Pointlife
The battle after the war: Nation struggles with PTSD
The Pointer
ataub878@uwsp.edu
The smell of diesel takes him back to a place he does not want to remember: his convoy being ambushed in Iraq. He begins to sweat and panic, reliving the painful experience. Then reality sets in; he is holding a gas pump, not a gun.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder affects people who have been exposed to a traumatic event. It affects soldiers, students and possibly the man filling his gas tank in Stevens Point.
Dr. Michael Brandt, a veterans’ affairs psychologist, spoke on Thursday, April 9 in the Dreyfus University Center Theatre to help the community better understand PTSD, its psychology, diagnosis, treatment and the effects it has on military and non-military citizens.
“PTSD is a new label for a very old issue,” said Dr. Brandt, who explained that the terms “shell shock” and “going postal” were past labels for the disorder.
Dr. Brandt explained that PTSD has been around “as long as there has been war” and has resulted from disturbing events that involve intense fear, helplessness or horror.
Living with PTSD means persistently re-experiencing the traumatic events with intrusive and distressing recollections, including images, thoughts, perceptions or recurrent, upsetting dreams. Illusions, hallucinations and flashbacks also cause someone with PTSD to act or feel as though the events are reoccurring.
Dr. Brandt noted that PTSD can be effectively assessed and treated but some barriers, such as social stigmas, a lack of trust and delayed treatment can hinder a person’s ability to get better.
Joining Dr. Brandt in the presentation, student veteran Jeremy Croshiere and vet center counselor Tyrone Patterson told their personal accounts with the military service in the Middle East.
Commenting on PTSD, Croshiere explained how hard it is to relate and connect with fellow students after fighting overseas. He recalled feeling “disconnected” and “detached.”
Wanting fellow students to understand his experience, he explained the shocks and threats he encountered overseas, mentioning how stressful it was not knowing who was “good” and who was “bad.”
Patterson, who is also a veteran, even mentioned his difficulty getting used to driving a vehicle without a gun.
But PTSD doesn’t only affect the soldier, it affects their family and friends as well. Patterson touched base on this subject, mentioning that “the only thing harder than being a soldier is loving one.”
Many people still remain undiagnosed for PTSD, but an estimated 5.2 million American adults ages 18 to 54 have or are being treated for PTSD, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
There are facilities on campus to help someone struggling with PTSD and anyone who has questions about the disorder should contact the Health Services staff.
