Somone on a FOB getting shot at or mortared 24/7 is probably gonna have different deal for PTSD compared to a REMF who got a ied strike on his convoy first time out the gate and that will probably be different from a suburban cop who just saw there first shooting vs one who's been in the hood like last 5 years .

Remember the shrink saying its akin to an immediate shock to the brain possibly cause more or less damage vs prolonged exposure possibly causing more or less but in different ways

I suppose it might be viewed that way. I often wonder if . 1 PTSD is a real thing and 2. what is the incidence of 'PTSD' in the opposition forces and how is that being dealt with .

Is it something that has always been part of the human condition or just a 20th century, western civilization construct to excuse uncivilized or irresponsible behavior, as well as society's lack of support for those they put in harms way and then rejected ?

I kind of think that what we call PTSD today is a direct result of no longer living in a world where normal adjustment to trauma begins from childhood.

That could certainly be part of it. A childhood with no consequences for poor behavior. I think it has become more prevalent with the passage of time

I think we are all different. Nightmares are real. Seen a guy puke once just helping me gut a deer. I did not cut the guts. No foul odor. All he was doing was holding the back legs. I also think its not just body parts etc but mental anguish. Its not new. Used to call it shell shock battle fatigue etc.

I mean , various conditions that would fall under or be diagnosed as PTSD have been around and have been documented since Rome . Like a lot of mental conditions it's not new we have just progressed in medicine and science to where we can actually put a name to this stuff .

It's like how back in the 1800's you probably couldn't convince someone that a person who was a severe autistic, or someone with down syndrome wants just possessed by a demon or something . But again it effects everyone differently and it come in different deals . There some people that stuff just plain didn't bother or there abel to rationalize it in a different way . Then there's other folks that the same stuff will just plain screw up for life. The human mind is a complex thing

There been some studies that show people in the military who go though alot of this stuff and don't come out with some form of mental illness usually end up being something like high functioning sociopaths or lil lower on the IQ score deal to where there kinda emotionaly stunted and it just don't register. Idk have to find them again.

As with many mental issues or disorders there is a continium of severity from mild to severe. As a Nam vet I was diagnosed with modest PTSD some time after my return. Thankfully my symtems have declined over the years. That is not the case for many who suffer very severe PTSD related issues. There are probably thousands if not hundreds of thousands who have never been diagnosed as well, both military, non military and internationally.
I smashed a few alarm clocks not long after returning home, sure glad that is over with.

Bryce

Think a lot if it has to due with people not realizing coping admitting life can be cruel and down right messy . Spent 4 years as ambulance attendant prior to 22 years as Navy Corpsman (medical) saw stuff that made cops blow lunch at accidents, passenger evicted through windshield taking top of head off on top bar of windshield, leaving brain matter across pavement, or drunks getting hit on freeway by gravel train doing 60 mph in fog, to retrieving floaters where body parts come off in your hands while trying to get body in the boat, bodies with 3rd degree burns over 95% of their body from shipboard fire. Yes things that would make a lot of people blow lunch for a week and nightmares for a month. Just have to realize / accept schitt happens and sometimes it is messy and stinks but that's life, only things that really affected me is when it was the smaller kids and babies. Where you bust your butt doing absolutely everything possible with what you have in the ambulance and yet it wasn't enough. Yes you remember those but don't dwell on them and just get over it.
As far as cops ems personnel and their experiences they need to realize it goes with the job, see it, note it and then let it go, if you can't let it go, get a different job

Knowing your limits. I understand the grisly ways things can die, had to toughen my nose to decomp (smells are my weakness to hurl). But children would have me eating a hole punch or taking it out on somebody.

I think it needs be broken down to the definition of trauma.

Post- After
Traumatic- An severe event or extreme event that is psychologically or emotionally stressful in a way that can lead to serious mental and emotional problems
Stress- A physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation
Disorder- to disturb the regular or normal functions

The type of PTSD someone may have is determined by the traumatic event.

Being shot at, being bombed, seeing tortured/neglected children, dealing with drunks and druggies all day, walking up to a car never knowing what is inside, hearing a siren, smelling diesel fuel, hearing a helicopter.

Trauma comes in many forms with varying degrees of effects.

My explanation of PTSD is compared to cancer. It runs the spectrum. One can have skin cancer and get it burned off easy peezy. No more cancer.

Another can get diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. 3 weeks to a few years left if you're lucky..

And everything in between.

PTSD is anything but single plane one size fits all.