I think the best cure is talking it out with other vets preferably in a similar line of work. Lots of people get this self-perpetuating mindset that they fucked things up but when they hear experiences from others they start to put their own experiences in the proper perspective. Warriors Heart is a good program (from what I hear), and they work with first responders not just military.
The best prevention on the other hand is good training. PTSD typically comes to individuals who were not properly trained for their job be it in mindset or tactics. No matter how awful things are, they don't become as shocking if you were trained to handle the worst. The problem is time and resource constraints often means only a few people will get that kind of quality training.
And then there is the other spectrum where guys are perfectly normal in abnormal situations and they feel like something must be wrong with them, when nothing is wrong, they just have good mental fortitude.
I think the best cure is talking it out with other vets preferably in a similar line of work. Lots of people get this self-perpetuating mindset that they fucked things up but when they hear experiences from others they start to put their own experiences in the proper perspective. Warriors Heart is a good program (from what I hear), and they work with first responders not just military.
The best prevention on the other hand is good training. PTSD typically comes to individuals who were not properly trained for their job be it in mindset or tactics. No matter how awful things are, they don't become as shocking if you were trained to handle the worst. The problem is time and resource constraints often means only a few people will get that kind of quality training.
And then there is the other spectrum where guys are perfectly normal in abnormal situations and they feel like something must be wrong with them, when nothing is wrong, they just have good mental fortitude.
Training really help, but I will say the more important thing is to continuously engage the soldiers in conversation before and after their services. A lot of veterans stories that I have heard all come down to them feeling the true burden on their psychologies after they had been discharged, even when they were just fine when still in active service. They kept their condition a secret for guilt and fear of being a burden, and you have to find a way for them to be honest first before you can help them. There are many Veterans organizations doing that right now.
"Combat is the crack cocaine of all excitement highs... with crack cocaine costs." - Karl Marlantes, Vietnam Veteran
Er-Erm... sorry, but could you leave without me first?My stomach feels a bit...Sure, I'll wait for you there.I'm scared nodesu...!No, please no...I'm sick of dying already...!!...ah.What's the matter, Inazuma?