How a Veteran PTSD Affect Families
How does a soldier or veteran impact of PTSD (Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder) affect their families? Research and case studies continue to be examined as troops return from war. This is a very important question as over 289,328 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans that returned in period 2002- 2008 accounted for forty percent of them being treated by the Veterans Affairs (Galovski & Lyons, 2004).
The families of these veterans may be subjected to loneliness and complete isolation from the outside world as a result of the PTSD.Until recently research has only been focused on the individuals affected by the PTSD only but it has become evident that the condition affects not only the individuals but the entire family unit and close friends of individuals with PTSD (Galovski & Lyons, 2004).
A study on American soldiers returning back from war has shown an increase in cases of violence against their spouses. Veterans suffering from PTSD have much aggression and thus results in anger and violence. PTSD victims resort to violence as the easiest way of resolving conflicts in the family this is attributed to the fact that the victims have been in an aggressive and violent environment (Galovski & Lyons, 2004).
PTSD victims have a tendency to isolate themselves, be numb and avoid much contact with other people. This is as much traumatizing to the spouses who feel neglected and rejected, the numbness and avoidance is a big hindrance to successful relationships between spouses and functioning of the family at large. Communication and understanding between the spouses is a key to couple openness, without which isolation, detachment, withdrawal and conflict, and ineffective emotional expression causes disintegration of the family (Robinson, 2011).
When a war veteran returns home from war he is literally entering a new environment different from the normal terrifying and horror scenes of war that they are used to. Therefore there are a lot of adjustments that he has to make to fit in the family. The family members especially the children will have to adjust to the fact that they now have to depend on two parents and not one as they have been used to. These could bring a lot of difficulties to the families since this is a major adjustment to both the individual and the other family members (Robinson, 2011).
Most victims of PTSD will mainly have stress trying to adapt to their new roles in their families, most of their energy will be used in attempt to deal with the PTSD and less on their caring roles as a parent to their children in the event tit causes stress both to the parent and to the children (Robinson, 2011).
The children of the victims of PTSD are more likely to suffer from secondary PTSD which is not a direct effect as that of PTSD rather it results from the trauma they undergo when in company of or not in company of those suffering from PTSD. The secondary PTSD or traumatization commences when a parent or guardian is deployed to war or when they arrive after war, these parents will show symptoms of PTSD such as recollection of frightening events and experiences of war during sleep, these may be so traumatizing to the child. They will suffer seeing their parent slowly becoming emotionally distant and thus become anxious and stressful thus resulting in secondary trauma to them (Robinson, 2011).
PTSD becomes a family disorder because most children whose parents suffer from PTSD tend to pick up these traits and expose them in their own different ways. When a child lives with a parent who suffers from PTSD they interact daily with the victim they will observe their behavior and character how they react to issues an situations, their emotional traits and behavior and these will in the long run be manifested in the children’s behavior(Robinson, 2011).
When children are exposed to violent combat environment in the family they will also become violent and the only way they will solve their conflicts and misunderstandings with their peers or other family members (Robinson, 2011).
The diagnosis of PTSD victims is important since it is basically a diagnosis of the effects and impacts of the disorder on the family. The process can be carried out in two ways; systematic treatment which involves therapeutic treatment of the family members, this mainly involves an attempt to reduce the relationship distress caused by the trauma ( Harkness & Zador, 2001) . In this diagnosis the family members come to a consensus on how to handle incidences associated with PTSD and trauma, it mainly involves proper communication and understanding of the PTSD, its symptoms and ways of solving the situation. The second treatment or diagnostic process is the support treatment; this will involve the provision of social support to the victims of PTSD. The victims and families are provided with adequate information on the PTSD and the ways of handling the victims. The two processed are carried out in phases to achieve an effective treatment of the condition ( Harkness & Zador, 2001).
The family also plays an important role in the diagnosis of patients with PTSD. Families experiencing PTSD should be provided with conducive home environment to aide in the diagnosis of PTSD, the healing environment is not naturally occurring thus it needs proper establishment and requires support from all the family members and even extended family members, friends and neighbours. It is important to note the parents suffering from PTSD may feel a lot of guilt and depression when they realize their child is suffering from PTSD this may hinder their efforts to help the child in recovering from the condition. Some parents may feel so depressed that the child may blame themselves thinking they are the cause of the trauma the family is undergoing; the parents should understand the child and they should know that no one is to blame for the condition in the family ( Harkness & Zador, 2001).
For effective diagnosis of PTSD people should be knowledgeable and understand the condition so the process of diagnosis can be effective and efficient otherwise victims may spend years trying to diagnose the condition but in vain. The family is a unit and it makes up a village, neighborhoods and a nation at large therefore the involvement of all family members and close people is a major factor in the diagnosis of PTSD ( Harkness & Zador, 2001).
References
Galovski, T., & Lyons, J. A. (2004). Psychological sequelae of combat violence, 9(5), 477-501, 25.
Harkness, L., & Zador, N. (2001). Treatment of PTSD in families and couples. New York, NY, US: Guilford Press.
Holmstedt, K. (2009). The Girls Come Marching Home. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books
Robinson, A. (2011). Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder and Secondary Traumatization in Military Families, 41(7), 48-49, 2.
