Post Traumatic Stress disorder (PTS or PTSD) is an illness that affects over a million Australians – almost one in 20 of the population – a Mount Isa forum heard on Tuesday.
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It was one of many shocking statistics at a free forum at the Civic Centre organised by the local RSL sub-branch.
Mount Isa RSL sub-branch’s Steve Carrington said PTS was until recently swept under the carpet.
“It has been with us for thousands of years but has always been put in the too hard basket,” Mr Carrington sad.
“PTS is not confined to the military, it could affect anyone at any time.”
President of the RSL sub-branch Jim Egan said after he noticed a lot of people travelling through town who were suffering from severe mental health issues.
“It was probably only a matter of time before one of those people used Longreach as a place to say goodbye,” Mr Egan said.
“I too have had PTS and I have no doubt that if I had not been led by the hand, I would not be here to talk about it.”
His experiences caused him to run the PTS forum in Longreach which was successful and now they were taking it to Mount Isa.
“This concept has been picked up by other RSL branches and hopefully will continue to roll out across Queensland,” he said.
John Gilmour, from the Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation in Brisbane gave insights into his research into veterans who suffer PTS.
Mr Gilmour said a million Australian suffered from the disorder and the prevalence was higher still among veterans.
He said most people suffer at least one major traumatic event in their lives which leads to emotional upset and increased anxiety.
“In most cases symptoms of distress settle down in the weeks following the event but in a minority of people the symptoms persist,” Mr Gilmour said.
The situation is exacerbated for the military who may be exposed to multiple traumatic events .
“Around five to 12 percent of seving and ex-serving members will be affected by PTSD in any given year,” he said.
He said symptoms of PTSD included intrusive re-experiencing of the event such as nightmares and flashbacks, persistent avoiding of anything that reminds them of the event, and changes in cognition and mood such as blocked memory, negative beliefs and detachment from people.
“It can lead to irritable behaviour and angry outbursts, reckless or self-destructive behaviour, exaggerated startle response, problems with concentration and sleep disturbance,” he said.
Mr Gilmour said people with PTSD were 80 percent more likely to have symptoms of other mental health disorders and he said it was important to recognise the signs and symptoms.
“They include prolonged periods of numbing, increased conflict at home and at work, increased alcohol and substance abuse, physical complaints and loss of identity,” he said.
“The culture may not encourage openly discussing mental health difficulties but camaraderie and collegial support can assist with maintaining function – support networks are vital for all of us.”
