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Emotional Effects of War on Soldiers

Soldiers are in sincere service of the nation. Does war affect their state of mind? How do wars affect their emotions? Read on to know the emotional effects of war on soldiers.

"Will he ever find peace here on this earth?

Before death’s fingers encircle his throat

Or will peace remain just beyond his girth

Abandoning him eternally to a land remote" -

Nancy L. Meek, in the poem ‘The Sacrifice’

The poet briefly describes the state of mind of a soldier on returning from a war. War is a manifestation of death and destruction. It is an exhibit of all the negativities of life. A war is the result of the lack of peace and ends in leaving no one happy. Wars deeply impact all the nations involved in it. They affect the nations’ economy and the life of its citizens. If a war can severely impact the countries at war, it surely has a grave impact on those who are on the forefront during the times of war.

It is sure to severely affect the true warriors, the soldiers who stake their lives to guard their motherland. Wars not only affect the soldiers’ life but also result in serious emotional effects on the soldiers of war. Wars stir their emotions; they affect their lives and impact their states of mind.

Emotional Effects of War on Soldiers
Many times it so happens that the soldiers have to physically hurt or kill their opponent soldiers. Circumstances force them to end someone’s life. This act of theirs’ brings them deep sorrow. True, the soldiers face their enemy nation, that they are supposed to destroy the hostile forces, but after all, enemies are humans. Though an opposing nation, they are after all human beings from regions across the border. Witnessing deaths becomes an almost everyday incident for soldiers at war. They have to bear the grief of the suffering and deaths of their fellow mates as well. Such situations definitely have a depressing effect on soldiers. Death is bound to disturb the soldiers and deprive them of peace of mind.

While being surrounded by sorrow, soldiers often remember their happy days, their yester years at school and college. The memories of happier days become painful. Moreover they are away from their home and families. The memories of their loved ones grieve their hearts. The soldiers often feel like reaching out to their near ones and sharing their grief with them but their duty towards their nation deprives them of these opportunities. While guarding the borders of the country day and night, while being away from their near ones, they are deprived of the all the little joys in their family. There is no certainty that they will return home when they want; they are unsure about whether they will be able to be with their families when their families need them. The deaths the soldiers face, the sufferings they closely witness add to their emotional crisis.

This constant emotional struggle results in severe mental stress. The undulating emotions that the soldiers have to go through, result in great mental strain. Reportedly, many soldiers suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. The post-traumatic disorder is characterized by symptoms like nightmares; feelings of detachment, irritability, sleeplessness and difficulties in concentrating. Their homesickness can lead to intense feelings of solitude. Their trauma brings them mental insecurity. The violence, the injuries and the heavy destructions result in distress.

Insufficient care or concern and the lack of heed towards the soldiers, worsens their mental health. The emotional effects aggravate due to lack of proper medical care and support. It is the nation’s responsibility to take care of its soldiers and the moral responsibility of the inhabitants of the county to realize the value of their service to the nation. Suitable medical support should be extended to the soldiers to help alleviate their pain.

Our soldiers have marched to the boundaries of our nation to serve our motherland. We can at least take a small step forward to help them cope with their afflictions.

By Manali Oak
Published: 8/20/2008

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Help For Gulf War Syndrome Sufferers By Retraining The Amygdala At Home

Gulf War Syndrome, the illness that has affected many soldiers who were on active duty during the conflict, is said to be a form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It affects members of the Armed Forces involved in all conflicts - Vietnam, Kosova, and now Afghanistan and Iraq.

Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome is a surprisingly pervasive disorder suffered by hundreds of thousands of people. It can now be helped by a home self-help course.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD can be defined as the psychological and physical consequences of being exposed to extremely stressful and traumatic experiences. It is the condition that can develop as a result of being confronted with the threat of, or actual death of, themselves or others, for example witnessing or being involved in a car crash or a war. The main symptoms of PTSD are panic disorders and recurrent flash-backs or nightmares.

In the field of combat, symptoms of PTSD have been recognized since conflicts have been documented, in the first and second world wars the condition was known as ‘Shell Shock’. Post-traumatic stress syndrome is largely hidden from the general public’s view, but make no mistake — it is real, and it is affecting not only combat veterans, but also their families, not to mention health care providers, particularly med-evac pilots, medics, and battlefield nurses, doctors, and medical support staff.

