It took a long time to identify that war could also wound the mind and even sometimes to a worse extent than it wounds the body. In the days of civil war, combat trauma was diagnosed by military physicians as malingering where those who suffered from it were regarded to be undisciplined and hindered effectiveness. Some of the soldiers of war who were executed as cowards of civil war probably suffered from the fragments of combat trauma. Later in the 1980s, the U.S recognized combat trauma as a psychic injury whose implications impaired legitimacy and effectiveness in service. This blog post thus gives soldiers of war (both active duty members and veterans) a treatment plan concerning trauma of psychological combat.
Soldiers of war have seen it all; they have come face to face with the reality of death, they have witnessed fellow civilians being butchered, etc, yet they carry the aftermath in their minds and thus they suffer psychologically
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Psychological Symptoms
A service member or a veteran may experience the following main symptoms in the event of combat trauma;
Involuntary trembling
Exaggerated startle response
Nightmares
Outbursts of uncontrollable anger
Emotional numbness
Restlessness
Flashbacks
Alcoholism
Depression
Difficulties in concentration
Emotional detachment from others
Feeling on edge (insecure and want to seek for safety)
Treatment Method for Combat Trauma
The best treatment model for combat trauma is a combination of medication and therapy (counseling) in order to manage the symptoms of the disorder and restore the individual to usual functioning.
Common therapies for mitigating combat trauma symptoms include;
Group therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy
Psychotherapy
Hypnotherapy
A combination of more than one therapy is recommended in some cases.
Good therapeutic treatment help soldiers of war to understand their thoughts and reactions and consequently learn to cope with any challenging situations.
Medication is used in combination with therapies in order to minimize tension, irritability and boost sleep.
Recommended medication is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
Antidepressants are useful adjuncts to psychotherapy for combat-related PTSD. Anti-anxiety drugs are sometimes used but may carry the potential for addiction or dependence. Brief hospitalization may be considered in cases where the client is in danger of hurting himself or others.
NOTE: A combination of therapy and medication treatment can produce positive results in a sorter time wit a meaningful quality of life. This treatment helps individuals understand and alter how they think and react to combat trauma memories.
Therapeutic Treatment
Several therapeutic options are available for the treatment of combat trauma. Professional psychotherapy is recommended for this blog as the best option for both veterans and active duty service members.
This professional psychotherapy has been found to heal a wide range of traumatic symptoms which survivors of combat can have.
Professional clinicians agree that three steps are critical towards recovery from the symptoms of combat trauma;
First, the soldier of war (Veteran or active service member) should develop a trustworthy relationship with a professional therapist.
Narrating one’s experience of traumatic conditions in the context of therapy
Revive and develop one's connection with loved ones, family, friends, and community.
Therapists also agree that it is very important for one to tell their story in order to feel in more control. Survivors of combat trauma should obtain help at their earliest possible in order to avert the problem which otherwise would be severe.
Rationale for Therapeutic Treatment
In psychotherapy, the cycles of memories are usually cut off before the survivor can extract any sense out of them. This means that the survivor cannot process the memory.
In cognitive behavior therapy, the survivor is aided to process the memory in a manner which is tolerable. Although the memories are not happy ones, they are mitigated in a manner that cannot cause intense physiological distress.
For Cognitive behavior therapy, the symptoms are made understandable to the survivor. Techniques like relaxation can be employed to help the survivor reduce the symptoms of combat trauma as well as taking away flashbacks or memories of war through re-experiencing them or relieving the survivor from such experiences.
In addition, cognitive behavior therapy includes specific skills training in areas selected to match the client’s needs. Anger management, problem-solving, communication, assertiveness, and learning how to grieve are especially relevant to the combat survivor.
Advantages of Therapeutic Treatment over other Methods
The most advantageous form of therapeutic treatment is group therapy. Adopting group therapy is important for the following reasons;
Group therapy validates the recovery procedure for individuals. By being in a group with a number of people struggling with the same problem, a survivor finds that he is not alone in the struggles. In addition, individuals learn that some people in the group are having a hard time coping with the same difficulties, such as relationship problems, substance use, sleep difficulties or impulsive behaviors.
Those who haven’t suffered from the fragments of combat trauma may not be of much help to the survivor but interactions with experienced veterans make the time of recovery shorter and quick.
One can help others recover: Just as one can learn from others, your experiences in coping with combat trauma may also benefit other people in the group. Being able to help others can increase your self-esteem, as well as your belief in your own ability to cope with trauma symptoms.
Adverse Side effects on Treatment
Combined medication and therapeutic treatment (pharmacotherapy) help in the reduction of combat trauma, depressive symptoms, and anxiety in combat service members and combat veterans. However, the efficacy of this treatment is still under review through the meta-regression analysis.
Steps of Recovering from Combat Trauma
As mentioned earlier, the symptoms of combat trauma for both veterans and active duty service members alike tend to put individuals on the edge where suicide is easily contemplated or even attempted.
Before accessing treatment, here are steps which can help survivors of war to recover from the fragments of combat trauma:
Regular exercise is important for combat veterans
This helps to burn off adrenaline and boosts mood)
Great outdoors such as hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, camping, etc help to challenge a sense of vulnerability
Individuals et to easily transition back to civilian life
Self-Regulation of One’s Nervous System
Mindful breathing: Taking 60 breaths and minding the out-breaths can easily calm tensions
Sensory input: Think of what gave you peace at the end of the day during deployment, for instance; animal petting, friend chatting, etc
Emotional Reconnection: Connecting to uncomfortable emotions without getting overwhelmed helps to
Balance moods
Take back control of your life
Manage stress
Reconnection with others
It is important to find someone who can listen to you without judging maybe a family member or a civilian friend
This can also happen through;
Volunteering yourself to visit someone in need in order to claim your sense of power.
Joining any available PTSD support group to help connect with other soldiers of war so as to feel less connected.
Take care of your body
Take time to relax
Find a way to blow off steam (run, shout or sing)
Take healthy diet
Get plenteous sleep
Avoid alcohol and drugs
Deal wit nightmares, intrusive thoughts, and flashbacks
Work out trough survivors guilt
Seek Professional treatment
Departments associated with Treatment
Department of Defense is highly associated with the affairs of active duty service members while Veteran Affairs (VA) is associated with the progress of veterans. It is important for soldiers of war to seek help with their specific departments.
Conclusion
Combat trauma can be treated with ease and the patient totally recovers from its bad effects. However, since this treatment mostly deals with the symptoms and restoration of the individual, there are barriers which can impair progress such as discouraged from continuing with practicing health habits and lifestyles due to the persistence of some of the symptoms. Recovery and withdrawal may take some time especially if the survivor was alcoholic. Thus to conclude, combat trauma is treatable and individuals can regain their original vitality. Therapeutic treatment and medication in some cases can do excellent. However, this calls for self-awareness and realization.
References
Aberle, S. J., & Jenkins, D. H. (2016). Assessment and management of combat trauma. Oxford Medicine Online . doi:10.1093/med/9780199600830.003.0338
Calvert, P. D., Klenchin, V. A., & Bownds, M. D. (1995). Rhodopsin Kinase Inhibition by Recoverin. Journal of Biological Chemistry , 270 (41), 24127-24129. doi:10.1074/jbc.270.41.24127
Hester, R. D. (2017). Effective Strategies to Combat High Suicides and Trauma Among American Veterans. Journal of Trauma & Treatment , 06 (05). doi:10.4172/2167-1222.1000403
Russo, R. M., & Neff, L. P. (2016). Pediatric Combat Trauma. Current Trauma Reports , 2 (4), 247-255. doi:10.1007/s40719-016-0061-z
Sharma, G., Mahajan, K., & Sharma, L. (2007). Shavasana—Relaxation technique to combat stress. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies , 11 (2), 173-180. doi:10.1016/j.jbmt.2007.01.002
