Combat-related PTSD and symptoms of anger, aggression and violence: A handbook for veterans returning to civilian life

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 28-35)It is likely that there has always been a relationship between combat exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder. However, it wasn't until several years after the Vietnam War that the term PTSD originated to describe the mental suffering often seen in war veterans. As more and more of our service men and women return home from combat in the Middle East, it is becoming imperative that our society address the realities of combat-related PTSD. These realities can include living with persistent nightmares, physical pains, losing interest in life, feelings of depression, anxiety, anger, guilt and shame, and experiencing outbursts of aggression or even violence. Unfortunately, while treatment for this disorder is available and often quite successful, veterans continue to find it difficult to seek help due to the negative stigmatization of combat-related PTSD. In hopes of moving beyond this stigmatization, this thesis project examines combat-related PTSD as a reality of war that needs to be acknowledged and treated rather than shunned. The goal of this project is to provide therapists, veterans, and the family and friends of veterans a handbook of compiled information detailing the facts of combat-related PTSD and concluding with resources of where to find help when necessary