The Invisible Wound
(February 1, 2010) |
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ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. (1/26/2010 - AFNS) -- In a
scene from the movie "Patton," Army Gen. George S. Patton,
played by George C. Scott, encounters a Soldier at a field
hospital who is suffering from the emotional stress of the
battlefield. Instead of trying to understand the Soldier's
problem, General Patton physically assaults the young man,
calls him a coward and literally runs him out of the
hospital.
For many veterans, the scene from "Patton" was the harsh
reality they faced when dealing with what has come to be
called post traumatic stress disorder, said Sheri Mommerency,
the 28th Medical Group and signature performance wounded
warrior case manager and registered nurse. Before PTSD was
recognized as a medical disorder, many servicemembers were
regarded as cowards when they came forward with their
feelings of trauma.
PTSD is defined as an anxiety disorder that can occur after
the person involved witnesses or experiences an event that
is traumatic to them.
"Typically, PTSD can occur when a traumatic event occurs
that upsets an individual's personal world," Ms. Mommerency
said. "A person may not even be a part of the traumatic
event. PTSD can occur from witnessing or hearing about
something horrifying to the individual."
Airmen suffering from PTSD may exhibit signs of social
isolation, substance abuse, anger, conflict or pain, marital
and family problems and health and behavioral problems.
The symptoms of PTSD are not always immediately apparent and
sometimes they take months to manifest themselves, Ms.
Mommerency said.
"My husband was very secluded when he returned from
deployment," said the spouse of an Airman with PTSD who
asked not to be identified for privacy reasons. "He told me
that he didn't know how to feel things anymore."
Some Airmen experience hyper-vigilance, where they find
themselves reliving the place and time their traumatic event
occurred.
They may also have difficulty relating to normal, everyday
situations, Ms. Mommerency said.
Because of what they've experienced, Airmen sometimes feel
detached to the problems and issues people face on a
day-to-day basis.
According to Ms. Mommerency, if left undiagnosed and
untreated, PTSD can have a significant impact on an Airman's
personal and professional life. To avoid this, she
encourages Airmen to be completely honest when filling out
the Post-Deployment Health Assessment and the
Post-Deployment Health Re-Assessment after they return from
a deployed location.
"My husband was worried he would lose his job or be singled
out for having PTSD," the Airman's spouse said. "All he
wanted to do was help further the mission."
However, in order for Airmen to further the mission they
need to be fit to fight, both physically and mentally.
"We want to provide our Airmen with the best possible care
they can get," said Lt. Col. John Lynch, the 28th MDG chief
of staff. "But, we can't do that if they feel mistrustful of
the very system that is designed to help them."
The Airman's spouse said if they had sought help sooner, it
would have spared a great deal of pain and suffering her
husband endured.
Ms. Mommerency, a former combat veteran, said she feels
passionately about the care wounded Airmen receive when
returning from a deployment.
She acts as a liaison for Airmen returning from deployment
who are wounded, and provides the information and resources
necessary for Airmen to get the care they need. That care
and treatment can mean the difference between a fast
reintegration into society or unnecessary strain on the
lives of Airmen.
"For people to assimilate back into society we need to
recognize that these are true feelings they have," she said.
"The anger that comes with what they've experienced, the
social isolation, the family issues, substance abuse and
suicidal tendencies can all be treated if Airmen come
forward and get the help they need right away."
Community awareness is a large part of helping Airmen with
PTSD readjust once they are back home, Ms. Mommerency said.
Having that strong network available can make all the
difference to an Airman that is already feeling isolated
from their friends and family.
If Airmen come forward and are diagnosed early, it can start
them on the road to recovery much faster than if they wait,
Ms. Mommerency said. That timing can possibly prevent Airmen
from becoming a danger to themselves or others.
For more information about PTSD, visit the National Center
for PTSD at
www.ptsd.va.gov. |
Airman 1st Class Jarad A. Denton
28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
Copyright 2010 |
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Reprinted from
Air Force News Service
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