Military Officer - June 2007 - (Page 48)

askthedoctor PTSD Defined Although post-traumatic stress disorder is a relatively new term, similar war-related syndromes have been recognized for more than a century. By Rear Adm. Joyce Johnson, D.O. I Find Out More About PTSD ■ See “Promise for PTSD,” page 60, to learn about alternative treatments; the article “Aftershock” (November 2005, available online at www .moaa.org/magazine/No vember2005) describes resources for PTSD treatment; or visit the VA’s Web site at www.ncptsd .va.gov. n 1871, Dr. Jacob De Costa wrote about American Civil War veterans suffering a combination of physical and emotional symptoms that could include heart palpitations, sweating, tremors, shortness of breath, fatigue, and possibly fainting. These veterans were said to have soldier’s heart, nostalgia, or De Costa’s syndrome. During World War I, the terms shell shock and war neurosis were used to describe battle-related syndromes. In World War II, the same combat stress reaction was called battle fatigue, combat fatigue, or exhaustion, while Vietnam veterans were said to have Post-Vietnam Syndrome. Today, the term post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is used to describe a psychiatric syndrome of reactions to combat and other types of severe trauma. Although war-related PTSD is probably what most people think of when they hear the term, PTSD can be related to many types of trauma. A diagnosis of PTSD requires exposure to a seriously disturbing event — such as rape, a serious car accident, or a natural disaster. Like combat, these events might involve intense fear, the presence of dead or mangled bodies, or other horriﬁc elements. Individual emotional responses to such events vary and can include intense fear, helplessness, or horror. People process these emotional responses in different ways. Most are able to function in their daily lives afterward, especially with the support of family and friends. A very few people, though, have more serious reactions that interfere with daily life for more than a month. (For a small fraction, these reactions might be delayed more than six months after the event.) These ongoing reactions include three main types of symptoms: intrusive thoughts, avoidance, and hyper-arousal. Intrusive thoughts include recurrent images of the event, ﬂashbacks, dreams, or an intense physical or emotional response to a cue somehow linked to the event. Avoidance refers to avoiding people, places, or activities that might prompt someone with PTSD to recall the event and relive the trauma. Avoidance also can refer to a decreased range of feeling or emotional numbing. Hyper-arousal includes general nervousness, being easily startled, and having sleep and other problems. There is no lab test for PTSD; instead, diagnosis relies on a clinician’s assessment of the patient’s condition and history of emotional and other trauma. Treatment includes special programs with a range of modalities such as individual and group therapy and occasionally medication. Research is ongoing to determine the most effective treatment for these patients so they can better process their past experiences and return to productive daily functioning. MO — Rear Adm. Joyce Johnson, USPHS-Ret., D.O., M.A., is vice president, Health Sciences, Battelle Memorial Institute, Arlington, Va. Find more health and wellness resources at www .moaa.org/wellness. For submission information, see page 20. PHOTO: STEVE BARRETT 48 MILITARY OFFICER JUNE 2007 http://www.moaa.org/magazine/November2005 http://www.moaa.org/magazine/November2005 http://www.moaa.org/magazine/November2005 http://www.ncptsdva.gov http://www.ncptsdva.gov http://www.moaa.org/wellness http://www.moaa.org/wellness

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Military Officer - June 2007

Military Officer - June 2007 Contents From the Editor From the President Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Chapter Activities Getting the Best Care Stand By Me Promise for PTSD Cover Story: Heavy Duty Unified Medical Command Pages of History Faces of MOAA Information Exchange Member Books Advertising Index MOAA Member Services MOAA Calendar MOAA Scholarship Donors Sounding Taps Encore

Military Officer - June 2007

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