Mental Effects Of The Vietnam War
Throughout recent history, the United States has been regarded as one of the largest superpowers the world has ever known. They have always been dominant in war, except for one which left a foul taste in the mouth for all citizens; this was the Vietnam War, one of the most controversial wars the U.S ever participated in. Not only was it an incredible defeat, it additionally was seen as having the worst aftermath of any war fought by the United States previously. A large sum of the combatants in the Vietnam War suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD), which plagues veterans to this day from this war, as well as several others. Following the horrific events of the Vietnam War, countless cases of PTSD showed up. Roughly 10 percent(Vermetten, Eric) of all American combatants that participated in the Vietnam War suffered or
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suffer currently from this mental disorder, which is the largest number seen from any given war that occured pre-Vietnam, as well as modern wars. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is characterized by intense flashbacks to haunting times, as well as disturbed sleeping habits, psychological shock, and minimal response to society. This disease has plagued veterans for centuries, and those that suffer from it are often neglected by the government and society. Due to this negligence, it is easy to see that much more harm is being done, rather than helping the heroes of our nation.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has plagued combatants for centuries, from the beginning of war to modern times. It became classified as a mental disorder in the DSM in 1980, which is used to diagnose mental disorders and other conditions. It is typically caused by traumatic events that occur in one’s life, and in the case of Vietnam veterans, the experiences they had overseas. In an article titled “Hidden Scars” by Madhusree Mukerjee talks about the biological side of PTSD and how many abuse victims come to have it. The mental disorder comes from the hippocampus, which, when it becomes flooded, PTSD is triggered. It leads to a plethora of symptoms, such as nightmares during sleep, as well as flashbacks during the day and trouble focusing and being involved in social situations. Additionally, the Department of Veterans Affairs defines Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as “having flashbacks, upsetting memories, and anxiety following a traumatic event”. Some symptoms of PTSD include: being easily startled, feeling tense or “on edge”, having difficulty sleeping, and having angry outbursts. It has been over 40 years since the Vietnam War ended, however, veterans still deal with the lasting effects, mentally and physically. Upon returning home from Vietnam, veterans were left outcasted by not only society, but their own government. The United States government and administrations such as the Veterans Administration hardly offered any medical assistance towards these soldiers that were affected by PTSD, in fact, this blatant lack of compensation lasted until the late 90s, with accurate compensation not arriving even until the 2010s. Vietnam was daunting to the young soldiers that were preparing to set foot in this unknown land, and many of them were unprepared.
As the Vietnam War was fought from the mid 1950s until the mid 1970s, it was the beginning of an integrated American army, and what worse than to fight a war while one's brain is developing? Returning home only to be placed under even heavier neglect than one's peers based upon existing racial tensions. Non-white soldiers show more grave signs of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as seen. In Leslie Roberts article “Study Raises Estimate of Vietnam War Stress”, the author states that these people showed larger signs of PTSD than other combatants such as whites in the Vietnam War. It is believed due to the race relations in America at the time, these groups were treated very poorly, and suffered more traumatic events while overseas. Approximately 17% of African-American Vietnam veterans suffer from PTSD, while the Latino’s rate is even higher at 27% (Roberts, Leslie). Upon returning home, these groups were the least compensated by the American Government, were further outcasted by society, and deemed as
monsters.
suffer currently from this mental disorder, which is the largest number seen from any given war that occured pre-Vietnam, as well as modern wars. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is characterized by intense flashbacks to haunting times, as well as disturbed sleeping habits, psychological shock, and minimal response to society. This disease has plagued veterans for centuries, and those that suffer from it are often neglected by the government and society. Due to this negligence, it is easy to see that much more harm is being done, rather than helping the heroes of our nation.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has plagued combatants for centuries, from the beginning of war to modern times. It became classified as a mental disorder in the DSM in 1980, which is used to diagnose mental disorders and other conditions. It is typically caused by traumatic events that occur in one’s life, and in the case of Vietnam veterans, the experiences they had overseas. In an article titled “Hidden Scars” by Madhusree Mukerjee talks about the biological side of PTSD and how many abuse victims come to have it. The mental disorder comes from the hippocampus, which, when it becomes flooded, PTSD is triggered. It leads to a plethora of symptoms, such as nightmares during sleep, as well as flashbacks during the day and trouble focusing and being involved in social situations. Additionally, the Department of Veterans Affairs defines Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as “having flashbacks, upsetting memories, and anxiety following a traumatic event”. Some symptoms of PTSD include: being easily startled, feeling tense or “on edge”, having difficulty sleeping, and having angry outbursts. It has been over 40 years since the Vietnam War ended, however, veterans still deal with the lasting effects, mentally and physically. Upon returning home from Vietnam, veterans were left outcasted by not only society, but their own government. The United States government and administrations such as the Veterans Administration hardly offered any medical assistance towards these soldiers that were affected by PTSD, in fact, this blatant lack of compensation lasted until the late 90s, with accurate compensation not arriving even until the 2010s. Vietnam was daunting to the young soldiers that were preparing to set foot in this unknown land, and many of them were unprepared.
As the Vietnam War was fought from the mid 1950s until the mid 1970s, it was the beginning of an integrated American army, and what worse than to fight a war while one's brain is developing? Returning home only to be placed under even heavier neglect than one's peers based upon existing racial tensions. Non-white soldiers show more grave signs of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as seen. In Leslie Roberts article “Study Raises Estimate of Vietnam War Stress”, the author states that these people showed larger signs of PTSD than other combatants such as whites in the Vietnam War. It is believed due to the race relations in America at the time, these groups were treated very poorly, and suffered more traumatic events while overseas. Approximately 17% of African-American Vietnam veterans suffer from PTSD, while the Latino’s rate is even higher at 27% (Roberts, Leslie). Upon returning home, these groups were the least compensated by the American Government, were further outcasted by society, and deemed as
monsters.