First responders play a vital role in the safety and health of our community. Putting their own life at risk, these first responders undergo some of the most stressful and life threatening situations as part of their duties. Benedek, Fullerton, and Ursano’s article states that military health care workers, public health service workers, and state, local, and volunteer first responders experience many different effects from their professions such as Acute Stress Disorder (ASD), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and much more. They also mentioned the use of population-based interventions and it’s positive effect on the mental wellness of first responders. Psychological first-aid is a form of support through intervention
CMN 553 Unit 3 Journal The consequences of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) cuts across the age barrier of several mental illness, as it affects both the young and the old. Likewise, the understanding of the triggers, risk factors, symptoms, diagnostic features, and pharmacotherapeutic and psychotherapy options are some of the learning objectives for this unit’s clinical experience. Also, the ability to carefully weigh on some of the differential diagnosis prior to the inference of this disorder is paramount as the psychiatric nurse practitioner (PNP) student critically considers in other not to misdiagnosis the patient (Sadock, Sadock, & Ruiz, 2014).
Additionally, mental health effects of serving war not only affect an emotional state of mind, but further research says it can increase a soldier's chance of developing PTSD. In the NCBI database, A Meta-Analysis of Risk Factors for Combat-Related PTSD among Military Personnel and Veterans, published by LuLu Zhang identifies the risk factors make soldiers more likely to experience PTSD. Equally, “Various aspects of the trauma period also constituted risk factors. These include increased combat exposure, discharging a weapon, witnessing someone being wounded or killed, severe
On Tuesday October 27, Dr. Brittany Hall gave a talk on PTSD affecting military veteran and active duty soldiers. During active duty soldiers are exposed to a lot of unforeseen events. Veterans and active duty soldiers are serving to protect the country from allies, and place there lives on the line everyday for citizens to continue to have freedom. The aftermath of returning from combat is the devastating blow for a lot of soldiers. Soldiers returning home from combat are not being able to separate civilian world from warzone usually struggle form PTSD.
There are many careers that are very stressful and one which regularly tops the list of most stressful careers is being an enlisted service member. Stress management programs are crucial in helping Soldiers cope with stress because of the long term measure they are experiencing. Frequent and long deployments, immediate danger and fast paced, high workload environments all contribute to the high rate of suicides among service members. Stress is both directly and indirectly linked to a host of mental and physical problems.
“An estimated 8% of Americans − 24.4 million people − have PTSD at any given time. That is equal to the total population of Texas” (PTSD United 1). Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has existed since the dawn of time, but only in the past 50 years has it been recognized as an actual problem. However, even now, it is still not always acknowledged as a legitimate condition. As a result, it is not always properly treated.
Serving in the military can be a very traumatic experience. War entails a lot of conflict, shootings, and bombings. About twelve percent of all veterans suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Also, twenty-three percent of women reported sexual assault while serving in the military, and fifty-five percent reported having experienced sexual harassment when in the military. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is not the only mental illness that these conditions have caused.
Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) have high rates of unemployment and mental health disorders. In addition, traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common injury among OIF/OEF veterans, often leading to cognitive impairments and post-concussive symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and difficulties with cognitive and functioning. TBI and comorbid psychiatric conditions such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) limit cognitive readiness for civilian employment and may lead to impaired job performance. These conditions all serve as potential barriers for OIF/OEF Veterans entering the workforce.
Most of the victims who developed PTSD had no previous history of a psychiatric illness. The result of pre-existing PTSD was relatively high and did not predict the presence of PTSD after the disaster. A history of other pre-disaster psychiatric disorders predicted post-disaster PTSD in women but not in men. One half of the women and one fourth of the men with post-disaster psychiatric diagnosis, especially major depression. Retrieved from.
Lack of Government Support For Affected Veterans According to the article, “Government 's PTSD Treatment for Veterans, Lacking”, “They account for more than 75% of the roughly half a million VA patients receiving treatment for PTSD,” (Zarembo). Many veterans still continue to wait for their treatments, creating issues in their home life and even causing them to commit suicide. The 25% of the patients who are not treated suffer, this is where the government should come to play to help those people by providing more care and supporting the costs. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder should be better treated and better supported by the government to veterans because of the amount of soldiers waiting for treatment, lack of effectiveness in treatment,
Supporters argue that there are ample programs to support our military, while opponents disagree. Mental health disorders are a byproduct of war, they both agree to this. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), acute stress, anxiety, and depression are all mental health disorders soldiers can suffer from. Tens of thousands of soldiers are diagnosed with one of these conditions, but many never come forward or seek help. Many soldiers are afraid of the stigma associated with being diagnosed with a mental illness; they do not want to be perceived as being weak physical or mentally.
Anne C. Black and other people have been in school of medicine. They have written a report that show the type of treatment veterans get for their PTSD. The VA health care has found better ways to help with the mental health of veterans( Black et al. 1).
PTSD Affecting Soldiers He stood there, frozen, shocked, not knowing what to do when he saw a gun pointed at him. Thankfully, the trigger didn’t work, but he had to witness a scarring event, in which he had shot his enemy in the head. It is not surprising that soldiers returning from a stressful war often suffer from a psychological condition called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. For instance, in the book Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers, the principle character Perry unmistakably demonstrates how war troopers can be damaged and experience the ill effects of PTSD.
First Responders James Cross Intro to Homeland Defense Professor Kirchgraber August 30, 2015 Abstract 9/11 is a day that many will never forget. Terrorist high jacked four planes and flew them into predetermined locations. 3000 people died in The World Trade Center alone. Several of these were first responders.
More than half of all male Vietnam veterans and almost half of all female Vietnam veterans have experienced clinically serious stress reaction symptoms.” PTSD has also been detected among veterans of other wars. ("PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress
From being in the situations that first responders face everyday stress is just one of the side effects from the job, because of stress it can make it easy for people to feel helpless. Stress is different for everyone who gets it. Some of the side effects can be break out into hives, stop eating, or it evens makes them eat more. Many will turn to addictive behaviors in order to deal with life. With stress it can cause first responders to become overwhelmed at the scene.