Aging Veterans and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Aging Veterans and Posttraumatic Stress SymptomsFor many Veterans, memories of their wartime experiences can still be upsetting long after they served in combat. If you are an older Veteran, you may have served many years ago, but your military experience can still affect your life today. Here are some ways that past military experience can affect you as you get older. PTSD symptoms later in lifeMany older Veterans find they have PTSD symptoms even fifty or more years after their wartime experience. Some symptoms of PTSD include having nightmares or feeling like you are reliving the event, avoiding situations that remind you of the event, being easily startled, and loss of interest in activities. There are a number of reasons why symptoms of PTSD may increase with age:
PTSD symptoms can occur soon after a traumatic experience, but this is not always the case. Here are some common symptom patterns:
Late-Onset Stress Symptomatology (LOSS)Many older Veterans have functioned well since their military experience. Then later in life, they begin to think more or become more emotional about their wartime experience. As you age, it is normal to look back over your life and try to make sense of your experiences. For Veterans this process can trigger Late-Onset Stress Symptomatology (LOSS). The symptoms of LOSS are similar to symptoms of PTSD. With LOSS, though, Veterans might have fewer symptoms, less severe symptoms, or begin having symptoms later in life. LOSS differs from PTSD in that LOSS appears to be closely related to the aging process. People with LOSS might live most of their lives relatively well. They go to work and spend time with family and friends. Then they begin to confront normal age-related changes such as retirement, loss of loved ones, and increased health problems. As they go through these stresses, they may start to have more feelings and thoughts about their military experiences. Having symptoms of LOSS is not upsetting for all Veterans. While some find that remembering their wartime experience is upsetting, many find that it helps them to make meaning of their wartime experience. What can you do to find help?If you are having a hard time dealing with your wartime memories, there are a number of things that you can do to help yourself. There are also ways you can seek help from others.
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