Affects of Combat PTSD on Sexual Intimacy - Research Paper Example

? Effects of Combat PTSD on Sexual Intimacy [Type the document sub user [Pick the Introduction This article intend to study the  posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the war veterans and investigate the physical and emotional damages many war veterans go through after coming home from a war zone. We hear of many heartwarming and emotional stories about the re-unions of the couples and home-coming of the soldiers from the war zones like Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia but there is a very little emphasis and study about the post-war scenarios in the family and what are the physical and emotional problems many young couples have to face after the home coming. The “suffering in silence” can never be studied and seen in the limelight until a pure study based on survey and facts is carried out. The main intention of the article is to have a deep insight into the problems many couples have to face because of the physical and emotional injuries of the home coming, apparently safe yet internally and emotionally damaged soldiers. The article will be compare and contrast two main studies in which different cases of  ‘posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) hit soldiers’ are discussed with studied facts and figures; then the results will be deduced based on the contextual analysis of the real time happenings and events. First source The first source is titled as “Sexual Functioning in War Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder” authored by Vesna Anticevic and Dolores Britvic published in August 2008, in Croatian medical journal, which is an open literary journal which invites the medics and health experts from all over the world to write experts reports and articles on diverse health related issues and their solutions. Croatian medical journal is fully indexed and reviewed by CC/CM, Index Medicus/MEDLINE, Biosis, Excerpta Medica and ExtraMED (Hrcak, 2011). The addressed article focuses on studying the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the war veterans that have come from different war zones. The goal of the study is to find out the ratio of the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the soldiers who stay away from their wives for a extended period of time and then return home after suffering many war injuries, emotional damages and brutal live imagery in their experiences in the war field. The method of study was observatory; one in which primarily a group of 101 war veterans with PTSD participated. The other group was 55 control volunteers which were healthy in the perspective of sexual functioning and mental stability receiving outpatient health care in different faculties. The two groups were studied and observed under different supervisory committees of doctors and the observed results were documented later on (NCBI, 2008). During the study, different health determinants and variables were analyzed in order to deduce the results; for example the rate of masturbation, sexual inter-course, ratio of premature ejaculation, erectile dysfunctional problems, antidepressant intakes, sexual fantasies, sexual activities and mental participation of soldiers and volunteers in sex were analyzed and recorded. Based on close observation and keen analysis of the two groups, the results depicted that war veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder had erectile dysfunction problems along with sexual inactivity and hypoactive sexual desires. On the other hand, these problems were present in a much depleted way in the control group which was of healthy control volunteers. Second Source The second article is titled as “DoD studies intimacy issues among combat vets” which focuses on the sexual activity problems with the war veterans. The intent of the report is to highlight the fact that the life of the soldiers who have come home safely after serving in the war zone is not always that easy as it might look apparently. The report illustrates the real story of different couples and how they have been facing different problems in bed and intimacy in the post war scenario. Many soldiers suffer different secret injuries at their genitals, groins, legs and other parts which can cause massive hindrances and problems during the intimacy. Their female partners have to wait for a very long time in order to let their husbands go through a prolonged treatment. The report emphasizes the need of different medical consultancy initiatives in order to help the couples who are going through intimacy problems so that they can get treated for these problems and live a happy life with healthy sex relations. The effects of social factors is also illustrated in the reports and the term “SUFFERING IN SILENCE” is used for the couples who are going through immense problems in their intimate life but are unable to talk about this problem generally, because of societal barriers. There is a need to educate and facilitate the military medics and doctors so that they can help the soldiers who have faced secret injuries in the war zone and provide them with exquisite ways to get away with their sex problems in order to let them live a good and healthy family life (Army Times, 2012). Similarities Both the above mentioned sources talk about the grave problem of sexual inabilities of posttraumatic stress disorder hit war veterans. The emphasis is on sorting out the etiology behind these problems of intimacy. The key similarities lie in the conclusive remarks of both the works which were depicting the fact that the war veterans often face lack of emotional attachments and responsive behaviors in sex. There often go through erectile problems, premature ejaculations and lack of arousals. The fear of the war zone, excessive memories from the war happenings and secret injuries have a key role to play in it. Differences The first source mainly focuses on the Croatian scenario. The article is primarily a study which follows academic standards and procedures whereas the second source is a kind of media report which gives a bird’s eye view of the matter without going into mathematical and factual analysis details. The second report focuses on the American soldiers and their problems primarily. Cons The problem with the scholarly opinion is the academic limitation and contextual barrier which can limit the results of the study. A group of 100 soldiers and their behaviors cannot argue a point generally. The study group must be vast in order to inculcate the general behaviors. Similarly the media report does not talk about any facts and figures. A mere explanation of some coincidences cannot outline the gravity of the problem. The solutions which are given are not practical and realistic. Why best The scholarly approach is best because it uses the facts and figures in some academic perspective to prove the point. The media report is strong because of the reality based incidences and societal analysis of the reasons which are the main cause of the problems for the couples going through the detrimental effects of this type of PTSD. Conclusion Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a very saturnine and sedate problem in today’s global war struck world where soldiers are being deployed massively in war zones. These sexual inabilities and disorders are the outcome of posttraumatic stress disorders. The military medics and doctors do not have a great insight into handling these issues and many couples suffer problems in intimacy for very long periods of time thus making their lives irritating and unpleasant. The soldiers from the war zones often go through sexual problems like erectile dysfunctions, premature ejaculation and emotionally disturbed intimacy which can ruin their family lives. In order to eradicate this grave issue, the doctors should take an initiative to start an open and frank consultancy with the concerned couples and facilitate them with ways to overcome these problems. The couples should also cooperate with each other with patience and stability to go through the detrimental outcomes of Posttraumatic stress disorders swiftly. References Army Times (2012). DoD studies intimacy issues among combat vets. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2012/01/military-dod-studies-intimacy-issues-among-combat-vets-011912w/ [Accessed: 2 Feb 2013]. Hrcak.srce.hr (n.d.). Croatian Medical Journal. [online] Retrieved from: http://hrcak.srce.hr/cmj?lang=en [Accessed: 2 Feb 2013]. Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov (2008). Sexual Functioning in War Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2525821/ [Accessed: 2 Feb 2013]. Read More