Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

United States Army Medical

Command

Chaplain Joe Hughes

PTSD

“When my best friend died, I wouldn’t cry because if I started crying for him, I’d wind up crying for all my friends who died and I would never stop crying.”

-Anonymous Viet Nam Veteran

PTSD

Community based studies show prevalence for PTSD ranges from 1% to 14%. BUT among combat vets it’s 5%-58%.

PTSD

WHAT CAUSES PTSD-

- Exposure to extreme traumatic stress that involves actual or perceived threat to life and personal safety.

CAUSES

-Event(s) that drive home the fact

that the world is not a safe place.

-Proximity to and intensity of the

event.

INDICATORS

Indicators fall into three

categories – all not present

before the traumatic events.

INDICATORS

1. Persistent re-experience of the event(s) to include one or more of the following.

-uncontrolled recurring and intrusive memories-recurring dreams

INDICATORS

-acting or feeling as if the eventwere recurring, i.e., sense of reliving the experience, hallucinations, and flashbacks -to include when intoxicated

INDICATORS

-mental distress when exposed

to internal or external cues that

resemble or remind the person

about the event.

INDICATORS

-physiological reactions (increased heart rate and respirations, sick to stomach,etc.) when exposed to internalor external cues

INDICATORS

2. Persistent avoidance of things associated with the event and numbing of responsiveness. To include one or more of the following.

INDICATORS

-attempts to avoid thoughts, feelings, or conversations associated with the events-efforts to avoid activities, places and people associated with the event

INDICATORS

-inability to recall an importantpart of the event-markedly reduced interest orparticipation in important events

INDICATORS

-feelings of detachment orestrangement from others-restricted range of emotions (e.g. unable to have loving Feelings)

INDICATORS

-sense of foreshortened future,

no expectations for a normal

life…no career, no marriage,

no children, no normal life span

INDICATORS

3. Persistent symptoms of

increased arousal in two or

more of the following.

INDICATORS

-difficulty in falling or staying asleep-irritability or outbursts of anger -difficulty in concentrating

INDICATORS

-hyper vigilance

-exaggerated startle response

OUR TASK

Treatment is usually

combination of meds and

therapy. But we do have a role

to play.

OUR TASK

The theological question is,

first, the age old one of why

does God allow bad things to

happen to people of faith.

OUR TASK

Second, what does that say

about the nature of God and

His love towards His people.

OUR TASK

THE QUESTIONS TO DETERMINE

1. Where have you lost control in your life?2. What are reasonable and consistent demands from Supervisors?3. Have you lost respect from/to colleagues and co-workers?4. Do you feel cared for, appreciated by co-workers, Supervisors?5. Do you feel competent, reliable, dependable?6. Has your work have purpose, meaning, and value?7. How thankful are you for your work?8. Are you busy and/or over-committed outside work?9. Do you have a time each day to rest, relax, and replete?10. What are you doing to stay healthy?

OUR TASK

THE QUESTIONS TO DETERMINE

11. How are you coping with your pain, suffering, loss?12. How are you dealing with death of those we grow close to?13. Are you able to laugh, cry, and yell at something?14. Do you know that you have something to give?15. Are you loving and caring for yourself?16. Are you spending time with friends?17. Are you spending time with family?18. Do you have balance in your life?19. Do you have time away from work?20. Do you share care-giving experiences (good and bad)?21. Do you need to forgive co-workers/supervisors and receiveforgiveness?

OUR TASK

THE QUESTIONS TO DETERMINE

22. Do you still have your sense of calling?23. Are you still in the ministry?24. Do you feel loved, cared for, accepted by God?25. Do you accept and receive spiritual repletion?26. Do you have time alone to pray and worship?27. Do you have time alone for inspirational reading?28. Do you have time alone to listen to inspirational music?29. Do you have a time with others to pray, worship, sing, relate?30. Do you pray for your co-workers/supervisors/soldiers/families?31. Have you lost your sense of discipline and sacrifice?

IS

RECOVERY

POSSIBLE?

THE ANSWER?

RETURN TO “NORMAL IS NOT POSSIBLE

WE DON’T KNOW

YES

QUESTIONS?