Haunted by Combat

"The men and women who follow orders to be sent thousands of miles from home, to fight wars in the most dangerous corners of the globe, are the very best America has to offer. They've seen destruction and chaos few others can imagine. And too many return home to their families struggling to make sense of their combat experiences and their personal lives. This book tells their stories in their own words and explores treatment options that will enable our nation to fulfill its promise to support our veterans." -- Lynn Woolsey, Member of Congress, 6th District, California "This is an excellent and necessary analysis of the effects of war on combat troops and will stimulate much thought and care for people who are suffering from stress disorders. It also brings attention to the possibility that this widespread psychological condition may require a new diagnosis: post societal traumatic stress syndrome. Dr. Krippner has long been a leader in understanding societal processes and he and Dr. Paulson have given us insights into a process that needs immediate attention." -- Ethel Tobach, Ph.D., Museum of Natural History, New York City "Allying the authors' personal experience with first-hand accounts of veterans from current war scenarios, especially from Iraq, this book provides a compelling account of the psychosocial sequelae of war on soldiers and their loved ones. The book presents a clinical and sociological analysis of post-traumatic stress disorder in combat veterans and war-afflicted civilians, as well as useful guidelines for treatment in this population. The bridging of soldier stress and war stress in civilians emphasizes the human struggle with healing the lasting wounds of war and conflict. The combination of personal and clinical approaches makes this book powerful and helpful reading to both professionals working with war-afflicted soldiers and civilians as well as victims and their families." -- Teresa Mendonca McIntyre, Former President, The European Health Psychology Society, Professor, University of Minho, Portugal "The history of our species is a history of war and the history of war is a history of deep human trauma and suffering. In this clinically important and highly approachable text, Paulson and Krippner help us understand the psychological and spiritual basis for the post-traumatic stress disorder experienced by today's combat veterans. The authors poignantly describe how the PTSD of the men and women interviewed results from the loss of individual perspective or personal myth that ensure the security and safety of the world. Paulson and Krippner provide clinicians, family members and concerned citizens with the cross-cultural tools we need to help Iraqi combat veterans move from post-traumatic stress to post-traumatic strength. The authors help us see that by approaching combat veterans with compassionate understanding rather than denial, we may collectively realize a world of peace that knows no end." -- Jeannette Diaz-Laplante, PhD, Director, Harvest for Haiti, Faculty, Bainbridge Graduate Institute "Paulson and Krippner present the gripping complexity that distinguishes the veterans of the Iraq war from their counterparts who returned from Vietnam. They address PTSD on a personal, community, family, and societal level in an experiential way that has never been done before. It is a landmark book for all concerned with the men and women who have been deployed to Iraq and return to American with the horrors of this war embedded in their souls as well as their bodies and mind." -- Benina Gould, Ph.D, Director Social Transformation Concentration, Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center "In this vitally important volume, Krippner and Paulson offer a unique perspective on the psychological trauma warfare causes in combatants, and civilians alike. Those who argue that war is in our genes need to somehow account for the fact that we continue to be so deeply scarred by the horrors of this supposedly natural occurrence. Over 30% of the physically-intact soldiers returning from Iraq report severe psychological distress, while unknown thousands more suffer in silence. The need for this book could hardly be more urgent. This book should be provided to every soldier returning from war." -- Christopher Ryan, Ph.D., Visiting Professor (Medical Anthropology), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, and, Cacilda Jetha, M.D., Psychiatrist (Specializing in Immigrants and Refugees), San Joan de Deu Hospital, Barcelona, Spain "This book is an outstanding guide for the understanding of war trauma. Every person interested in the topic, or affected by it, should take the time to read it. They will learn how these traumatic experiences originate and what techniques for treatment are available. They will also be impelled to fight the global calamity of war and hostility among humans." -- Gustavo Schiavo, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Uruguay

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is increasingly common as service men and women return from Iraq, Afghanistan, and other combat zones. This work takes us into the minds of PTSD-affected veterans, as they struggle against the traumatic events lingering in their minds, sometimes exploding into violent behaviour.

Across history, the condition has been called soldier's heart, shell shock, or combat fatigue. It is now increasingly common as our service men and women return from Iraq, Afghanistan, and other ongoing combat zones. Since 1990, Veterans' centers here have treated more than 1.6 million affected men and women, including an estimated 100,000 from the Gulf War and an untallied total from the Iraq front and fighting in Afghanistan. The number also includes some 35,000 World War II veterans, because PTSD does not fade easily. Regardless of the months, years, and even decades that have passed, the traumatic events can flash back as seemingly real as they were when they occurred.In Haunted by Combat Paulson and Krippner range across history and into current experiences and treatments for this haunting disorder.

They take us into the minds of PTSD-affected veterans, as they struggle against the traumatic events lingering in their minds, sometimes exploding into violent behavior. The authors explain how and why PTSD develops—and how we can help service members take the steps to heal today.