Effects of PTSD on Family Members
Gregory A. Baker
Argosy University/Atlanta
Effects of PTSD on Family Members
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) takes an extraordinary toll on the family in the event that one of their relatives who are in the military endures the condition. The encounters of war are the hazardous precursors to post traumatic stress disorder in numerous military officers as they experience such a variety of damaging circumstances that affect mental strain on the individual. The relatives of the military work force regularly encounter optional injury as an aftereffect of post-traumatic anxiety indications in fighters. Dealing with a cherished one suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder is regularly testing to the family particularly in asset restricted settings and the family is obliged mentally, inwardly, socially, financially and physically. Families of individuals encounter diminished personal satisfaction and feel a huge weight coping with the condition of their loved ones; whereby they experience conjugal strain, which may in the end result in stress and depression. In this paper, it shall be examined, the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder of the military personnel on their family members. A number of peer reviewed literature shall be examined to give insight into the challenges faced by family members of the victims of post-traumatic stress disorder. Comment by Katina Clarke: “I will examine”
APA guidelines now allow you to write in first person. Comment by Katina Clarke: Good.
Family members experience secondary trauma due to post-traumatic stress symptoms in soldiers who are suffering from PTSD. Symptoms of secondary trauma in spouses and children are at a risk of increasing due to post trauma symptoms in military personnel (Herzog, Everson, & Whitworth, 2011). Secondary traumatic stress clinical manifestations in kids are demonstrated by internalizing instead of externalizing issues. In any case, research studies recommend that doctors working with the affected population should be well conversant with the relationship between posttraumatic symptoms in Soldiers what's more, subsequent psychological trauma in relatives. Secondary post-traumatic symptoms in the young ones of war veterans are a vital theme of consideration as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan proceed (Herzog, Everson, & Whitworth, 2011). These families bear the worry of having a part with battle related wounds, such as depressive disorders. Companions and children of veterans with posttraumatic symptoms endure the concealed harm to themselves. These psychological traumas appear as traumatic anxiety symptoms. Military families have made huge sacrifices and merit to be provided with the best psychological care accessible. It is the responsibility of the society that sends Soldiers off to war to give the most ideal care to them and their relatives upon their return home (Ashley, Honzel, Larsen, Justus, & Swick, 2013). Comment by Katina Clarke: Good
Relatives respond to the way that their cherished one has experienced a psychological trauma. It is annoying when somebody you think about experiences a loathsome difficulty. Furthermore, it is not surprising that individuals respond to the way a damaged relative feels and acts. Hazardous side effects can make a relative difficult to coexist with or cause him or her to pull back from whatever remains of the family. It can be exceptionally troublesome for everybody when these progressions happen. Similarly, as individuals have distinctive responses to traumatic encounters, families likewise respond diversely when a friend or family member is damaged. In the segment underneath, a wide range of sorts of responses are portrayed. A family may encounter a significant number of these responses, or just a couple. The greater part of the responses portrayed, nonetheless, are basic in families who have needed to manage trauma. Comment by Katina Clarke: According to which journal article you researched?
The effect of qualities as time-stable identity attributes on psychological wellness may be clarified by subsequent inclinations in how individuals address emotional wellness issues what's more, how individuals see social support (Zimmermann, et al., 2014). This study was restricted in its prescient power because of its cross-sectional method, which did not permit the researchers to build up clear causal attributions of sending related stressors, changes in values, and psychiatric disorders. The sample used was small in size thus bringing about another impediment (Zimmermann, et al., 2014). Inferences about the commonness of maladjustment were additionally challenging, as just self-report estimations were acquired and no institutionalized symptomatic meetings were directed as a portion of this study, despite the fact that the PTSD relates very well to such meetings. The aftereffects of this study are not promptly pertinent to other subject gatherings.
Herzog et al (20111) examined the effects of exposure to combat on the military personnel. He assessed the optional and interceding impacts of battle on the military's children and other family members. The study found out that there is a close relationship of battle introduction with injury manifestations, drug abuse, abusive behavior at home and optional injury side effects among members of the family of the military personnel. There is strong evidence that close relatives of battle uncovered Soldiers have elevated amounts of post-traumatic stress issue as a result of developed secondary stress to children and family members. PTSD has been a facilitating factor to developing secondary stress in family members of military personnel who are suffering from the condition. Herzog (2011) proceed to recommend primary preventive approach to family the members of PTSD victims in order to avoid the devastating effects of post-traumatic stress exposure of the family members.
