of the disorder as a