I got to get another crack at you before you go full on Commando on me. But I originally disagree that PTSD should be used as a defense...Which it is all the time...then all of a sudden somebody who has never seen combat can have no clue about PTSD...according to the military folks in this thread, if I have not seen combat in some fucked up third world country, I can have no fucking idea about PTSD...As military folks that joined voluntarily you have to expect this will be the outcome in the time of war so dont fucking cry about it...But no fucking way can anybody other than military that have seen combat know anything about horror and tragedy.
PTSD symptoms seem to be worse if they were triggered deliberately by another person, as in a mugging or rape. Most PTSD sufferers repeatedly relive the trauma in their thoughts during the day and in nightmares when they sleep. These are called flashbacks. Flashbacks may consist of images, sounds, smells, or feelings. They are often triggered by ordinary occurrences, such as a door slamming, a car backfiring, or being in a place that looks like where the trauma took place. A person having a flashback is likely to feel the emotions and physical feelings that occurred when the incident happened despite no longer being in danger.
Not every traumatized person develops full-blown or even minor PTSD. Symptoms usually begin within three months of the incident, but occasionally may only emerge years later. They must last more than a month to be considered PTSD. The condition varies from person to person. Some people recover within months, while others have symptoms for much longer. In some people, the condition becomes chronic.
PTSD and the Military
Today, hundreds of thousands of service men and women and recent military veterans have seen combat. Many have been shot at, seen their buddies killed, or witnessed death up close. These are types of events that can lead to PTSD.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that PTSD afflicts:
Almost 31 percent of Vietnam veterans
As many as 10 percent of Gulf War (Desert Storm) veterans
11 percent of veterans of the war in Afghanistan
20 percent of Iraqi war veterans
looks like Im not the only one that thinks that PTSD exists outside of combat veterans. Im a big fan of the military, even the big headed tough guys that are Macho Man status on the internet and in real life...I'll take the award for biggest pussy and you can wear the award of cant control my temper and fly off the handle on the internet lol...