PTSD patients show a unique attention bias as a response to trauma related words hence emotional Stoop affects most families with such patients. The veterans tend to habituate the traumatic stimuli with time and the interventions that can be used to manage these military personnel include systematic exposure (Ashley, Honzel, Larsen, Justus, & Swick, 2013). A number of scholars have associated post-traumatic stress disorder with increased incidences of risk taking behavior among the victims (Svetlicky, Soloman, Levi, & Lubin, 2010). The increased risk taking behaviors is likely to impact the family negatively as family members try to adapt to the new condition in the family. Additionally, deployment of soldiers away from their homes is associated with mental challenges which may be very traumatizing to the family members in the event the soldiers are released of their duties (Vermetten, et al., 2014). Much attention need to be taken in the military care to enhance coping of the military personnel hence reduce the cases of post-traumatic stress disorder (Zimmermann, et al., 2014).
In a study of the welfare of the spouses of war veterans, Hayes et al (2010) realized that spouses of war veterans go through a great deal of stress in taking care of the family members who have been exposed to the traumatizing experiences of war. Significant problems are noted in marriages leading dysfunction of the families of victims of Post-traumatic stress disorder of the war veterans. A large of the affected families reported higher cases of marital violence as compared to non PTSD affected families (Hayes, et al., 2010). Families assume a critical part in the veterans' recuperation and rearrangement. How introduction to injury influences families, specifically mates and conferred accomplices, is vital for the long haul ideal results of the veteran's recovery from post exposure stress.
The cost dealing with PTSD has been on the rise with an estimated increase of 49.8% by the year 2017 (Kilmer, Eibner, Ringel, & Pacula, 2011). Family members undertake the financial burden of taking care of their PTSD patient hence draining the financial resources of the family. Many families can no longer afford basic necessities as a result of the financial constraints. Kilmer et al (2012) asserts that the increasing evidence based practice in the management of PTSD can go a long way in decreasing costs of managing the condition.
The current health care systems, most specifically those dealing with the welfare of war veterans have been in-efficient in dealing with the problem of post-traumatic stress disorder (Wheeler & Bragin, 2007). According to Wheel and Bragin (2007), the war veterans bring home all the stress and the depression from the battle field into their homes, hence influencing negatively the progress of such families. It is prudent that nothing is done (in form psychological intervention) to the family members of these war veterans. PTSD has hence been treated as a medical condition requiring closed interventions (Wheeler & Bragin, 2007). Comment by Katina Clarke: Good
PTSD includes long-term adjustment of physiological and psychological functioning taking after presentation to horrendous occasions, and commonly includes intrusive subjective and passionate marvels for example, bad dreams, flashbacks, memory deficiencies and inclinations in attention distribution. Such symptoms can be debilitating and disruptive to the normal functioning of the family. Studies have shown that post traumatic distress victims have unique bias for trauma related words hence the need for psychological interventions such as exposure therapy (Ashley, Honzel, Larsen, Justus, & Swick, 2013). This is likely to prevent family members form the devastating effects of PTSD. Comment by Katina Clarke: See APA guidelines for in-text citation of 5 or more authors.
Long term effects of PTSD to both the victims and their family members can be minimized greatly if these cases are identified early and granted access to available up to date psychological interventions. Despite high incidences of PTSD, there is little information on the accessibility of the psychological services to family members and the victims of PTSD (Shiner, Drake, Watts, Desai, & Schnurr, 2012). Facilitating access to the much-needed psychological assistance has been proposed as the best way forward towards eliminating the long-term effects of PTSD.
PTSD comes along with a number of related morbidities that result in an increase in the utilization of health care. Utilization of evidence-based practice has shown much improvement in the prevention of related effects of PTSD. In spite of the availability of improved health care services, there still exist a number of barriers to health care service accessibility. Lack of information dissemination among the affected groups, stigma related issues and institutional barriers stand out one of the most causes of inaccessibility to health care services by the veterans (Ouimette, et al., 2011).
