Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious mental health condition that disproportionately impacts Veterans. While some Veterans with milder forms of PTSD are able to continue working, for others the condition can interfere with their ability to maintain employment. Symptoms of PTSD can include flashbacks, anxiety, depression, and difficulty concentrating. Those symptoms can make it difficult for Veterans to perform their job duties and can even make them unsuitable for certain types of jobs.
One of the struggles for Veterans with PTSD is that the disorder can challenge self-perceptions about toughness, which can make it more challenging for Veterans to seek medical assistance. However, being tough has nothing to do with whether someone will experience PTSD. Anyone who experiences a traumatic event can experience one of the main types of PTSD symptoms. The effects of PTSD on a Veterans’ ability to work depends on the combination of symptoms, as well as symptom severity.
Intrusive thoughts are one of the potential symptoms of PTSD. Many people think of flashbacks when they think of intrusive thoughts, but those distressing events are not the only type. They also include memories and nightmares that can cause distress, reduce the ability to function, or even impair judgment.
Another hallmark of PTSD is avoidance. Because sufferers want to avoid the negative experiences that can come with PTSD, they may avoid anything that could trigger an adverse reaction, including stressful scenarios. That can translate into avoiding people, places, and situations, limiting their ability to participate in work activities.
Hyperarousal is another classic sign of PTSD. Humans generally have a fight, flight, or freeze response to scary scenarios. With hyperarousal, people are more likely to perceive non-threatening scenarios as threatening. Other symptoms include increased alertness, difficulty sleeping, and heightened startle responses. The fatigue and exhaustion can also impact someone’s ability to function normally.
Finally, there are adverse changes in thinking and mood. PTSD can bring about feelings like depression, irritability, emotional numbness, and feelings of guilt and shame. These feelings can impact productivity. They can also influence a Veteran’s relationships with coworkers, which is one of the less-discussed effects of PTSD on a Veteran’s ability to work.
Veterans with PTSD often struggle with employment due to their symptoms. It can make it more difficult for employees to maintain focus and productivity, create challenges in workplace relationships, increase absenteeism, and make it more difficult to adapt to civilian work environments.
Many Veterans with PTSD experience problems with concentration, memory, and problem-solving. The intrusive thoughts and hyperarousal associated with PTSD can make it difficult for them to complete tasks efficiently, leading to decreased productivity and potential job loss.
PTSD can also cause irritability, mood swings, and difficulties in social interactions at work. Veterans may struggle to communicate with colleagues, supervisors, and clients, leading to misunderstandings or conflicts in the workplace. It is not unusual for these issues to lead to job dissatisfaction, conflicts with coworkers, or even termination.
One of the issues that people might not consider when they think of PTSD-related complications is absenteeism. Veterans with PTSD may have difficulty adhering to a regular work schedule due to sleep disturbances, medical appointments, or severe anxiety episodes.
PTSD can impact the work life of anyone who suffers from it. However, the transition from military to civilian employment can be particularly challenging for Veterans with PTSD. The military has a structured and high-intensity environment where some of the symptoms of PTSD, such as hypervigilance, can actually aid in job performance, at least in some scenarios. This contrasts sharply with civilian jobs, which are sometimes unstructured and present different types of stressors that can trigger negative symptoms.
In addition to the way that PTSD directly impacts workers, it can also have an indirect impact on the workplace environment. Lack of accommodation, stigma, misconceptions, difficulties accessing mental health support, and even difficulties finding appropriate employment can compound these difficulties. For help navigating the effects of PTSD on Veterans’ ability to work and exploring options for disability, schedule a free case evaluation with Fight4Vets.
