A study of PTSD: a film from John Huston

[DJofSD]

"Let There Be Light" (1946) is a film from producer John Huston. It is about PTSD or what was then called shell shock. It is available for viewing online or to be downloaded (1.7 GB).

[Greyfox]

Thank you DJofSD.

I watched snippets of the film.
The "feel good" message at the end where quite a number were discharged seemed....well....."propaganda" in tone or at least "Hollywood" happy ending stuff.
The acceptance of "Psychoneurosis" by the military was a giant step forward from when Patton slapped a soldier in an Army hospital a decade earlier because he thought he was malingering.
Of course, times change and psychoneurosis is now Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Certainly it is difficult to differentiate genuine PTSD cases of soldiers, from phoney claimants who are simply seeking financial benefits.
And that is sad, as there are definitely soldiers out there who suffer from it their entire lives. On any given night in the summer over 500,000 vets are homeless.
In fact, few people know that the suicide rate for veterans is 1 every 90 minutes. Here's a site that claims it's once every 80 minutes.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-2...t-toll/4093550

This is a problem that America needs to address.
It ain't going away any time soon.

[lsbets]

The VA actually does a really good job with Iraq/Afghanistan Vets referring them for diagnosis and treatment of PTSD. Every appointment I go to (regular check ups), I am asked questions about PTSD and if I want a referral. I know a lot of guys who have had a difficult time coming home, and others who just have occasional issues. Little things like always being on alert, having to sit in a restaurant with your back to the wall so no one can walk behind you, not being able to handle confrontation in an appropriate fashion, or emotional detachment from others and your surroundings. The bottom line is, if you've been through combat, a part of you is ****ed up forever, the only question is how it manifests itself.

[DJofSD]

I have been led to believe cognitive therapy is effective when managing PTSD.

[lsbets]

Originally Posted by DJofSD

I have been led to believe cognitive therapy is effective when managing PTSD.

Managing, not getting rid of. Everyone has triggers - sounds, smells, etc - the key thing is are you able to manage those triggers and you reaction.

[DJofSD]

Right. And, yes, I did mean manage, not eliminate.

[lsbets]

While the VA is great about PTSD, active duty is not. I have two very close friends who have some issues and who will not go get help because they only need a couple of more years to retire and don't want to get a psych profile. They both figure they can ride it out and then get help after they retire.

On my last physical at the VA, I asked about getting Chantix to quit smoking. The doc said "We don't carry that. All you guys have PTSD to some degree whether you've been diagnosed or not, and giving you Chantix would be very bad."

[Greyfox]

Originally Posted by DJofSD

Right. And, yes, I did mean manage, not eliminate.

Unfortunately, no therapy or pill can ever eliminate the structural cognitive, emotional, and behavioral changes induced by the trauma of war.
As Isbets has correctly suggested, more effective coping is the best one can hope for.
It's good that soldiers and vets who have experienced PTSD are getting some help.
The flip side of the coin though is that there are oodles of citizens of war torn countrys like Iraq, Vietnam, Rwanda, Afghanistan and so on, who are left without any human resources to help develop coping mechanisms.
Whoever first said "War is Hell," hit the nail on the head.
For some after the battles are over, peace of mind never comes.