PTSD/CTE

[BklynMom]

We all know that many WAS are undergoing some kind of mental health crisis. Also obvious is that there are an inordinate number of LBS with WAS that have served in the military. I dont think thats coincidence. There is a link between head trauma and brain damage. Doctors are just beginning to understand the effects. One of the reasons PTSD is much more prevalent in Iraq/Afganastan Vets vs. Vietnam Vets is IUDs and surviving blasts.

The brain is very delicate and even when people walk away from a blast without a scratch we now know that the brain may be altered permanently. Physically the brain will be different. I posted to someone's thread recently that they look into PTSD and the woman replied that her husband did in fact have a mild case. A mild case can not be dismissed, like a mild cough. This is a very real disease.

Recently the sports world has seen hockey player Derek Boogaard overdose and upon autopsy learn that he had a CTE (brian trauma), and no one will be surprised if Junior Seau's autopsy has similar findings.

Before this crisis with my H, I was so dismissive of psychological disorders but I know see how real they are. I am certainly no expert on brian trauma but I urge all spouses of vets to do some serious investigation into the problem through google and the military. Get your spouse the same help you would if they had cancer.

A recent article I read quoted one Vet who had lost his leg in Iraq and to paraphrase regarding his PTSD he said If I had only lost a limb, I wouldnt have a problem.

[E-Chic]

This is only anecdotal, but I think PTSD probably does create permanent changes in the brain. I say this from the perspective of someone who had PTSD (not from military action, people who survive traumatic experiences like a house fire or really bad car wreck can get it, too).

Anyways, I got treatment within just a few weeks of developing symptoms and even with the talk therapy and pills I think it created permanent changes bc I am on a low dose of antidepressant and cannot wean all the way off of it. I tried, failed, and have pretty much resigned myself to it. July will be 11 years since the PTSD occurred.

And I'm struggling to not be a WAW right now. So, that's some anecdotal evidence to support your theory.

[hopingandpraying]

Great post! There is not a doubt in my mind that my H has PTSD and other psychological issues. Or WAS just can't find their true internal happiness and place blame on everyone else close to them in life!

[Dory]

This is a very real disease.

Absolutely! Thank you for posting this, BklynMom. I'm sure there's plenty of military families going through these same circumstances in our M, it hadn't even occurred to me how prevalent an issue PTSD could be within this community.

Although I would like to point out that PTSD isn't exclusive to military personnel. There's also a reasonable rate of diagnosis among survivors of child abuse, with symptoms sometimes not manifesting until much later in adulthood.

The good news is that there's some relatively new breakthroughs in understanding how to treat the disorder and reduce symptoms, if not eliminate the symptoms altogether. EMDR (Eye Movement desensitization and Reprocessing) looks like a very promising treatment for PTSD. It is not fully understood on how it works, the science just isn't there yet. Due to the brain's plasticity, it's theorized that since we can develop new neural pathways, EMDR can weaken the offending pathways and help the patient restructure the brain's neural connections. But then again, I don't think it really matters too much on how it works, just that it does work.

One of the reasons PTSD is much more prevalent in Iraq/Afganastan Vets vs. Vietnam Vets is IUDs and surviving blasts.

Personally, I think this is debatable. I don't think current war veterans are any more or less susceptable to the condition as those in past wars; I believe the increase in rate of diagnoses could be better explained by the reasearch and understanding of the affliction over the past few decades. Of course, this is just my opinion.

I am certainly no expert on brian trauma but I urge all spouses of vets to do some serious investigation into the problem through google and the military. Get your spouse the same help you would if they had cancer.

I couldn't have said this ^^^^ better. Thanks, BklynMom.

[2012sf]

I think it was my thread you referred to about posting on when you were talking about the PTSD and the effect on relationships. It is very real and I know I am having a hard time finding good resources for spouses dealing with my end of things.

I did come across an online forum yesterday that I am in the process of reading to see what I can find that will help me deal with our situation and how to help him. I can say that I have no doubt our relationship will never be the same ever again. And if I want to stay in this relationship, I know I am going to have to be prepared to deal with this for the rest of our lives. He is doing all the right things on his end for treatment, he is in VA counseling, with a counselor that specializes only in PTSD vets. He has been going every other week. He doesn't need medication at this point, although I am not sure he would be allowed to take it if he did, he is a pilot and most meds aren't allowed by the FAA. That would be something we have to research if that becomes a reality.

He is open with me about talking about PTSD and how he thinks it affects him and it is hard, because he doesn't see it as a factor in our relationship right now. He has it separated as he thinks our marriage had problems and he is dealing with that, and he has PTSD and he is dealing with that. No intermingling of the two. And the few times I have suggested they might be related and we look into how, it has not went well, so until he starts to realize that could be a possibility, there isn't a lot I can do except work on the issues I know our marriage did have, try to learn about PTSD, and try to keep going.

So far, what I have found is that I have to re-establish trust between my H and I, because it is hard for him to be close to someone, intimate, and let down his guard. He is very convincing when he lists off all his complaints about our marriage and how he feels about it, but when I look at the irrational things he has said, the way he acts on the day to day, and the observations of all the other family and even a few friends that know us both, I am realizing I can't let him talk me out of his PTSD and I need to take that into account as a huge factor.

It is so confusing traveling down this road though, and if anyone knows of anymore good online resources for spouse support, I would welcome them. I feel like I still have a line to him and he is in there sometimes, but he has really put up a strong wall to break through.