Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition caused by past exposure to a stressful or terrifying event. Anyone can develop PTSD, but diagnoses are much more common among Veterans than the general population. According to some estimates, up to 7% of all Veterans have been or will be diagnosed with PTSD at some point in their lives. Servicepeople who have combat deployments or served in recent conflicts face an even higher risk.
Everyone experiences PTSD differently, but you should never ignore it. Left untreated, the disorder can be debilitating. Don’t take chances with your health. If you’ve served in the armed forces, you could be entitled to significant compensation for your injuries. Read more to learn about PTSD claims for Veterans, or contact Sean Kendall, Attorney at Law, to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation.
Veterans and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Any sufficiently traumatic event can trigger mental health conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder. However, not everyone experiences trauma the same way. Some Veterans, for instance, aren’t affected by combat deployments. But this isn’t true for everyone, and it’s not at all unusual to experience discomfort and hardship after surviving a firefight or suffering a serious injury.
In the civilian world, the most common causes of PTSD include sexual assault, childhood abuse, and the death of a loved one. These are some of the most common non-combat causes of PTSD among Veterans, too. Medical professionals believe that about 1 out of every 3 people who are exposed to trauma will go on to develop PTSD.
Members of the military must also face risks and dangers beyond what most civilians will ever encounter. This danger isn’t limited to combat, either. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has found other service-connected causes of PTSD include, but aren’t limited to:
- Combat deployments
- Training accidents
- Military sexual trauma (MST)
The above list is by no means exhaustive. Some servicepeople choose or are assigned inherently high-risk military occupational specialties. Others work in positions that put them in close proximity to the injured or dead. Having said that, any severe source of stress or concern can cause PTSD, though symptoms might take time to emerge and aren’t always recognizable.
4 Primary Symptoms of PTSD
Most people diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder begin noticing symptoms within three months of the traumatic event, but this isn’t a universal rule. In some cases, symptoms don’t appear for years, and they might not be immediately recognizable as a mental health condition. PTSD symptoms vary widely, but typically fall into one of the following four categories.
1. Intrusive Memories
These are defined as recollections that are traumatic or frightening, but which you struggle to suppress. Intrusive memories can be unpleasant thoughts or nightmares that won’t go away, or they can also be intense reactions to someone or something that reminds you of a traumatic event. Some Veterans also report vivid flashbacks, which can occur with or without an inciting catalyst or trigger.
2. Avoidance
This behavior means intentionally or unknowingly avoiding anything that reminds you of a traumatic event. For example, you might not want to talk about your military service, even with loved ones, or intentionally avoid places, or refuse to participate in certain activities.
3. Negative Changes to Mood
If you have PTSD, you may notice that you don’t think about people and the world the same way you used to. You might grapple with constant feelings of fear and anger, feel disconnected from your friends and family, or simply feel “numb.” Like other PTSD symptoms, negative thoughts and moods are hard to identify and may be confused with depression or anxiety.
4. Altered Reactions
Some people who have PTSD have strong physical and emotional responses to trauma. These altered reactions could include:
- Always feeling alert and on guard
- Engaging in self-destructive behavior
- Drinking heavily or abusing other substances
- Being prone to anger, irritability, or aggression, even when it isn’t warranted
- Sweating or shaking
- A fast heartbeat
The physical elements of PTSD are among the most troubling, in part because they can make it feel like you aren’t fully in control of your body and mind. Additionally, these symptoms vary in their intensity, affecting Veterans to different degrees.
Conventional Types of PTSD Treatment
If you haven’t already been diagnosed with PTSD, you should see a doctor and try to obtain a diagnosis before submitting a VA disability claim. To diagnose post-traumatic stress disorder, your provider will most likely perform a standard physical examination coupled with a comprehensive mental health evaluation. If your results indicate that you most likely have PTSD, getting treatment could help you take control of your life and reclaim your independence.
However, getting effective PTSD treatment is often easier said than done, with most mental health professionals relying on a small number of tools. These typically include:
- Psychotherapy
- Antidepressant medications
- Anti-anxiety medications
Each of these methods can help treat PTSD, but none are perfect. Psychotherapy, for instance, involves opening up to a doctor or psychologist—something that can be difficult to do, especially if your provider doesn’t have any frame of reference for the kinds of experiences that you’ve endured. Medication, in contrast, can have serious side effects, ranging from unwanted weight gain to outright addiction.
Emerging Types of PTSD Treatment and Outcomes
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach for PTSD. Many Veterans do experience noticeable relief with standard treatment, but others never find the healing they deserve. This doesn’t mean that people with PTSD must choose between potentially ineffective treatment and a lifetime of debilitating symptoms. Today, doctors know much more about mental health than they did in years past—and some different forms of treatment, whether brand-new or revised, have shown promising results. Talk with your provider about these additional options.
Cognitive Processing Therapy
Also referred to as CPT, this treatment was developed specifically for post-traumatic stress disorder. The guiding principle of CPT suggests that our own experiences, thoughts, and emotions can sometimes hinder healing. Instead of coming to terms with a traumatic event, some Veterans might bury it, inadvertently letting their symptoms worsen.
CPT is designed to reinforce healthier thought patterns by:
- Changing the way that you think about trauma.
- Exploring how your PTSD has impacted your life.
- Helping you identify and challenge unhealthy thought patterns.
Cognitive processing therapy isn’t new. In fact, the VA currently offers CPT sessions for qualifying Veterans. But few servicepeople know that CPT is a proven, effective alternative to medication.
Prolonged Exposure Therapy
PE therapy teaches people with PTSD to slowly confront and conquer traumatic memories. At the beginning of a PE session, your therapist or doctor will ask questions intended to get a better understanding of what you’ve gone through. You might also be taught special breathing techniques to manage trauma-related anxiety.
After your first session, the exposure phase begins. This involves two distinct types of exposure:
- Imaginal. This approach is almost always the first exposure attempted during PE therapy. Together, you and your therapist will talk about the traumatic event, identify your triggers, and try processing any emotion that comes up during the conversation. Imaginal exposure sessions are recorded and used to continue working through your feelings and fears.
- In vivo. This method involves physically confronting your triggers. Using information from your other sessions, you and your psychologist identify places, people, and situations connected to your trauma. You’re encouraged to challenge yourself, slowly moving toward more stressful situations and triggers.
PE therapy wasn’t in use for most of the 20th century but is now recognized as one of the most effective types of PTSD treatment available.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
Also known as EMDR therapy, this mental health treatment technique usually involves moving your eyes in a specific way while processing traumatic memories. This method relies on the Adaptive Information Processing model, which suggests that the brain stores normal and traumatic memories in very different ways.
For instance, normal memories are believed to be stored without complication. In other words, they integrated into your memory and then connected to your existing store of memories and knowledge. However, during more traumatic events, the same connection doesn’t form. Instead, your brain may temporarily go “offline”, creating a gap between what your brain remembers and what you can consciously think, feel, see, and hear.
No one is quite sure how or why EMDR works, but more than 30 randomized studies indicate its effectiveness with various Veteran populations.
Don’t believe the myths about PTSD. You have numerous options for treatment. And if your initial application for VA disability benefits has been denied, don’t give up on that process, either. Many applications are denied due to missing evidence, incomplete paperwork, or misinterpretations of the law. Our team can help you regain control over your health—and your life—with the benefits you deserve.