A FEW evenings ago, I came across an Australian film whose subtext focused on a soldier suffering from PTSD – post-traumatic stress disorder. The director made no effort to soften the suffering of the soldier’s experience, whether he was in the field or reliving the traumatic events at home.
He had no control over when or where he would be thrust back into vivid scenes of his mission – very real to him – nor could he control his reactions. They would vary from screaming with terror to slumping on the floor after smashing everything he could get his hands on.
PTSD is defined as a mental health condition that can occur after someone experiences a traumatic event such as a serious accident, assault or combat.
The soldier in the movie was constantly re-living the horrific scenes he experienced during combat, where he was the only survivor in a team of six men. His symptoms were even more intense because, as team leader, he felt responsible for the deaths of the others.
The condition can plague veterans returning from military service and is the most common cause of it. However, it may surprise many to know that PTSD is only slightly more common among veterans than civilians, with 7 out of 100 veterans experiencing the condition and six out of 100 civilians in the US.
However, what is more alarming is the high rate of PTSD among police officers, which stands at 35 per cent, according to Stella Mental Health. In addition, 31 per cent of officers suffer from depression, more than half consider leaving their jobs daily, while others have regular thoughts of suicide, and a disturbing proportion actually carry out the act.
While there are no statistics available for PTSD sufferers in the Guyana Police Force, there can be no doubt that the same thing occurs here, though the actual numbers may differ.
The fact that members of law enforcement in any country are regularly exposed to violent crime, traffic accidents, abuse and other trauma means they are much more likely to develop the condition than the general population.
But while members of the disciplined services are usually the ones we think of first as sufferers, they are not the only ones, and the symptoms are not necessarily as severe or as obvious. Anyone who has been exposed to a traumatic event can be a sufferer. Car crashes, violent personal assaults, abuse, the sudden and expected death of a loved and even a burglary can lead to PTSD.
The symptoms can vary from person to person and in their intensity. But they generally fall into one of four categories – intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood and changes in physical and emotional reactions.
Some sufferers re-live the traumatic event as if it were actually happening, like the soldier in the movie. Others avoid thinking about it and stay away from places where the event occurred.
Many may feel detached or emotionally numb, and others may have trouble sleeping or concentrating, become easily frightened, experience sweating, rapid breathing or actual physical shaking.
While the more severe cases of PTSD are easily recognisable, some may be harder to detect and may well go unrecognised.
Experts at the Mayo Clinic in the US advise that you talk to a healthcare professional or a mental health professional “…if you have disturbing thoughts and feelings about a traumatic event for more than a month, especially if they’re severe.”
This is all by way of taking care of your overall health, of which the mental aspect is an integral part. And, as with any condition causing physical or emotional distress, the sooner you deal with it, the better.
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.