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Burnout hits vets, others
From your powerful postings in our stress-related community, it is obvious that we are fellow pilgrims trying to creatively deal with some complex issues not only from a professional but also from a personal perspective.
Many studies among healthcare providers document burnout rates of approximately 50 percent to 60 percent among the population at large.
Another dimension of this issue was recently reported by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The number of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder jumped by nearly 20,000, almost 70 percent, in the 12 months ending June 30.
It is becoming clear that it is very difficult "to go it alone" in dealing with some difficult issues with stress, and our colleagues in Veterans Affairs are marshaling all appropriate resources to care for our veterans.
Another important message for each of us is one of self-care and to do what we can to keep us on target and focused on realistic personal and professional goals.
Please let me hear from each of you what you find to be the most powerful tactics to keep us serene and healthy in times of great turmoil and crisis.
Dr. Ed
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Warning: according to one of the latest game-plans of the politicos, they are trying to have a doctor-certified declaration of instability in vets and to have any fire-arms removed from one's environment. The usual Democratic suspects are at this and they need to be stopped in their political tracks. As for myself: veteran of the Air Force and Navy; I had major stress in both branches and do not know if there are lasting situations from all of that but three years ago I had a coronary, seizures, pneumonia, pulmonary-edema, brain-apnia, lost most of the muscle mass and had to re-learn how to walk after being in the hospital for five weeks. Last year there was a bout of skin cancer; have been told that I have PTSD by four different doc's. But, in spite of, or because of the above, I have never considered myself to be a victim.
Please excuse the double posting on this topic, but I wanted to address the coping aspect in more detail. There are some useful books out there for self-help, such as "Feeling Good" by David Burns, MD. Most local libraries have it. For a readable account of stress and stress-related illness, one may check out Bob Sapolsky's "Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers." Finally, as to financial strains and streses, you don't have to go it alone. Look in the phone book or get a referral for a thoughtful (and possibly compassionate) attorney who handles that type of issue. No man or woman is an island.
i have read all the stories posted and i have to say that the men and Women suffering from PTSD are in fact the bravest and strongest people i have ever heard from. Not only because of the jobs you have performed but because i know that every day waking up is hard for you. i have went through a milder form of PTSD after dealing with deamon's in my past. The one thing that helped me so much was a program from the Mid West Center for Stress, Anxiety and Depression. Believe it or not, this program works. i can't lie i still experience the symptoms of anxiety and depression, but I can now live a normal life and know how to live with these emotions, fears and thoughts.Visit online The MidWest Center for those of you who can't afford the program (I think it is around $300.00) there is a payment plan that's how i did it, i paid like 46.00 a month and it was worth every penny and you can try it for 30 days and send it back if you don't think it's for you. Good luck. You can do this!!
I was onboard the Nimitz in 1981 and involved in the flight deck accident. The event lasted just over 3 hours. During that time, all the personnel who fought the fire were exposed with no where to hid. Four missiles exploded and several rounds of 20mm cannon shells fired killing 14 and wounding several others including myself. My injuries were to my back and are not life threatening but continue to cause physical pain and mental anguish. I have just recently sought mental health treatment for PTSD, Depression and Survivor Guilt Syndrome. I though I could handle it and should not continue to be bothered by my fears. After all, I was not in combat. It was explained that the exposure to harm for over 3 hours is a primary contributing factor. I am now separated and anticipating a divorce. My wife could no longer tolerate my “neediness” and felt compelled to leave. Don’t wait for this to destroy your life seek treatment immediately.
PS. The VA system is overwhelmed
I can understand what Vets go through, another group that suffers the same are police officers. In my case, I had a cervical (upper back) fusion, I had to leave the only thing I know, the criminal justice system. Now I feel empty and worthless, I wasn't ready to retire just yet. My wife and I still have 2 wonderful
boys to put rhough college, we don't have the money anymore (spent it on food and other basics). We're busy trying to find a way to get them though college. This has made my PTSD worse. I do see a therapist at least monthly, it helps some.
SSRI's have proved to make me worse, except for serizone(it helps some, but not enough to get me out of the house). I have nightmares, night sweats, anxiety (high) and serious dperession. Most of my night mares aren't devoted to the never ending violence of police work, but mostyly I worry my wife and kids will adamdon me, or dreams where I am worthless. I won't give up, but it's a rough road.
During a serious bout of mental illness a few years ago, I found that working gave me some peace. Although I felt like my life was utterly falling apart, at work I was able to have some measure of focus. Being able to focus on work tasks for at least part of the day (and sometimes it was just an hour or two) brought me comfort when nothing else could.
This PTSD phenomenon is pretty tough stuff. Although the mainstream media hasn't picked up on the mechanisms, and I am not qualified to know this firsthand or professionally, from reading popular scientific accounts, it seems that extreme prolonged stress has the effect of changing brain structure and function. It may have the effect of shrinking areas of the hippocampus (important in the formation of memories) while enhancing sensitities in the amygdala (involving fear and free-floating anxiety without knowledge of specific cause). The fact that there are still Vietnam era vets experiencing PTSD suggests that some of these changes are difficult to reverse. The implications are sobering.
How to cope? Once a person is diagnosed with PTSD, they probably need professional help. This needs to become a priority. While the effects of everyday stressors may be more reversible, we need to be congnizant of the impact in possibly changing our brain function, and thus learn to cope.
One thing that is often not mentioned is the return of PTSD symptoms in vets of other wars. My husband, a decorated Vietnam vet, is experiencing some problems because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. There has been many comparisons between then and now, and many of them are correct--not knowing who your enemy really is, outdated equipment, biased media reports to name a few. He feels deep sorrow about the treatment many of our vets do receive when they return home.
He has gone back to making sure he sits facing the door when we go out to eat, loud noises are causing a faster startle reaction, and he is having nightmares occasionally. We live near a military installation, and when training on various mortar weapons is going on he acts like he is on "high alert." The sounds of the choppers flying overhead also disturbs him.
So far, it has not been a huge problem for him to deal with it.
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