When the War Never Ends: The Voices of Military Members with PTSD and Their Families

(Paperback)

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The chances of service members developing PTSD after military-related traumas is, according to a U.S. study, at least 30 percent. The effects of PTSD can be devastating, ranging, for example, from distressing flashbacks, nightmares, sleep disorders, physical symptoms, irritability, aggressions, memory and concentration problems. These symptoms often cause severe impairment in all areas of life and may lead to despair and hopelessness. PTSD is neither a localized nor a temporary problem. Here, Leah Wizelman relates the true stories of service members from different service branches and ranks from the United States, Canada, Australia, and Germany, who were participants in various wars (Vietnam, Gulf war, Iraq, Afghanistan, Grenada) and peace missions (Kosovo, Bosnia, Croatia, Cambodia, Somalia, Cyprus, Haiti). They talk openly about their lives after trauma and share their fates with the reader. Spouses of affected military members also tell their stories. They talk about the challenges loved ones face when living with a partner with PTSD, how it affects their children, and how they manage to cope. As these stories show all too vividly, military-related PTSD has not been dealt with effectively or with enough empathy or sympathy. Those affected by PTSD will realize that they are not alone in their suffering, and others will gain insight into the realities of this challenging mental disorder.

Reviews

Leah Wizelman's When the War Never Ends complements and extends what we know about combat-related PTSD by conveying the stories about the consequences, not just the causes of this life-debilitating mental disorder. A must read for anyone who cares about those who risked their life for their country and gave up a part of their mind. -- Charles R. Figley, Ph.D., the Paul Henry Kurzweg, MD Distinguished Chair in Disaster Mental Health at Tulane University
Leah Wizelman's book captures the essence of PTSD as told by military veterans and their spouses. These men and women know better than anyone that the psychological scars of war never end. In their own words, this volume brings to life the statistics of war that we all know. The personal testimonies show that these invisible wounds of war permeate all wars and nationalities. As poignant are the stories of spouses who suffer secondary traumatization and face their own battles after the war. I highly recommend this volume to all who seek to understand combat-related PTSD. There is no escaping the searing and enduring effects of war. -- Kathryn M. Magruder, M.P.H., Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Military Science Division; Medical University of South Carolina
When the War Never Ends provides a refreshing contrast to much of the trauma literature. Each self-contained chapter is the personal narrative of an ex-serviceman or their carer describing the mental torture that is PTSD... Anyone wanting to understand what it is to have a 'flashback' will learn more from these first-hand accounts than from any textbook. * The British Journal of Psychiatry *

Author Bio

Leah Wizelman is a biologist and researcher at the Technical University of Munich, Germany, on psycho-physiological aspects of posttraumatic stress disorder at the Institute of Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy in the Faculty of Medicine.