VETERANS AND POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

1. VETERANS AND  POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER Laurine Marcinkowski, Ph.D. Licensed Clinical Psychologist Fairchild Air Force Base 509-247-2731

2. DRIVING PROBLEMS • Difficulties driving at all • Speeding/driving too slow • Swerving • Prefer center lane • Vehicles along side the road • Pot holes, manholes • Debris • Plastic pop bottles • Etc. • Feeling hemmed in while driving • Difficulties when cars get too close • Difficulties when surrounded by cars • Difficulties stopping in traffic or at stop signs • Difficulties with fog

3. CLAUSTROPHOBIA • Enlarged personal space • Touch becomes negative • Confined spaces • Malls • Crowds • Crowds dispersing • Mandatory meetings

4. SUDDEN, LOUD, UNEXPECTED SOUNDS • Exaggerated Startle Response • Triggers • Car doors slamming • Dumpster slamming shut • Cars backfiring • Gunshots • Fireworks • People raising their voice or arguing

5. IRRITABILITY/ANGER/RAGE • People complaining about relative trivia • Military confronting them on relative trivia • Children • Overstimulation • Materialism • Slower pace • People saying they can’t wait to go to combat • Did you shoot/kill anyone? • How much money did you make? • What’s wrong? Are you Okay? • Pressure to talk about what happened • People convinced they KNOW about the war • People’s anti-war statements • Teacher’s anti-war statements to their children • People assuming all deployments are the same • People exaggerating their war exposure • Being belittled for seeking mental health treatment • Worrying that their careers will be hurt for seeking mental health treatment • Coming back to spouse having betrayed them • Coming back to spouse having incurred debt

6. SHAME/GUILT/SECOND-GUESSING • What if someone dies, because I don’t go? • Why am I having problems compared to others? • I was not drafted • I need to help finish the cause or people died in vain

7. INABILITY TO FEEL Questioning their humanity Why didn’t I feel? Why don’t I feel? Changed sense of priorities

8. DETACHMENT FROM OTHERS • Feeling different • Feeling lonely • Inability to feel close • Inability to feel love • Dislike of being touched and shows of affection • Isolation/Decreased Socialization/Withdrawal • Loss of interests/energy/leisure activities

9. NOT WANTING TO TALK ABOUT WAR • There are no words • People will think that they “get it” • Not wanting to expose others to “it”

10. SURVIVOR’S GUILT • Wanting to return to war • They are more experienced than other leaders • Their troops/friends are still over there • Risk-taking • Not wanting to be recognized with awards • Injustice & misinformation of/about awards

11. SLEEP PROBLEMS • Sleep problems (numerous types) • Nightmares • Night Sweats • Medications • Alcohol • Cocaine/Methamphetamine/Stimulants

12. SUBSTANCE ABUSE • Pain medication • Sleep medication • Prescription medication for mood disorders • Alcohol • Nicotine • Cocaine/Methamphetamine

13. AVIODANCE • News/Media • Movies with violence • War-related movies • War-related conversations • Hunting • Arguing • Military • People

14. THANK YOU!