Combat PTSD Treatment

Welcome to
Beach House Rehab Center

Beach House Rehab Center » Mental Health Disorders » PTSD » Combat PTSD Treatment

The trauma of combat doesn’t end when you return home. Combat post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) leaves behind invisible scars on the mind and body that require both understanding and specialized care.

The expert team at Beach House is here to guide you with compassion on your path toward healing. Keep reading to learn about combat PTSD, its causes, and the treatments we offer to help you take back control of your life.

What Is Combat PTSD?

Combat PTSD is a type of post traumatic stress disorder that can develop after experiencing a traumatic event during military service. It is a mental and physical reaction that can change how a person thinks, feels, reacts, and other symptoms.

Symptoms of Combat PTSD

Emotional Symptoms

Flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, nightmares, or memories.
Fear, anger, guilt, or shame.
Negative thoughts or exaggerated feelings of blame.
Anxiety, depression, or loss of interest in hobbies.
Difficulty concentrating.
Hypervigilance and being easily startled.

Physical Symptoms

Excessive fatigue or insomnia.
Constant state of alertness.
Sweating, trembling, and increased heart rate.
High blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, heart disease, and chronic pain.

Behavioral Symptoms

Being impulsive, destructive, or unreliable.
Engaging in risky or reckless behaviors.

Causes of Combat PTSD

Combat PTSD can be caused by exposure to extreme events in a combat situation. This may include:

Witnessing the death or severe injury of others.
Having a life-threatening experience.
Being directly wounded.
Killing or directly wounding another person.
Having prolonged exposure to danger.
Experiencing the overall stress of combat situations.

Things like multiple or longer deployments and lower rank can also increase your risk of developing combat PTSD.

Common Combat PTSD Triggers

Sights and Sounds Reminiscent of Combat

For someone with combat PTSD, certain sights and sounds could be reminiscent of combat and trigger flashbacks. They may include

Sights

Military uniforms.
Certain land or cityscapes.
Urban battlefields.
Smoke or flames.
Crowds of people.
Weapons.
Blood or injuries.

Sounds

Gunshots.
Explosions.
Fireworks.
Sirens.
Helicopters.
Crowd noise.
Loud music.
Thunder and lightning.

Anniversary Dates and Locations

This may include any date or location in which a person experienced a traumatic event that led to combat PTSD. For veterans, this may include holidays, anniversaries, public events, private events, and certain seasons.

Interpersonal Conflicts and Stress

Combat veterans with PTSD may have trouble maintaining close relationships with their family and friends. The symptoms of PTSD can cause issues with trust, closeness, communication, and problem-solving, affecting the way they interact with others. In turn, loved ones can end up feeling hurt, sad, or left out, eventually becoming angry and distant.

This often leads to a circular pattern of stress that harms relationships.

Diagnosis of Combat-Related PTSD

A mental health professional at Beach House can diagnose combat PTSD if a person meets all criteria noted in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR) book by the American Psychiatric Association. Key elements of a combat-related PTSD diagnosis include:

Exposure to a traumatic combat event.
Symptoms include a cluster of flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance, hypervigilance, and mood swings.

To diagnose this PTSD subtype, our licensed therapists may ask you to complete a self-assessment in the form of a questionnaire. Once they have a general understanding of your symptoms, they will perform a screening assessment and structured clinical interview to understand the cause of combat PTSD and determine the best treatment.

Treatment Options for Combat PTSD

Evidence-Based Therapies

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) With Exposure Therapy
CBT for combat PTSD is a type of talk therapy that focuses on identifying and challenging negative thoughts related to trauma, allowing you to re-engage with triggering situations in a safe and controlled environment.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR for combat PTSD helps veterans process and resolve traumatic memories by changing how the memory is stored in the brain. This therapy helps reduce stress and negative beliefs associated with the trauma. During EMDR, you are asked to focus your eyes on a back-and-forth movement or sound while recalling a memory associated with the trauma.

Medications for Managing PTSD Symptoms

Your healthcare provider or mental health professional may prescribe one or more of the following medications along with combat PTSD treatment, depending on your unique symptoms:

Antidepressants.
Antianxiety medications.
Atypical antipsychotics.
Sleep aids.

Coping Strategies for Combat PTSD

Mindfulness and Stress-Reduction Techniques

The following techniques can help manage combat-related PTSD symptoms by focusing on the present moment and calming the nervous system:

Deep breathing.
Body scan meditation.
Mindful movement (e.g., yoga or stretching).
Guided meditation.
Walking.

Building a Strong Support System

In addition to evidence-based therapy programs, family support, and supportive medications, there are several group therapy and peer support options for veterans. These include:

Veterans Crisis Line | (800) 273-8255
SAMHSA’s National Helpline | (800) 662-4357
Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs).
VA medical centers.
Virtual peer support services.
Local community centers.

Physical Activity and Holistic Approaches

Your healthcare provider or mental health professional may recommend one or more of the following to support long-term healing:

At least 30 minutes of exercise, three to five times a week.
Between seven and nine hours of quality sleep each night.
Acupuncture, meditation, yoga, and deep-breathing exercises.
Know when to ask for help by paying attention to signs of stress, depression, anxiety, or substance misuse.