Underestimating the true prevalence of war stress injury in the military
Description
Media and official reports on prevalence rates of military war stress injury have focused almost exclusively on escalating rates of well-known war stress injuries such as PTSD, depression, generalized anxiety, substance abuse, and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Take a look at some of this week's headlines: •Michelle Obama Tackling PTSD Treatment For Veterans
•Veteran PTSD: Lawmakers Want Audit Of Wait Times For Appointments
However, the true impact from war trauma cannot be reduced to a handful of psychiatric diagnoses, as some may want. It is a well-established, albeit uncomfortable, and conveniently ignored historical, medical and scientific fact that human adaptation to uncontrollable, unpredictable and potentially traumatic stress "causes" or significantly contributes to a wide-range of neurobiological, physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioral changes that, when chronic and/or severe enough, will inevitably cause significant physiological alterations in the brain-mind-body, eventually leading to physical and/or psychological breakdown. It's not just me saying it. [Excerpt]
•Veteran PTSD: Lawmakers Want Audit Of Wait Times For Appointments
However, the true impact from war trauma cannot be reduced to a handful of psychiatric diagnoses, as some may want. It is a well-established, albeit uncomfortable, and conveniently ignored historical, medical and scientific fact that human adaptation to uncontrollable, unpredictable and potentially traumatic stress "causes" or significantly contributes to a wide-range of neurobiological, physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioral changes that, when chronic and/or severe enough, will inevitably cause significant physiological alterations in the brain-mind-body, eventually leading to physical and/or psychological breakdown. It's not just me saying it. [Excerpt]
Format
Other
Language
English
Original Work Citation
Russell, M. C. (2012, February 5). Underestimating the true prevalence of war stress injury in the military. Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-c-russell-phd-abpp/ptsd-military-_b_1250227.html on 2/5/2012
Citation
“Underestimating the true prevalence of war stress injury in the military,” Francine Shapiro Library, accessed May 16, 2024, https://francineshapirolibrary.omeka.net/items/show/21261.