impression of being distant and detached.  In the mind of a mental health professional, this is a symptom of PTSD.               At some point during your interview the mental health member will ask you about your sleep.  Veterans with PTSD are bombarded with nightmares, restless sleep patterns, and very little sleep.  You need to let the mental health member know who is interviewing you that you are afraid to go to bed for fear of dreaming about war trauma.  You also want to let them know that your significant other is afraid to sleep near you because of your violent and abrupt sleepwalking events.  Additionally, your night sweats has caused you to be alarmed by the intensity of your dreams as well.  Your mental health professional will see these as definitive signs and symptoms of PTSD.             You want to inform the psychologist that upon waking from your violent nightmares that you then conduct reconnaissance missions around your home.  You check the windows, doors, under the bed, in all closets, and the perimeter.  You inform the clinician you are looking for the enemy.  Your mental health professional will see this as hypervigilance, a sure sign of PTSD.            Intense psychological distress at exposure to internal or external cues that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event is another surefire sign of PTSD.  Vietnamveterans with PTSD often recall certain smells that remind them of war trauma.  For instance, oders closely related to Asian spices bring back intense traumatic memories for Vietnam veterans.  For OIF/OEF veterans, a common environmental cue that reminds them of war trauma is the contour of geographical landscapes.  Especially those veterans that live in the West (i.e., California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, and West Texas).  Also, many OIF/OEF veterans experience intense anger outbursts from traffic jams.  We learned of several Iraqi veterans who informed doctors that driving around the Middle East meant driving as fast as they wanted, any time they wanted.  Also, road rules of any sort did not exist.  For obvious reason, following any such road etiquette could have gotten them injured or killed.  When back in the states, these veterans perceived road rules and congestion on the road as a sign of imminent or immediate danger.  Therefore, road rage is another probable indicator of PTSD.  If you are an OIF/OEF veteran make sure and tell the clinician you cannot tolerate driving.                 Veterans of both Vietnam and OIF/OEF with PTSD show signs of detachment from loved ones and friends.  Getting emotionally and psychologically attached to others in the combat zone can make veterans vulnerable.  This defense mechanism helps veterans protect themselves from the pain of loss.  It is important to let your psychologist know that you are afraid to connect with loved ones.  You find it difficult to establish meaningful relationships since you departed the war zone.  This is another key marker of PTSD. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |