War & Sensory Processing
“Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder” is a diagnosis created by the American Psychological Association in response to the problems seen in scores of Vietnam veterans (APA, 1980; van der Kolk, 2004). We are now witnessing history repeat itself, as the next generation is returning home from war with similar mental health issues. According to a recent RAND study (2008), 18.5% of combat troops returning from Iraq or Afghanistan meet criteria for either Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or depression.
In addition to other diagnostic criteria, there are 3 clusters of symptoms that define PTSD according to the DSM-IV, the diagnostic manual published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA, 2000). These clusters are:
1) Reexperiencing the event in varying sensory forms such as flashbacks;
2) Avoiding reminders associated with the trauma, and;
3) Chronic hyper-arousal in the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS).
PTSD is present when these symptoms last more than one month and are combined with loss of function in areas such as job or social relationships. (APA 1994)
According to Babette Rothschild, social worker and trauma researcher, the core symptom of PTSD is hyperarousal. She explains:
“People who suffer from PTSD are plagued with frightening body symptoms which are characteristic of hyper-arousal: accelerated heart beat, cold sweating, rapid breathing, heart palpitations, hypervigilance, and hyper startle response (jumpiness). These symptoms lead to sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, sexual dysfunction and difficulties in concentrating, which are further hallmarks of PTSD. Hyper-arousal both instigates flashbacks and is also increased by them, and hyper-arousal is the underlying cause of the symptom of avoidance, as traumatic reminders increase ANS arousal. Through understanding hyper-arousal, the phenomenon of PTSD becomes comprehendible.” (Rothschild, 1997, ¶6).