It is commonly known that prolonged exposure to combat can serve as a serious trigger for veterans to develop any sort of mental illness. Two types of mental illness, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and depression , are some of the most common, and many of the symptoms overlap, causing frequent misdiagnoses. However, if either of these illness are left untreated, a veteran’s symptoms will only worsen, and they could potentially join the climbing number of 22 veterans a day committing suicide after their return from combat.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder occurs in one in five combat veterans, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs. As defined by the National Institute for Mental Health, this illness is defined by three major symptoms: hyperarousal symptoms, avoidance symptoms, and re-experiencing symptoms. These side effects can manifest as high levels of stress or anxiety , isolation, and flashbacks and/or nightmares, respectively. Unfortunately, symptoms of depression can fall under symptoms of “hyperarousal,” which can then lead medical professionals to misdiagnose a potentially severe case of depression .
It is understandable how these two illnesses can also be confused with PTSD in other ways, such as how depression can be brought on by life events. PTSD can be developed after an individual has either witnessed or undergone a traumatic event, making warzones particularly common places for cases of PTSD to occur. Similarly, the visual and emotional toll that war demands of the human psyche in terms of witnessing both death and destruction can just as likely induce bouts of depression and guilt. In fact, a veteran’s entire outlook on life can change during combat due to numerous tangible instances where the reminder that life itself is a fragile thing exists.
Other symptoms of depression include isolation, experiencing a lack of joy in once pleasurable activities, and insomnia (or contrastingly, the unwillingness to awake and face reality). Like PTSD, depression is not something that should be taken lightly by any ailing individual or the medical community. Depression can lead to destructive behavior, such as substance and physical abuse , and even attempts of suicide.
Before cases of depression escalate to that level, seek medical help. Therapy and anti-depressants are currently the most common rehabilitation methods to treating depression, and it is important to stick with any prescribed treatment regimen. “Falling off the wagon” can lead to prolonged cases of depression, a mixture of mania and depression, and an overall sense of hopelessness that an individual’s condition will ever improve. In truth, some instances of depression require long-term and constant care, while others do manage to move passed their depression and transcend into a more positive period in their lives.
Veterans should seek the same treatment options, but should reconsider only using the resources provided by the VA. While the VA does provide individualized therapy as associated physicians to provide all sorts of prescription medication, studies released in 2012 by CNN and other media outlets found that medical professionals associated with the VA prescribed 259% more narcotics than in 2002, and that individualized therapy had fallen by the wayside. Therefore, veterans affected by both PTSD as well as traumatic brain injuries are encouraged to seek treatment from other organizations who apply more emphasis on holistic and individualized treatment methods as Amen suggested.
One of those organizations is Operation: I.V, a 501(c)3 non-profit founded in 2012 that helps combat veterans heal from both PTSD as well as traumatic brain injuries. Its founder, Roxann Abrams, is a Gold Star Mother who lost her son SFC Randy Abrams in 2009. Randy took his own life after experiencing a PTSD flashback from his service in Iraq. Randy had undiagnosed PTSD- a common occurrence among combat veterans either due to mistakes made by the medical field or simply the individual’s failure to report such grave symptoms.
As a result of her son’s death, Abrams founded Operation: I.V. so that combat veterans who served in either Iraq or Afghanistan have a place to receive treatment through a specialized “VIP”, or “Veteran Intervention Plan” program. “VIP” offers ten different rehabilitation programs, including hyperbolic oxygen therapy, service dogs, and anxiety reduction therapy. Additionally, veterans may also partake in programs such as job retraining, business mentoring, and educational assistance. Again, while there is no cure for PTSD, the programs provided by Operation: I.V. can drastically improve a veteran’s mental health and overall outlook on life!
Abigail Fazelat is a contributing writer for Operation: I.V. , a non-profit organization founded by Gold Star Mother Roxann Abrams who lost her son SFC Randy Abrams to PTSD. Randy took his own life after experiencing a wartime flashback- an experience not uncommon to any combat veteran. As a result, Abrams founded Operation: I.V. as an “intravenous of help” for other Iraq and Afghanistan combat veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, and contemplating suicide. Fazelat has worked for the organization since October 2013 under a pseudonym.