ptsd Vietnam Vets 'pass On Mental Problems'

[betrayed]

Vietnam vets 'pass on mental problems'

Vietnam veterans are passing on post traumatic stress disorder to their children and grandchildren in the form of behavioural and anxiety disorders, a university academic says. Queensland University of Technology PhD student Ken O'Brien said not enough research had been done on how the traumas of war were being passed on to children via parenting styles, social factors and even genetics. Mr O'Brien, who is from the university's School of Social Change Research and is the son of a Vietnam veteran, is studying the phenomenon, which he says is widespread. He said it was causing attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, Asperger's syndrome and depressive and anxiety conditions in children and grandchildren. They are the uncounted casualties of Vietnam because they're the lost legacy, they've inherited the conditions of this war without having to experience the war itself, Mr O'Brien said. He said children responded to living in a stressed environment if their parents were coping with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), often suffered by Vietnam veterans. But he said behavioural problems also could be passed on in genes with a stressful event switching on or off a gene, or series of genes, that is then passed onto subsequent generations. He said almost no research had been done on the phenomenon, which was leading to misdiagnosis and mismanagement of disorders. We know what PTSD looks like in a Vietnam vet, that's been well and truly studied, he said. But we don't know what PTSD looks like in the next generation. We could be looking at ADHD and saying 'oh that's ADHD' when really it's PTSD as it's evolved because a condition evolves as culture and society evolves. He said he believed the research would be a life-long pursuit but he would have findings to report in a year, which he hoped could be used for better diagnosis by practitioners. Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia national president Ron Coxon welcomed the research project and agreed families were suffering. He said children mirrored the way their fathers reacted to situations. And I believe that the mother, because she's in a situation where she's walking on eggshells, she starts to develop the same sort of symptoms as well, Mr Coxon said. We've got to remember that deaths by suicide amongst Vietnam veteran's children is three times higher than the average. Deaths by accident is five times higher than the average and so there is obvious some mental health problems going on with the children of Vietnam veterans.

[Philip Rogers]

I don't doubt it at all. Fortunately, I'm estranged from my children, who I feel bear the scars of my PTSD. jmo

pr

[Berta]

I have always considered PTSD as a "contagious" disease.

You all know I was a volunteer in a PTSD combat group at a vet center.I am only familiar with combat PTSD.

And I was married to a 100% PTSD vet.

Without good treatment and an understanding environment-PTSD can have long term affects to families of PTSD vets.

Our local VA has a PTSD SPouse and Significant other group that a PTSD vets wife started years ago.

Extended family members often dont understand the veteran nor why the family dynamics are often beyond the norm-

like when some family members cannot attend firewowrk displays, get nervous at big family get togethers- or simply refuse to participate in the beer parties that our military holidays have turned into.

Then again a family can focus on the positive qualities that PTSD vets have,that outweigh the negative ones.

I could write a book on this subject but only need to add a personal statement.

PTSD does not cause cruelty.

I have a friend who has put up with the most cruel and demeaning behavior from a spouse who says it is due to his PTSD from the War.

She should kick him to the curb.

99% of PTSD veterans try to acquire and maintain good relationships with their spouses even though it isnt easy- but there is plenty of problems within non-PTSD households too.

The 1 % however in my opinion is looking for significant others who they can turn into victims for their anger.

I think they should be strung up by their goon yats.

This is only my opinion and I bet the % is higher than that.

PTSD veterans altered my life completely due to the close relationships I developed at the vet center and have continued to enrich my life with an understanding of what

their experience did to them.

I am crazy about them all and they are NOT crazy at all.

But there is a lot to this article and I think many PTSD families would agree.

A Nam vet bragged to me he had his family walking on eggshells years ago but he changed-

yeah right-he denies his PTSD and refuses treatment-

this is utter manipulation and taking advantage of his disability-in my opinion-

No one's family - should ever feel they are walking on egg shells . That shows the balance of power is helter skelter-gee what a freudian slip that was!

A vet's widow went to jail for killing her husband. She applied for DIC.

By the time her incarceration was over she was awarded DIC due to the veteran's service connected death.

Her husband's PTSD -the BVA found-had caused him to become so abusive that she killed him in self defense.

His PTSD service connected- had in this way-"contributed " to his death by wife.

Something to think about.

Edited June 20, 2007 by Berta