Last issue, I ran a letter from a Vietnam veteran who for more than
three decades struggled with fighting the war replaying in his head. The
question and answer obviously struck a chord. I received a number of
letters from vets and their families, and three of then appear below. I
think the subject is important enough to warrant more information. As one
ex-fighter wrote, “Thank you for running that letter from the
Vietnam veteran. Many in our society forget that war has a lasting impact
on a person and those around him/her. Time does not cure all."
It took me three years working with a therapist to be able to
ameliorate the flashbacks. It is said that the real battles of war are
in the mind. Even today I still experience flashbacks although not as
often nor as ugly nor as intense. Almost anything can trigger them,
especially "anniversary events." He really needs therapy to figure the
deeps reasons for the intense flashbacks.
Jose
I have been married to a Vietnam Vet for nine years. He was
MIA for six months, and lost his entire group except for four, of whom
only two survived. He still has nightmares today even with the years of
therapy and letting go. The VA does counseling that is provided to Vets
if they will only contact their VA rep. There are medications to help
with sleeping and, while the dreams may never go away, there are
support groups and therapy to help. Please tell him to contact his VA
rep for assistance. So few Vets go for this reason and there is free
help.
A learned wife
This man might benefit from EMDR, a technique that
facilitates the brain's process of integrating traumatic experiences. A
trained and credentialed practitioner helps the person access the
memory in a safe environment and process the emotions to bring about a
sense of closure around the event. A list of all people who have
completed training can be found at www.emdr.org. I am not affiliated
with the organization, but I discovered it in my search for assistance
with my own PTSD.
RH
I called on Robert J. Ursano, M.D., to address these issues. Dr.
Ursano is not only chairman of the department of psychiatry at the United
States Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, MD., he is director of
the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress. Here is what he has to
say:
“Many individuals and some nations experience the trauma of
war, combat and exposure to the horrors of death. A particular part of
this experience is that of feeling helpless in the face of such threats.
In the face of a threat to our lives and reminders of this threat we
‘learn’ to anticipate danger--even when there is none. That
is a part of the traumatic response that can become posttraumatic stress
disorder-- PTSD.
“Many individuals experience PTSD--given how common is the
experience over a lifetime of exposure to a threat to one’s life.
For example, after a car accident, many if not most people will notice
some trouble sleeping, recurrent thoughts and reminders of the accident,
perhaps a wish to avoid the place where the accident happened, a feeling
of wanting time alone and jumpiness when hearing car brakes. This may
persist for some time and would be PTSD. However, it is also true that,
for most, these symptoms gradually subside as we spend time with our
loved ones and return to the demands of our life and work.
“For some, however, like the individual who wrote this
letter, the symptoms can persist and be incapacitating at times. The
problem is not only that we ‘remember,’ but that we have
impaired ‘forgetting.’ We are unable to forget--the natural
recovery process. It is also true that long-forgotten traumatic events
and our feelings about them can recur in times of current stress and
threat. For instance, a Vietnam/Gulf War/ Iraq War combat veteran or a
rape victim may have intrusions and fear and sleep disturbance if, many
years later, they face a life-threatening diagnosis of cancer. Perhaps at
this time, the brain is searching for a similar experience ‘to warn
and prepare us’ by finding something similar to provide a pattern
on how to respond. The fears in this case are the present ones, and the
old forgotten trauma is a vehicle for recall and organizing our thoughts
and feelings.
“It is important to know that PTSD is very treatable, both
with medication and with psychotherapy. Those that suffer from these
symptoms, can find treatment through contacting their physicians for
referral to appropriate resources in their community.
Tags:
anniversary events,
deeps,
flashbacks,
learned wife,
more than three decades,
nine years,
PTSD,
question and answer,
six months,
stress,
support groups,
traumatic experiences,
vets,
Vietnam,
vietnam vet,
vietnam veteran,
violence,
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