PTSD is not an anxiety disorder symptom but a separate anxiety condition.
If you feel that PTSD may form a part of your own illness you can now do something about it. As with all anxiety disorders, it can be easily, quickly and permanently addressed and eliminated by ‘reprogramming’ the Amygdala Gland.

The amygdala gland belongs to the limbic system and plays an important part in the development of emotions and anxiety levels, amongst other functions. It was only recently (1989, New York Medical University) that scientists discovered the role of the amygdala gland in storing and releasing emotional trauma. A simple way to locate the amygdala gland is by placing your thumbs in your ears, and then place your middle fingers near the inside corners of your eyes. The amygdala gland is found about 1" into the forehead where your index fingers fall.

This is the one mechanism in each and every one of us that causes, creates, stores and activates the response which causes anxiety, panic attacks and phobias.

The Amygdala is like a switch. Under normal circumstances, it remains in the ‘off’ position, only becoming activated when appropriate anxiety is required, in times of appropriate danger or threat for example. A certain amount of stress or anxiety is necessary in order for us to actually deal with a difficult situation.

However, repeated activation of this ’switch’, during times of stress, sadness, grief or anger for example, can cause it to become ’stuck’ in the ‘on’ position. This allows acute anxiety disorders, panic attacks and phobias to develop.
This happens when the Amygdala learns new behaviour. Because it has been taught a new level of anxiety through your anxious behaviour, it incorrectly resets itself to the new ‘benchmark’ or ‘normal’ anxiety level for your body.
Even though you consciously know that it feels wrong, you are unable to consciously alter it once it has become set.

This process of learning is called Operant Conditioning. Scientists have known for many years that this is responsible for the production of all anxiety disorders, including panic attacks and phobias.

Under normal conditions, Operant Conditioning is used by the brain to acquire new knowledge, like learning to read, drive or play a musical instrument. Practicing (repeating) an action or group of actions causes us to improve the skill.

This same process happens in every single anxiety disorder sufferer. It is what causes anxiety, panic attacks and phobias. It is this and nothing else, which needs to be addressed and reversed in order to quickly and permanently eliminate anxiety, panic attacks, OCD, PTSD and agoraphobia.
All of these conditions, regardless of how severe they are or how long you have had them, are a result of the very same mechanism and therefore require the very same treatment.

Traditional methods, such as Psychology and Psychiatry, use ‘talking therapy’ to identify the cause of your anxiety or panic attacks, then analyze it over and over again, giving you exercises to follow or even diaries to fill in. The cause of anxiety disorders and panic attacks is not the ‘life event’ that created the stressful environment (abuse, bereavement, work stress etc.) The actual cause is the way the Amygdala responded to that event and continues to produce anxiety and panic attacks, long after the event (when the Amygdala ’switch’ gets stuck ‘on’.)

So by revisiting the perceived ’causes’ during therapy and analyzing your actions, you are actually reinforcing the anxiety, practicing it and making it habitual, because it is remains at the very forefront of your mind!
Medication is often prescribed by doctors who, through lack of alternative options (or even desperation in some cases), believe that anxiety disorders, agoraphobia, PTSD and OCD are simply chemical conditions which require a ‘magic pill’ to reverse the chemical imbalance.

Doctors currently believe that anxious patients fit very snugly into the ‘Mental Illness’ category. Unfortunately, this is only convenient for them and not very productive for you - the suffering patient.

However, you cannot eliminate anxiety, panic attacks or phobias with medication alone. These problems aren’t caused by chemical imbalances. Any Psycho physiologist (brain function specialist) will tell you that anxiety disorders and panic attacks are caused purely by behaviour reactions to circumstances and not chemical imbalances! Charles Linden was an anxiety sufferer for many years until he worked out a way to ‘retrain’ the Amygdala so that it switches on and off correctly again, thus allowing the person to go back to leading a normal life.

By: Brian Gold

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

The Amygdala gland can be easily re-programmed by the Linden Method (see www.worry.cjb.net) which very effectively cures all manner of anxiety, stress and panic attack problems. This also helps overweight people to diet easily and gain self-confidence. Find more details and benefits at www.worry.cjb.net.

 

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