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Written by a Marc Levy and is not the complete article which can be found at http://www.counterpunch.org/levy07242006.html.
Titled A Primer on the Whys and Wherefores of PTSD
Whatever You Did in War Will Always Be With You
'After a time you learn what war is: the fish like iridescent gleam inside a brainless head; the sleek white caterpillar of pulsing human gut; the grotesque tableau of charred bodies frozen stiff; the impossible music made by voices howling beyond human form; pure white bones piercing ruby ripped flesh; the strange oily feel of blood; the sudden slump of the man next to you. The business of flies on the mouths of the dead.
After a time, to a supernatural degree you learn to live with terror, rage, struck down sorrow, blocked out guilt or dumb-struck grief. Yes, the supernatural threat of catastrophe and the ways to survive it become preternaturally normal, second nature, a fully formed part of you.
Then one day you get shot, or if you are lucky, complete the tour, return home intact. But for those who have seen their share the equation might go like this: Johnny got his gun + Johnny marches home = HEEEREE'S JOHNNNNY!!!!
And the good soldier John or the good troop Jane, who under fire never once thought of your civil rights, your silly flag, your doofus politics, Good Johnny or Jane, I say, feel and act a tad differently when the locked down feelings, bottled up memories, instinctive behaviors of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder fervently, unexpectedly kick in. The symptoms of PTSD, in plain bloody English, are as follows:
Flashbacks: seeing and feeling a combat event as if it were happening right now.
Hyper vigilance: being always on guard, always looking for where the next shot, next grenade, next rocket, ambush or IED will come next.
Survivor guilt: feeling bad, feeling real shitty for having survived, where others in the platoon or squad didn't.
Moral Guilt: wrestling with actions one did or did not take on one or more than one occasions.
Startle Reflex: dropping, flinching, turning fast at a sudden noise or unexpected touch.
Suicidal Ideation: thinking of killing oneself.
Homicidal Ideation: thinking of killing people. Friends or complete strangers.
Homicidal Rage: anger way out of proportion to an everyday event. It comes quick, down and dirty.
Sadness, depression, anxiety, crying spells. Staring into space, saying nothing.
Nightmares: violent dreams related to combat. Sometimes it's the same dream. Some vets make strange noises. Thrash in bed. Wake up scared, or sweaty.
Ritual Behavior: at night checking the lights, locking the doors, maybe keeping a weapon at hand.
Alienation: a vet feels as if no one understands him, doesn't fit in, feels as if he or she should have never returned.
Panic Attacks: for a short time the combat vet becomes suddenly and intensely afraid. He or she sweats breathe hard, has a pounding heart, might get dizzy, choke.
Social Isolation: staying alone for long periods of time. Or in public saying very little. To the point of being noticeably very quiet.
Drug and alcohol abuse: whatever works to dull the pain glowing inside one's head.
Fear of Emotional Intimacy: combats often won't let anyone get close to them. If someone gets too close, the vet backs off or pushes them away.
Employment: a lot of vets can't keep a job. Every couple of months quit or get fired.
Psychic Numbing: not have the ability to feel emotions. Vets talk about feeling hollow, blank, empty.
Denial Problems? What problem? I don't have a f***in problem.
High Risk Behavior: doing daredevil stuff to re-live the rush of combat.
These symptoms are normal responses to extraordinary events outside the range of normal human experience. Most civilians are clueless about combat and its aftermath. '
Titled A Primer on the Whys and Wherefores of PTSD
Whatever You Did in War Will Always Be With You
'After a time you learn what war is: the fish like iridescent gleam inside a brainless head; the sleek white caterpillar of pulsing human gut; the grotesque tableau of charred bodies frozen stiff; the impossible music made by voices howling beyond human form; pure white bones piercing ruby ripped flesh; the strange oily feel of blood; the sudden slump of the man next to you. The business of flies on the mouths of the dead.
After a time, to a supernatural degree you learn to live with terror, rage, struck down sorrow, blocked out guilt or dumb-struck grief. Yes, the supernatural threat of catastrophe and the ways to survive it become preternaturally normal, second nature, a fully formed part of you.
Then one day you get shot, or if you are lucky, complete the tour, return home intact. But for those who have seen their share the equation might go like this: Johnny got his gun + Johnny marches home = HEEEREE'S JOHNNNNY!!!!
And the good soldier John or the good troop Jane, who under fire never once thought of your civil rights, your silly flag, your doofus politics, Good Johnny or Jane, I say, feel and act a tad differently when the locked down feelings, bottled up memories, instinctive behaviors of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder fervently, unexpectedly kick in. The symptoms of PTSD, in plain bloody English, are as follows:
Flashbacks: seeing and feeling a combat event as if it were happening right now.
Hyper vigilance: being always on guard, always looking for where the next shot, next grenade, next rocket, ambush or IED will come next.
Survivor guilt: feeling bad, feeling real shitty for having survived, where others in the platoon or squad didn't.
Moral Guilt: wrestling with actions one did or did not take on one or more than one occasions.
Startle Reflex: dropping, flinching, turning fast at a sudden noise or unexpected touch.
Suicidal Ideation: thinking of killing oneself.
Homicidal Ideation: thinking of killing people. Friends or complete strangers.
Homicidal Rage: anger way out of proportion to an everyday event. It comes quick, down and dirty.
Sadness, depression, anxiety, crying spells. Staring into space, saying nothing.
Nightmares: violent dreams related to combat. Sometimes it's the same dream. Some vets make strange noises. Thrash in bed. Wake up scared, or sweaty.
Ritual Behavior: at night checking the lights, locking the doors, maybe keeping a weapon at hand.
Alienation: a vet feels as if no one understands him, doesn't fit in, feels as if he or she should have never returned.
Panic Attacks: for a short time the combat vet becomes suddenly and intensely afraid. He or she sweats breathe hard, has a pounding heart, might get dizzy, choke.
Social Isolation: staying alone for long periods of time. Or in public saying very little. To the point of being noticeably very quiet.
Drug and alcohol abuse: whatever works to dull the pain glowing inside one's head.
Fear of Emotional Intimacy: combats often won't let anyone get close to them. If someone gets too close, the vet backs off or pushes them away.
Employment: a lot of vets can't keep a job. Every couple of months quit or get fired.
Psychic Numbing: not have the ability to feel emotions. Vets talk about feeling hollow, blank, empty.
Denial Problems? What problem? I don't have a f***in problem.
High Risk Behavior: doing daredevil stuff to re-live the rush of combat.
These symptoms are normal responses to extraordinary events outside the range of normal human experience. Most civilians are clueless about combat and its aftermath. '
