Post-traumatic stress disorder among veterans - a battle for benefits: a matter of social justice

Abstract

The effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on military Veterans as they reintegrate back into a civilian role can be quite dramatic. In this thesis I discuss how society treats Veterans with PTSD upon their return from deployment. When services are denied to those who are entitled by the electoral government that oversees the wellbeing of society and the men and women who are sent into harm’s way, then I argue that that is a crime. PTSD is the result of exposure to a traumatic even causing cognitive dysfunction. Upon returning from deployment, Veterans face extreme challenges when trying to integrate back into society, such as a societal diagnosis and stigmatization coupled with a lack of social and governmental support. The current prevalence of PTSD among soldiers is extremely high and can be linked to aggressive behaviour and depression caused by psychological and physiological changes in the brain. Research affirms that trauma exposure resulting in cognitive impairment also risks an externalizing of internal manifested anxiety, which may lead to violence and police intervention. I argue that Veterans upon their return from battle become further traumatized through societal diagnosis and stigmatization by government agencies.