What impact do hostile environments have on Soldiers Essay

What impact do hostile environments have on Soldiers - Essay Example Over 1.5 million troops were deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq between 2002 to 2007, several of whom, more than just one time. Thus deployments such as those, usually lead to work-related and personal stress due to long working hours, family separation as well as uncertain schedules. Even on their return from these hostile environments several soldiers continue enduring emotional and mental strain as they try to readapt and cope with family and civilian life (Hall, 2015). Inspite of the above numerous pressures, there has been no significant change in the rate of reenlistment. All the same there are numerous psychological disorders related with a hostile environment in war; for instance shell shock (Combat Stress Reaction) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD).PTSD is thus a diagnosis arrived by doctors on a frequent basis for those patients that have undergone key traumas such soldiers from hostile environment, car accidents and rape(West,2012). PTSD was discovered due to the soldiers returning from the Vietnam war, even though the disorder symptoms had been all along been identified with war veterans for centuries. The real emotional effects of hostile environment on soldiers can also be extremely distressing especially to the friends and family members, because it is seen as unfair that after all they have gone through, they keep on suffering (Ausenda, 1992). The two conditions; shell shock and PTSD are basically manifestations of the attempts by the brain to deal with trauma and unable to do so adequately. Thus with PTSD, a soldier will for instance re-experience and recall the particular trauma of the hostile environment ,maybe in their dreams or even while thinking or closing their eyes. Sleeplessness is another symptom of PTSD and comes along nightmares. Thus the soldier is aware that if s/he happens to fall asleep, they could be having nightmares; hence a vicious cycle results; so as to try and keep awake for