Anyone who thinks the memories and/or trauma of combat fade away is clueless. Yes, the memories of everyday life fade with time, but the trauma-producing events remain intense: perhaps even more so if they’re buried, which was the “Manly” way to cope until the 1970s. For individuals who are susceptible to PTSD it can be incapacitating if not treated.
TC
Yes it can be. What worries me the most is the cases of extreme withdrawal because it prevents getting help.
From PTSD Break the Silence on FB:
David Pye was diagnosed with PTSD over a decade ago, yet 30 years after returning from Vietnam. The following is what he wrote to describe what he had to deal with after combat. A little insight into the minds of those suffering from PTSD and what affect it can have on themselves and those around them.
Try to understand.
If he stays home alone,
And doesn’t like to hear the phone.
If he won’t answer the door,
‘cause he doesn’t want to see anyone any more.
Try to understand...
If nighttime is something to dread,
And his sleep is restless and fleeting in bed.
If he quietly gets up in the night,
So as not to disturb your pleasant respite.
Try to understand...
If he becomes nervous and jumps around,
At unexpected movement or a sudden sound.
If he sits in a restaurant with his back to a wall,
Because he can’t have anyone behind him at all.
Try to understand...
If he shows no fear and wouldn’t turn if he could,
That part of him has gone that says you should.
If his anger seems quick and extreme,
He’s only trying to control intense emotions unseen.
Try to understand...
If he seems emotionless and indifferent some day,
And perhaps he just says “Go away!”
If he becomes depressed and may seem unkind,
He is only trying to spare you the agony in his mind.
Try to understand...
If his mood changes and alters,
And he becomes unsure and often falters.
If he becomes sad and stares into space,
He has only gone to some other place.
Try to understand...because he doesn’t...”