PTSD

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Student’s Name Institution Affiliation Course Name & Code Instructor’s Name Date Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) PTSD Origin and Evolution Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that develops in individuals after they witness or experience a traumatic experience. The PTSD concept has been there for years, even in ancient times when soldiers had symptoms of trauma. Even though these symptoms have been there for centuries, the term "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder" emerged in the 20th century (Bryant, 2019). This term was mainly used in World War I (WWI), where the soldiers showed symptoms of nightmares, anxiety, and flashbacks, and the healthcare providers diagnosed them with "shell shock.” Shell shock was mainly associated with the psychological impact that results from prolonged exposure to artillery bombardment. One of the problems with this term was most people were not viewing it as a psychological condition but a condition resulting from the veteran's physical and moral weakness. In World War II, people shifted from "Shell shock" to "combat fatigue." One change between shell shock and combat fatigue is people started to acknowledge that the soldiers also have experienced psychological symptoms. The only weakness was despite this acknowledgment; society did not stop stigmatizing the soldiers. The stigmatization was reduced after the Vietnam War, which happened in 1980. The main reason was this War caused the introduction of the term “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder” (Bryant, 2019). This recognition made society acknowledge that intense trauma can make a person experience PTSD. The definition has expanded, including more symptoms such as mood disturbances, avoidance behaviors, and hypervigilance. Changes in PTSD Perceptions in Military Personnel since WWI There has been a massive shift in perception regarding PTSD in the military since World War I. Previously, the soldiers who were showing PTSD symptoms suffered from stigma from society and fellow soldiers since they were viewed as weak and did not have resilience. The soldiers were also using the term shell shock sometimes in a defamatory manner, which caused a lack of empathy and support for the individuals who were affected. Similarly, in World War II, even though there was an improvement in recognizing War psychological effects, many soldiers who had “combat fatigue” were poorly treated and also blamed for having that condition. The Vietnam War helped to bring awareness about the psychological impact that combat had. The main reason was the war Veterans who returned from Vietnam suffered from high ...