Fields of combat : understanding PTSD among veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan / Erin P. Finley.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Finley, Erin P., 1977-

Series:

Culture and politics of health care work.

The culture and politics of health care work

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Post-traumatic stress disorder--United States.

Post-traumatic stress disorder.

Iraq War, 2003-2011--Veterans--Mental health.

Iraq War, 2003-2011.

Afghan War, 2001-2021--Veterans--Mental health.

Afghan War, 2001-2021.

Physical Description:

xiii, 221 p.

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Ithaca : ILR Press, 2011.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

For many of the 1.6 million U.S. service members who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001, the trip home is only the beginning of a longer journey. Many undergo an awkward period of readjustment to civilian life after long deployments. Some veterans may find themselves drinking too much, unable to sleep or waking from unspeakable dreams, lashing out at friends and loved ones. Over time, some will struggle so profoundly that they eventually are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress Disorder (PTSD).Both heartbreaking and hopeful, Fields of Combat tells the story of how American veterans and their families navigate the return home. Following a group of veterans and their their personal stories of war, trauma, and recovery, Erin P. Finley illustrates the devastating impact PTSD can have on veterans and their families. Finley sensitively explores issues of substance abuse, failed relationships, domestic violence, and even suicide and also challenges popular ideas of PTSD as incurable and permanently debilitating.Drawing on rich, often searing ethnographic material, Finley examines the cultural, political, and historical influences that shape individual experiences of PTSD and how its sufferers are perceived by the military, medical personnel, and society at large. Despite widespread media coverage and public controversy over the military's response to wounded and traumatized service members, debate continues over how best to provide treatment and compensation for service-related disabilities. Meanwhile, new and highly effective treatments are revolutionizing how the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides trauma care, redefining the way PTSD itself is understood in the process. Carefully and compassionately untangling each of these conflicts, Fields of Combat reveals the very real implications they have for veterans living with PTSD and offers recommendations to improve how we care for this vulnerable but resilient population.

Contents:

Fourth of July : a tradition of service in San Antonio

War stories : case studies of combat deployment

Home again : early experiences of post-deployment stress

Of men and messages : how everyday cultural influences affect living with PTSD

Clinical histories : from soldier's heart to PTSD

Under pressure : military socialization and stigma

Embattled : the politics of PTSD in VA mental health care

Navigation : identity and social relations in treatment seeking and recovery.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record and CIP data provided by publisher.

ISBN:

9780801461187

0801461189

9780801460708

0801460700

OCLC:

1040602248