Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can occur after a veteran has
been through a traumatic event while serving in the military. Below is
a list of some of the traumatic events that veterans can experience
but this list is by no means all inclusive:
- Combat attacks/exposure
- Child sexual or physical
abuse
- Terrorist attacks
- Sexual or physical
assault
- Serious accidents, such as a car wreck
- Natural disasters, such as a fire, tornado, hurricane, flood or
earthquake
During these types of traumatic events listed above, you may think
that you are going to die or that your life or others' lives are in
danger. You may feel afraid or feel that you have no control over what
is happening. After the event, you may feel scared, confused and
angry. If these feelings don't go away or they get worse, you may have PTSD.
Symptoms of PTSD
SOME symptoms of PTSD are:
- Recurring memories, dreams or flashbacks of the traumatic
event
- Reduced involvement in work or outside interests
- Emotional numbness
- Jumpiness, irritability, startles
easily or constantly on alert
- Have little or no friends or
stay to yourself a lot
- Problems falling or staying asleep -
insomnia
- Marital or family problems
- Excessive use of
alcohol or drugs to cope
- Anger issues or road rage
- Having anxiety issues or being depressed
- Avoiding
talking, thinking or suppressing feelings about the traumatic
event
- Avoiding places or things that remind you of the
traumatic event
The list of symptoms above are by no means all inclusive. If you
have some of these symptoms and think you might have PTSD, talk to a
mental health professional right away!
Filing a Disability Compensation Claim With The VA For PTSD
Because of the complexity of these types of claims, it is highly
suggested that you contact Tarrant County Veteran Services to receive
assistance in filing a well-developed PTSD claim as there are many
factors associated with this type of claim.
Most of the time, PTSD is often not diagnosed in service and will
not be shown specifically in the veteran's military medical records.
However, this does not automatically thwart any chances of
successfully receiving an approval of the veteran's claim for PTSD
from the VA.
In order to better the chances of having your claim approved, expert
research and development must be done to make that happen. This is
where the Tarrant County Veteran Service office comes in. We have
trained counselors on staff that can assist you with this process.
Contact us at
817-531-5645.
VA Programs And Resources For Veterans With PTSD
This list is not all inclusive
-
VA PTSD Program Locator - This program locator will help you
find local VA PTSD programs. You can also call the VA Hospital in
Dallas at 800-849-3597 or the VA clinic in Fort Worth at
800-443-9672 to find a program in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
-
The National Center for PTSD Website - This website contains
in-depth information on PTSD and traumatic stress. You can find
answers to frequently asked questions About PTSD; fact sheets on
common reactions; information about the effects of trauma on family
and friends; and much more.
-
Prolonged Exposure Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy -
The VA provides at least one of two evidence-based treatments for
PTSD at all VA Medical Centers.
-
Vet Centers - Vet Centers are located in your community and
stand ready to help you and your family with readjustment counseling
and outreach services. Services include individual and group
counseling, marital and family counseling, medical and benefits
referrals and employment counseling. There are two Vet Centers in
Tarrant County and one in Dallas County. The phone numbers for the
two in Tarrant County are 817-274-0981 for the Pantego location and
817-921-9095 for the Fort Worth location. The phone number for the
Dallas location is 214-361-5896.
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MakeTheConnection.net - Visit this site to view hundreds of
stories from veterans of all service eras who have overcome mental
health challenges. MakeTheConnection.net is a one-stop resource
where veterans and their families and friends can privately explore
information on mental health issues, hear fellow veterans and their
families share their stories of resilience and easily find and
access the support and resources they need.
-
After Deployment - This site is a behavioral health resource
supporting service members, their families and veterans with common
post-deployment challenges. Their mission is to provide self-care
solutions targeting PTSD, depression and other behavioral health
challenges.
-
Real Warriors - This site is part of the Real Warriors
Campaign, launched to promote the process of building resilience,
facilitating recovery and supporting reintegration of returning
service members, veterans and their families. The site contains
information for a number of audiences including veterans, active
duty servicemembers, families and health professionals.
Resources For Families
-
Children And Teens Web Resources - This web page provides a
list of links that offer information specific to children and
teenagers dealing with trauma.
-
Seasame Workshop "When Families Grieve" -
"When Families Grieve" is a continuation of Sesame
Workshop’s award-winning Talk, Listen, Connect Initiative, providing
resources and emotional support to military families with young
children coping with a challenging life transition.