Ptsd Ad War Veterans

The History of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in War Veterans

The many wars of the 20th and 21st centuries have not only changed the course of political history, but medical history as well. The development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as an operationally diagnosable disorder in the DSM, has gone hand in hand with these world changing events. Unfortunately, today we find ourselves in the midst of another war in the Middle East that is sending back thousands of young Americans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. This paper where examine the history of war trauma in the 20th century, the development of post-traumatic stress disorder as a diagnosable disorder, and what lessons history can teach us about treatment for our present day veterans.

The DSM-IV-TR provides diagnostic criteria for PTSD that includes a history of exposure to a traumatic event meeting two criteria: 1. The person has experienced, witnessed, or been confronted with an event or events that involve actual or threatened death or serious injury, or threat to the physical integrity of oneself or others. 2. The person’s response involved intense fear, helplessness, or horror. It then goes on to list symptoms for each of three symptom clusters. The first symptom cluster involves intrusive recollections of the trauma. One may experience at least one of the following: recurrent and intrusive recollections of the event including images thoughts, or perceptions; recurrent distressing dreams of the event; intense psychological distress at exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event; and physiologic reactivity upon exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the trauma. The second symptom cluster involves persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma and numbing of general responsiveness, which was not present before the trauma. These symptoms must be indicated by at least...