Deployments can bring spiritual, emotional, behavioral, biological, and social changes for soldiers and their families. The separation can be lonely, difficult, and challenging. While deployments can contribute to soldiers’ personal and professional growth, traumatic experiences can produce lasting emotional wounds for them and their families.

As challenging as it is being separated, coming home presents with a set of unique challenges as well. Soldiers adapt to extreme circumstances and adversity while deployed and may not be equipped to easily integrate back into civilian life. The adjustment period is also hard for their families. This is especially true for those who retire with severe injuries or symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Recognizing the Symptoms Associated with Deployment Stress and Trauma

Exposure to high-risk environments, such as combative zones, can leave emotional scars that linger long after deployment or the conflict is over. Whether one is a witness to or experienced a traumatic event firsthand, it can have profound psychological effects that become noticeable after returning home.

Some warning signs and characteristics of these invisible injuries are listed below to help veterans and their families take the necessary steps to get help.

• Anger or Aggressive Behavior—Considered as a natural and healthy emotion, anger can be a useful tool during deployment. When it becomes intense, however, anger can scare people and drive them away, especially when accompanied by aggressive hurtful behavior.

• Alcohol/Drug Abuse—Efforts to self-manage pain may temporarily provide relief. In the long run, however, using alcohol or drugs can prevent individuals from helping themselves and cause further problems in their families and relationships.

• Depression—More than the normal feelings of sadness, grief, or lethargy, depression is a condition where you can feel down or sad most of the time. Along with negative feelings of hopelessness, guilt, or low self-esteem, depression can give rise to self-harming thoughts.

• Moral Injury—This lasting type of psychological wound is caused by participating in, witnessing, or failing to prevent an act that defies moral beliefs and expectations. Those with moral injury feel reluctant to get close to other people, have difficulty trusting others or even themselves, and lose their spirituality, even after retirement or in their old age.

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)—PTSD is a common condition that develops after traumatic experiences. Painful symptoms include unwanted flashbacks, nightmares, and hyper-arousal reactions such as anger outbursts, mood swings, and exaggerated behavior. These emotional and behavioral changes can make you more vulnerable to panic disorder, substance abuse, helplessness, depression, and self-sabotage, and are also taxing for families.

Moving Forward After Trauma

Unfortunately, many veterans returning from deployment are still battling an invisible enemy they may not know exists. Without proper diagnosis, they may live with the symptoms without knowing their cause. Often, isolation is the most painful aspect of combat-related trauma; family members and other civilians avoid and fail to understand their experiences.

If you are a veteran or have one in your family, know that no matter how long the symptoms last or how severe they are, there are resources and options available. It often takes professional intervention to restore the quality of life you deserve. A clinical diagnosis can be an empowering facet of treatment, since it confirms and validates symptoms. It can also give the people around you a better understanding of your condition, aiding in feeling validated and supported.

Finding Hope from the Right Therapist

Deployment may be over, but the difficult feelings caused by the stress and trauma can linger with you or your loved one, taking a toll on relationships, work, and other important life activities. When left untreated, these effects can last a lifetime. There is hope if treatment is sought from the right professional.

To address the wide range of wounds that can be inflicted on veterans and their families, we have a variety of experienced counselors independently contracted with Carolina Counseling Services – Fuquay-Varina, NC. When you call to schedule an appointment, you will be matched with a therapist who can treat the challenges you want to resolve. As a soldier or military family member who has been through a lot, you deserve a caring and nonjudgmental professional to help you navigate the complexities that deployments can bring.