Citation

Spence M, Rose D, Tucker JA. Ethical Hum. Psychol. Psychiatry 2014; 16(3): 140-157.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Springer Publishing Company)

DOI

10.1891/1559-4343.16.3.140

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The Vietnam War left in its wake not only physical casualties but psychological ones as well. Among the most significant features of the war's aftermath are numerous and welldocumented cases of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite having been observed by writers, scholars, and others as early as biblical times, it was not until the emotional and psychological aftereffects suffered by Vietnam veterans became too numerous and significant to ignore that medicine, psychology, and the U.S. military undertook serious study of the disorder. David Rose, himself a veteran, shares his personal PTSD journey, having been diagnosed some 45 years after his return from Vietnam. David's story and poetry paint a picture that is both deeply personal and yet all too common among veterans of military conflict. Through David's story, we explore the questions of what PTSD is and how it has been addressed by the military as well as those charged with providing treatment. Also explored is the concept of moral injury and the ethical implications of exposing service members to circumstances, which inevitably bear psychological consequences.

Language: en

Keywords

literature; human; PTSD; Vietnam; aggression; anger; anxiety; suicide attempt; veteran; Veterans; posttraumatic stress disorder; hopelessness; army; history; distress syndrome; priority journal; avoidance behavior; paranoia; coping behavior; symptom; patient counseling; self medication; Moral; Viet Nam; Article; personal experience; Poetry