Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
“PTSD…is not due to mental weakness.” - Christy L. Connell
What is it?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD is a sort of trauma that can occur from any form of distress for a period that can create a lasting impact on a person’s psyche, most common in military life. In the early years, “trauma was a confusing concept that originally meant physical trauma or organic damage to the central nervous system” however, now we realize that trauma can not only affect the body physically but also mentally (Ray 217-218).
PTSD can have multiple levels of intensity, “in acute cases the diagnosis resolves itself within three months, [and] if it lasts longer than three months then it is considered a chronic case” (Connell 1). The symptoms of PTSD are but are not limited to nightmares, flashbacks, inconsistent emotions, amnesia, OCD, and isolation. PTSD also goes hand in hand (in many cases) with depression, anxiety disorders, anger issues, abuse of some type, and survivors’ guilt (Connell 1).
20th Century Context
In the 20th century, PTSD didn’t become a huge interest in the sciences until after World War I. There was, however, “early intervention during World War I” (Pols and Oak, para 12). At this time, a screening process was created in order to help limit the number of people who may succumb to PTSD. However, PTSD at this time wasn’t discovered, doctors were convinced that these symptoms were caused by unstable minds rather than war causing these stable minds to become unstable. The term they used for PTSD was “shell shock” which “was a psychological reaction to the stresses of warfare” (Pols and Oak, para. 12). Thomas W. Salmon was the psychiatrist involved with the U.S. military during WWI screenings (Pols and Oak). Salmon informed and educated the military officials to “exclude ‘insane, feeble-minded, psychopathic, and neuropathic individuals” (Pols and Oak, para. 7).
Treatment in the 20th Century:
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Treatment by Salmon was “a 3-tier system” in WWI (Pols and Oak, para. 13).
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Tier 1: Once symptoms were present the treatment needed to begin (Pols and Oak). This treatment was far from the front line and at these treatment tents, the “nervous soldiers were given a period of rest, sedation, ad adequate food” (Pols and Oak, para. 13).
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Tier 2: This tier “consisted of psychiatric and neurological wards in base hospitals, which were located 5 to 15 miles behind the front lines” (Pols and Oak).
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Tier 3: This tier was where Salmon spent most of his time. Here, the soldiers “were treated for up to 6 months” (Pols and Oak, para. 13). If there was no improvement the soldiers were discharged from service (Pols and Oak).
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During World War II, the process for treating veterans with shell shock consisted of two phases.
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Phase 1: Was initiated before, during, and after the war. The soldiers were involved in group therapy and then given tips in order to prevent these symptoms (Connell 4).
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Phase 2: “was used only when the initial efforts of prevention no longer were effective” and that consisted of the person being discharged from the military and transferred to a facility to get 24-hour attention (Connell 4). Despite, the second phase being an option for treatment, not many men were put into phase two. This left many of the men untreated for their shell shock and the struggle to stay mentally healthy became harder (Connell 4).
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