War and Invisible Wounds in Veterans

War and Invisible Wounds in Veterans,

In war zones, civilians are reported to be affected by the traumas and losses encountered as an immediate effect of the war. However, soldiers are some times left behind although it is known that they are at the forefront of the battle fields.

Practitioners and scholars have evidenced that soldiers, and later on veterans, suffer from severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) as a consequence of psychological and physical traumas of the war. Surprisingly,PTSD and TBI suffers are most of the time forgotten and remain untreated in post-war situations in that sub-population.

Addressing graduates in Professional Psychology at the TCS PP (www.thechicagoschool.edu), Senator Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy emphasized the importance of diagnosing and treating the "invisible wounds" that veterans may suffer from after war ends. These invisible wounds include PTSD and TBI associated with a number of comorbid disorders, e.g. Depression, suicide, homicide, drugs and substance use and abuse, poor social integration and performance, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, chronic headaches, etc. Severe psychiatric comorbities are assumed to be associated with PTSD and TBI in veterans at their immediate return home.

To address this, it requires (1) well trained professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, trauma counsellors) and (b) "health system that has mental health as a part of it".(Dr. Patrick J. Kennedy).

In the Great Lakes Region, where wars and conflicts endemic, it should be better to develop specialized centers assisting veterans and soldiers on duties, e.g. Soldiers in Peace Keeping Missions.

What do you think about such statement ? Your comments can enrich the topic. Comments can be done both in English or French.

Vincent

PTSD = Post-Traumatic Slavery Disorder

Post-traumatic Slavery Syndrome/Disorder (PTSD) is a paradigm of estimating upheaval and traumatic effects from slavery, particularly in America. The author, Joy Degruy Leary (January, 2005) discuss the enduring injury from slavery in America and thus figure out healing process and mechanisms. Among the most overwhelming impact of the slavery, the author note the dehumanization and the "Slavery's Children". Slavery is deemed to affect the identity and social integration of "Slavery's children" several generations later.

This said about America and Slavery, what about about Africa and colonization ? How harmful and dehumanizing was the colonization ? What are the new forms of inequalities in connection with new forms of colonization, the Neo-Colonization ?

Africa seems to be affected by the brutality and dehumanizing practice from colonists. Surprisingly, some western countries behavior towards african as if no independence and freedom have been achieved. At the other hand, Why africans are somehow reluctant to say "NO" and "Push back the former masters" or "Have a say at the High Table" when transacting business? Are still africans so traumatized so why they don't resist or stand-up ?

Trauma and Spirituality

Traumas have been report to be with tremendous negative effects. Among the most reported negative outcome is the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Other scholars have hypothesized PTSD to be associated with further comorbid disorders, e.g depression, somatic disorders and others. However, traumas and outcomes differ when comparing natural disasters and human disasters because the former affect various domains of the victims; including spirituality. Trauma exposure affects the way the victims relate to the Ego and God. The good news is also that spirituality can serve as coping and thus contribute recovering from the overwhelming effect of being exposed to the Trauma. (http://www.melissainstitute.org/documents/SPIRITUALITY_PSYCHOTHERAPY.pdf )

It would be interesting to identify, describe and understand how spirituality is helpful in recovering from the traumas effects. Does spirituality serve as emotional expression or social connectedness ? Does it serve as way of giving meaning to what happened ? Does spirituality participate in re-creating a feeling of bright future ?

What is your perception and/or experience? We appreciate your comment and thus enrich this topic.

Signed Vincent