Unseen Injuries
After finishing a section of Brittain’s memoir I couldn’t help but notice the lack of description that Vera uses to describe unseen injuries. Since I am not a history buff I will try to explain what I mean. I believe it was common knowledge for soldiers to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); sometimes referred to as shell shock, during WWI. One of Vera’s close friends, George, was a victim to this debilitating mental condition, but she spends very little time in discussing it. In today’s scientific world much more emphasis is being placed on injuries to the psyche, and the United States Army has taken notice. In a podcast from January 16, 2009 Army Brigadeer General Loree Sutton describes the armies efforts to treat not only the soldier suffering from traumatic events, but also useful tools for families and loved ones.
Vera’s only description of PTSD or shell shock is when she first visits George at Fishmonger’s Hospital where she writes:
…he still shuddered from the deathly cold that comes after shell shock; his face was grey with a queer, unearthly pallor, from which his haunted eyes glowed like twin points of blue flame in their sullen sockets (257).
George is simply sitting alone, covered by a green blanket, in front of a fire. Of course this book is not about psychological conditions, but when this account is viewed in congruence with the other numerous accounts of septic wounds, gangrene, and overall wartime images a flag should be raised as to why Vera would not include how George was affected. By all accounts and from classroom discussion we have seen Vera constantly worries about how the war would change the people she loved. Perhaps then it can be argued that George is on the periphery and Vera sees no point in assigning pages of her text to his condition. However in our current wars, we as Americans can classify and diagnose PTSD and give it the attention that is warranted.
General Sutton outlines in a podcast how PTSD is seen from the Army’s perspective and how they are being proactive about treating soldiers who have just come back from deployment. Sutton states that forty to fifty thousand troops have been clinically diagnosed with PTSD. To help the soldiers who have been diagnosed, Sutton and the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury have created a warrior wellness network. This network has a twenty four hour call center that can help soldiers and families find doctors, learn about treatments, and find out more information about psychological problems that returning soldiers may have. Sutton went on to say that this center builds upon cognitive behavioral and prolonged exposure therapies, but that it also introduces new coping tools such as yoga, tai chi, and accupuncture.
But what is the connection between Vera Brittain’s work and this podcast then? Certainly the obvious connection is that both have elements of PTSD in each. But what I find interesting is how the focus of psychological ailments has shifted over time. The focus for Vera was physical injuries, things she could see and deal with, things that were felt and seen by all. I suppose the true connection here is the treatment of the injured. Vera treated the physically maimed, while today’s military does the same it holds the mind on a higher pedestal. Perhaps this is due to the advacements in technology, but also in modern warfare tactics. It is interesting to note that Roland’s death impacted Vera so significantly that she payed little attention to the psyche of George; one could say she is suffering from her own PTSD. However in any case, there are sharp differences in the way each piece deals with the unseen injuries of soldiers, and how it affects the people around them.
Audio Blogger’s Roundtable with Brig. Gen. Loree Sutton
mervenne said,
February 8, 2009 at 8:35 pm
This is an interesting blog. It is most interesting to see how the treatment of returning soldiers has shifted through the decades. Early wars often treated the physical ails, while leaving the mental afflictions for the family to deal with. I think you are correct with the shift in perception coming from a greater understanding of mental illness. You state:
“I suppose the true connection here is the treatment of the injured. Vera treated the physically maimed, while today’s military does the same it holds the mind on a higher pedestal. Perhaps this is due to the advacements (sic) in technology, but also in modern warfare tactics.” Which is true, but I think the technological advancement is more in the medical field. In wars past, especially pre-WWI and into WWII, many of the injured simply died. Governments sent soldiers like pawns into the fray, caring little for their survival. Now, soldiers carry pounds of armor, medicine and other survival gear. I’d like to think soldiers are more cared for now—wars are more “kind,” as absurd as that sounds. Bombs are “smarter,” meaning they are more likely to kill only those meant to be killed. And, as such, soldiers are more cared for, even after they return home. Not only are their physical wounds treated, but the mental ones as well. I, personally, think this is a positive advancement.
klynchmorin said,
February 10, 2009 at 6:55 pm
This topic is very interesting to me. While someone can be trained to kill, I cannot imagine that someone could ever fully prepare mentally for what they will experience during a war. I would imagine that all of the physical training in the world could prepare one’s mind for what they will see, hear and do when they are in an actual battle zone.
I have been getting a lot of feeds referring to the mental anguish suffered by soldiers and their families and what little is being done about it so I am glad to hear that some people are taking steps in the right direction.
I hope that a system will be put in place where any soldier who is finishing their tour of duty will be required to see a counselor or at least learn about the services available to them should they need some sort of assistance with coping with the war they left and the real world they are returning to.
It is curious that Brittain should focus such little attention on the unseen injuries of George. Perhaps they found those who suffered from mental anguish to be weaker than their counterparts who suffered from physical traumas rather than psychological ones.
John Smalley said,
March 28, 2009 at 3:13 am
Concerning the act of “Shell Shock” the treatment of victims in this disorder has indeed moved to the forefront lately, but this does not mean that it is still not being treated as seriously as it should be. Victims of Post traumatic stress disorder are often times ignored when it comes to ‘benefits’ after they leave combat. There is no official recognition of the disorder even though it can be hundreds of times more damaging to a person’s life than a severed limb or disablement. There is no purple heart for military officials who have it. Many government programs refuse to add on additional pay additional funds to veteran’s who suffer from it, and often times if this is the only thing that is ‘wrong’ with the soldier then it ends up being even less.
It just goes to show that even with all of the help and care given to these poor individuals, they still have a long way to go before their disorder is completely recognized for the devastating thing that it is.
Aaron Musk said,
April 13, 2009 at 6:56 pm
I am glad that some one wrote about this topic. I was personally diagnosed with this disorder after I came back from Iraq and i did not even think that i had it. But i think just to be on the safe side and treat every one the same just in case there are some lingering issues not seen right away. From what my grandpa says, back in his day they never had a treatment for this, let alone a diagnosis for a disorder that many would never tell their doctors about. Back then it seemed to just be the male thing to do to keep it in and deal with it your self. I have been in the hospital with some marines that had the PTSD pretty bad though. So bad in fact that we had 2 commit suicide just in the 6 months that i was in the hospital. Medication and having a 24 hour watch on you can only prevent so much. It is a sad thing to see someone living with PTSD though. I remember one instance when we were downtown San Diego for the fourth of July and fireworks went off and about 4 out of the 10 people i was with laid out flat and yelled incoming. These are the things that may not be seen right away but can affect you forever. Good post.
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