Soldiers Face Stresses of War

Michael,

In my opinion, perhaps the most important factor in preventing PTSD is education. Educating the soldier on understanding the biological underpinnings of PTSD and trauma, de-stigmatizing symptomology, anticipating the body's response to trauma, and coping with the emotional impact of the body's flight/response to perceived threats will go a long way to mitigating combat trauma and slowing the process of developing PTSD. Trauma-related, mental health issues are an anticipated result of combat. We train soldiers how to react and treat physical, combat wounds. Trauma, if promptly and appropriately addressed, may not develop into PTSD. Most soldiers will recover from PTSD issues with little or no mental health (MH) interventions. Some will need MH treatment, depending on severity of the trauma. Just like any other wound, its severity will determine treatment. It sounds like a lot, but it is really not that hard to teach. The military has already implemented various programs to teach the above areas.

I wish we knew! The good news is that brilliant scientists are conducting prospective research studies on this very question as we speak. One hypothesis includes the idea of inherent resilience to stress being a strong protective/preventive factor. If resilience does turn out to be important in predicting who will eventually be diagnosed with PTSD, the next step will include the dissemination of training and education materials to help warriors develop and sharpen these traits.

Other research protocols are examining genetic and biological/chemical markers which might predispose a person to PTSD. Still others are looking at the role of social support, including that of cohesive military units, strong leadership, and family, as a protective factor both in acute and chronic combat stress injuries. These exciting studies will provide a wealth of knowledge for future prevention programs.