Stress sensitization has also been advocated in the reduction of combat related PTSD (Smid, Kleber, Rademaker, van Zuiden, & Vermetten, 2013). Increased cases of PTSD have been associated with earlier exposures to stress hence less exposure and psychological interventions have been advocated for prevention of the condition. Post exposure stress disorder can be challenging to both the individual and their family members. PTSD takes a major financial toll in its treatment and management. Family members are most affected and there need to be a way of incorporating family members when dealing with the condition. Evidence based approach to the management of the conditions is recommended for efficient results.
References
Ashley, V., Honzel, N., Larsen, J., Justus, T., & Swick, D. (2013). Attentional bias for trauma-related words: Exaggerated emotional stroop effect in afghanistan and iraq war veterans with PTSD. BMC Psychiartry, 13(86). doi:http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.edmc.edu/10.1186/1471-244X-13-86
Hayes, J. P., Wakefield, B. P., Andresen, E. M., Scherrer, J. P., Taylor, L. M., Weigmann, P. B., . . . DeSouza, C. M. (2010). Identification of domains and measures for assessment battery to examine well-being of spouses of OIF/OEF veterans with PTSD. Journal of Rehabilitation Research & Development, 47(9), 825-40. Retrieved November 26, 2016, from https://login.libproxy.edmc.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/docview/848723678?accountid=34899
Herzog, J. R., Everson, R. B., & Whitworth, J. D. (2011, August 5). Do secondary trauma symptoms in spouses of combat-exposed national guard soldiers mediate impacts of soldiers' trauma exposure on their children? Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal, 28(6), 459-73. doi:http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.edmc.edu/10.1007/s10560-011-0243-z
Kilmer, B., Eibner, C., Ringel, J. S., & Pacula, R. L. (2011). Invisible wounds, Vvsible savings? Using microsimulation to estimate the costs and savings associated with providing evidence-based treatment for PTSD and depression to veterans of operation enduring freedom and operation iraqi freedom. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 3(2), 201-11. doi:10.1037/a0020592
Ouimette, P., Vogt, D., Wade, M., Tirone, V., Greenbaum, M. A., Kimerling, R., . . . Rosen, C. S. (2011). Perceived barriers to care among veterans health administration patients with posttraumatic stress disorder. Psychological Services, 8(3), 212-23. Retrieved November 26, 2016, from https://login.libproxy.edmc.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/docview/874197908?accountid=34899
Shiner, B. M., Drake, R. E., Watts, B. V., Desai, R. A., & Schnurr, P. P. (2012). Access to VA services for returning veterans with PTSD. Military Medicine, 177(7), 814-42. Retrieved November 26, 2016, from https://login.libproxy.edmc.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/docview/1032533116?accountid=34899
Smid, G. E., Kleber, R. J., Rademaker, A. R., van Zuiden, M., & Vermetten, E. (2013). The role of stress sensitization in progression of posttraumatic distress following deployment. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 48(11), 1743-54. doi:http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.edmc.edu/10.1007/s00127-013-0709-8
Svetlicky, V. M., Soloman, Z. P., Levi, O. P., & Lubin, G. M. (2010). Combat exposure, posttaumatic stress symptoms and risk-taking behavior in veterans of the second lebanon war. The Israel Journal of Psychiatry and Related Sciences, 47(4), 276-83. Retrieved November 26, 2016, from https://login.libproxy.edmc.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/docview/847340902?accountid=34899
Vermetten, E., Greenberg, N., Boeschoten, M. A., Delahaije, R., Jetly, R., Castro, C. A., & McFarlane, A. C. (2014). Deployment-related mental health support: comparative analysis of NATO and allied ISAF partners. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 5. doi:http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.edmc.edu/10.3402/ejpt.v5.23732
Wheeler, D. P., & Bragin, M. (2007). Bringing it all back home: Social work and the challenge of returning veterans. Health and Social Work, 32(4), 297-300. Retrieved November 26, 2016, from https://login.libproxy.edmc.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.edmc.edu/docview/210570289?accountid=34899
Zimmermann, P., Firnkes, S., Kowalski, J. T., Backus, J., Siegel, S., Willmund, G., & Maercker, A. (2014). Personal values in soldiers after military deployment: associations with mental health and resilience. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 5. doi:http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.edmc.edu/10.3402/ejpt.v5.22939
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