PTSD

The Scourge of Vietnam

David Alexander
Max Grill
APUSH
Period 2
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

● PTSD is a disorder that develops in some people that have witnessed a traumatic, scary,
or stressful event. Many people recover from symptoms induced by the fight or flight
reaction of the body that typically results from said stressful events, but in some cases the
victim will still remain scared, stressed, or traumatized at unhealthy levels. In these cases,
the unfortunate victim would be diagnosed with PTSD.
Symptoms of PTSD

● Symptoms of PTSD typically manifest within 3 months of the traumatic event,

● Typical signs include irritability, insomnia, flashbacks to the traumatic experience,

depression, nightmares, social isolation, paranoia, loss of interest in enjoyable activities,
and suicidal tendencies.

● 8 in every 100 people experience PTSD at some point in their lives.

Treatment for PTSD

● Treatment for PTSD is typically administered by clinical psychologists or psychiatrists.

● Treatments for PTSD consist of:

○ Cognitive behavioral therapy

○ Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (assessment of traumatic

memories)

○ Exposure and response prevention (repeated exposure to a trauma-inducing

stimulus to weaken its traumatic effects)

○ Administration of SSRI (a stress drug)

PTSD in Vietnam Troops

● It is estimated that at least 30% of all Vietnam War veterans have experienced PTSD in
their lifetimes.

● At least half of these Veterans were diagnosed with PTSD during or shortly after the
conflicts in Vietnam.

● A recent study done in 2014 has shown that some Vietnam veterans are still suffering
from symptoms of PTSD to this day.
Effects of PTSD on Vietnam Veterans

● Shell Shock: A state/form of PTSD common in soldiers in which the victim is in a

constant state of panic or stupor and loses their ability to reason properly. Shell shock is
typically characterized by “the thousand-yard stare”, where the afflicted stares off into
the distance with a blank look on his/her face.

● Alcoholism: Most Vietnam veterans engaged in heavy amounts of drinking to combat

symptoms of PTSD after coming back from the war. As expected, this only made
problems worse as flashbacks and drunken rage combined led to serious cases of
domestic abuse between Veterans and their families.
Gary Hulsey

● Vietnam veteran who murdered his wife in 1978

● Pleaded insanity caused by alcoholism and PTSD

● Drank to avoid flashback nightmares

● Awoke to find his wife stabbed next to him in bed

● Sentenced to second degree murder for twenty years, granted parole after eight.
Works Cited
The National Institute of Mental Health. “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.” National Institute of
Mental Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Feb. 2016,
www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml.

Tull, Matthew. “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) From the Vietnam War.” Verywell,
Verywell, 31 July 2017, www.verywell.com/ptsd-from-the-vietnam-war-2797449.

“PTSD: National Center for PTSD.” U.S. Department of Foreign Affairs, U.S. Department of
Foreign Affairs, 3 Oct. 2016, www.ptsd.va.gov/public/ptsd-overview/basics/how-
common-is-ptsd.asp.

Zarembo, Alan. “PTSD Continues to Afflict Vietnam Veterans 40 Years after the War.” Los
Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2014,
www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-ptsd-vietnam-20140808-story.html.

Humbert, Jon. “Convicted of Murder in 1979, Elected to City Council in 2007.” KVAL, Eugene
Oregon, 27 Feb. 2012, kval.com/news/local/convicted-of-murder-in-1979-elected-to-city-
council-in-2007.