I have a brother in Iraq, and he'll be there for about another year or so, for a total of 18 months. Is ptsd preventable, or is it something that he will have to go through. I have been very concerned about him lately. He is disarming roadside bombs and is constantly exposed to death.
Is there is something that can be done while he is there that can limit the effect of what he experiences?

Dan

Hi Dan,

There is no measure for who will vs. will not develop PTSD. About 20% +/- get PTSD from operations at present. You can have two people at the same time experience the same event, yet one might get PTSD, the other won't. Why? Because its about how the person processes the information within the event basically speaking.

The best way to truly help oneself prevent getting PTSD, is that they must be honest and talk about their true emotions, pain, suffering, what they truly feel. If a person locks it up tight without releasing it, the chances of getting PTSD just increased 10 fold. It doesn't matter whether genetics have a role in it or not, PTSD can be prevented if a person talks everything trauma related out, they find resolve, understanding, realistic conclusions, commonsense approaches, etc.

If he is not judged, but instead encouraged to talk openly about everything and anything he experiences, then he stands a greater chance of not developing PTSD. The problem with operations though is the time frame. You can actually watch a persons attitude change in location, they go in one person, come out another. The problem because of the time factor is that family don't have access to them, nor they to their family for real emotional discussion, instead even whilst writing, phone, internet, and so forth, their peers, soldiers, mates and team are around them judging their reactions. If they cry and get emotional their mates might cuss them instead of help them. To be strong is to be emotional, far from what the military instil.

The facts are though, the military don't want emotional upon the battlefield, because emotional doesn't kill the enemy. Its really a two fold effect.

Anthony gave you an excellent response, Dan. I haven't much to add, except to say that I agree wholeheartedly. I am part of a strong military family, my husband, 2 brothers-in-law, and 3 sons have all served. My one brother-in-law Eric and son Brian both developed PTSD. The striking correlation between Eric and Brian was that they were both unemotional, closed, and refused to talk about their feelings about what happened whilst they were on operations. Whereas, my husband Jim has always been open with me about his feelings, he is not ashamed to cry or show other emotions, or to admit to something upsetting him. As a result he is very healthy in spite of having been in the military 40 years. My other 2 sons, Travis and Rick, take after their father in personality and openness, and they are also still healthy. I do truly believe, having the ability to talk about matters helps tremendously. Unfortunately, as Anthony mentions, the military does not support this line of thinking.

Like has been said here before you can be a tough guy and bury your feelings because they hurt. We'll my two cents your acting like a pussy. Sit down with someone you trust and share your feelings,,,vent.
If you keep them bottled up youll deal with them sooner or later, the later maybe PTSD which hurts you and all your loved ones around you. Kind of selfish from my point of view.
Im a cop of 17 plus year pretty well seen it all. I alway went home and talked about the day. autopsy on a 5 month old when my son was 6months that messed with me head. Cutting sucidial people out of trees.. People blowing thier brains all over the dinning room wall with a shotgun. SWAT raids being shoot at.
I developed a sick sense of humor. dealing with that and investigating sexual abuse of children for 5 years.
I talked about things that maybe my children didnt need to hear. But if you do it in the right way this is life...the good and the shit.
Sometimes a little insensitive. A book man search for meaning... a kid during the halocost sp family murdered, siblings murder......he realized the german could strip him of everything. But the only thing they could not was his attitude toward his fellow man and his inner strenght. I know this is insensitvie, but maybe sometimes we need to just buck the **** up. I mean it in a positive sense.

I know what your saying ubu... totally agree.