War is invariably a destructive action within the framework of social or political conflict and for the mental well-being of soldiers. People are in a constant state of stress due to the threat of being injured or killed, as well as the suffering of other military or civilians. However, a relevant issue for the army is the post-war period, namely individuals’ psychological status as veterans. Taking care of them as well as their social acceptance are complex processes, as other people cannot share their experiences and memories. Thus, this dilemma is essential because community stratification and radically different daily routines are the leading causes of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), loneliness, and depression. This paper aims to discuss the psychological problems experienced by veterans after the war, the reasons for their occurrence, and the possible treatment for preventing long-term consequences.
The psychological imbalance of veterans is due to insufficient population support that has not experienced the same emotional upheaval in the past. War is a stressful event that lingers in the soldiers’ memory for a long time. Recollections and experiences contrast with life upon return, where people exist with more peaceful routines. The military watched the bloody conflicts in which horrific events occurred daily, and, accordingly, it caused anxiety and mental deviations.
Besides, stratified society and isolation are the causes of PTSD and related conditions. It is noted that citizens’ habits of using online communication, the prevalence of personal gain, and isolation in their own homes are shocking to the veteran who has lived in opposite conditions (Dickerson, 2015). The third reason for psychological complications is the difficulty of diagnosis and the lack of correct treatment. More than half of the soldiers do not visit psychologists after their arrival, and the existing problem identification methods do not allow collecting the necessary data without clients or their families (Reisman, 2016). Thus, PTSD prevents veterans from being part of their communities, and they remain excluded due to value mismatches.
The problems of former soldiers deserve more and more attention from health agents. Innovative interventions such as mandatory monitoring and simplified reporting of difficulties at the local level are being adopted (Reisman, 2016). Consequently, the strategy of educating communities about the psychological barriers experienced by veterans is becoming more common and supportive in the long term. Social stratification cannot be transformed since it is an established cultural process. However, the intervention and diagnostic techniques mentioned can identify moral inadequacy in time and offer the soldier proper exercises to deal with anxiety. Negative experiences and events encountered during the war remain as references that may occur in everyday life. These emotions cannot be removed, but medical treatment can significantly reduce their frequency and the occurrence of psychological traumas. Pharmacological and behavioral therapy should be more tailored to the individual needs of veterans. Thus, the identified barriers can be minimized through clinicians’ efforts to improve their perception of the environment and mental readiness to live in new conditions.
Soldiers experience traumatic events that have a long-term impact on psychological well-being. Public isolation contrasts with the sense of unity that took place on the battlefield. Besides, medical care is not available due to individual and institutional barriers. Hence, all these difficulties make PTSD and other illnesses the possible conditions veterans will experience for the rest of their lives. Current education methods are satisfactory as knowledge of people’s hardships after the war gains public and healthcare attention. Despite the diversity in their causes and symptoms, they can be overcome through improved diagnostic strategies and lifelong intervention through pharmacology and therapies.
References
Dickerson, K. (2015). Soldiers returning home are faced with a heartbreaking problem most people don’t understand. Business Insider. Web.
Reisman, M. (2016). PTSD treatment for veterans: What’s working, what’s new, and what’s next. Physical Therapy, 41(10), 623–634.