PTSD Odyssey Project

What is PTSD?

PTSD stands for post-traumatic stress disorder and is a disorder that is commonly found in returning war veterans. It is caused by someone experiencing a traumatic experience and is reminded of it by otherwise common things. Not only war events can lead to PTSD, but sad events like losing a loved one can lead to PTSD, too. Doctors saw the disorder get more popular around the end of the Vietnam war after vertrans were fighting in more advanced and dangerous battles than ever before.

What is PTSD?

What are Symptoms of PTSD?

Some symptoms of PTSD can be flashbacks reliving the event, bad dreams, frightening thoughts, staying away from places that remind the patient of the traumatic event, being easily startled, feeling “on edge”, trouble remembering key factors of the event, or survivor’s guilt. These symptoms can cause many dangerous things a soldier can do to themselves, and suicide and substance abuse is one of the main things that soldiers use to try to drown out the pain or just end it all, but it is NOT the right thing to do.

What are Treatments for PTSD?

Some treatments for PTSD include medications or talk therapy. All treatments work differently on everybody, so it might work for one person but not the other. There is no real way to prevent PTSD or fix it, but many things, such as talk therapy, help the veteran cope with and understand his or her PTSD.

What are Treatments for PTSD?

How can PTSD Affect Loved Ones?

Suprisingly, war veterans who have PTSD can also affect loved ones by increasing the family member’s sympathy, giving them negative feelings, avoidance, and depression

True Story

A recent combat veteran, Ricky, who had been involved in heavy combat in the Iraq war, and he had been doing fine until one day he was involved in a local store robbery. When he realised what was going on, he was flooded with memories from his experience in the war, and was paralyzed by the thoughts. After the experience, Ricky feels guilty for not stopping the robbery and letting his two friends die in the war when he survived. He now goes to a therapist and takes anti-depressants, which really helps him overcome his fear from the war.

How does PTSD relate to The Odyssey?

PTSD relates to the Odyssey because Odysseus over went many traumatic experiences, such as the cyclops eating a lot of his men, or the hurricane after his men ate Helios' cattle that killed everyone except for Odysseus. This could lead to symptoms of PYSD such as survivor's guilt; why was he spared when the others weren't, and suicidal thoughts; Odysseus compemplating if he should just throw himself overboard and end it all.

Bibliography

"GoodTherapy.org." Therapy for Trauma, PTSD, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2017

"Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder." National Institute of Mental Health. N.p., 5 Feb. 2016. Web. 28 Sept. 2017.

"PTSD." Symptoms & Treatment | Military Veterans | Make the Connection. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Sept. 2017.

"Returning from the War Zone: A Guide for Families of Military

Members." National Center for PTSD. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Oct. 2017.