Once a Warrior--Always a Warrior: Navigating The Transition From Combat To Home--Including Combat Stress, Ptsd, And Mtbi
Being back home can be as difficult, if not more so, than the time spent serving in a combat zone. It's with this truth that Colonel Charles W. Hoge, MD, a leading advocate for eliminating the stigma of mental health care, presents Once a Warrior―Always a Warrior, a groundbreaking resource with essential new insights for anyone who has ever returned home from a war zone.
In clear practical language, Dr. Hoge explores the latest knowledge in combat stress, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), mTBI (mild traumatic brain injury), other physiological reactions to war, and their treatment options. Recognizing that warriors and family members both change during deployment, he helps them better understand each other's experience, especially living with enduring survival skills from the combat environment that are often viewed as “symptoms” back home. The heart of this book focuses on what's necessary to successfully navigate the transition―“LANDNAV” for the home front.
Once a Warrior―Always a Warrior shows how a warrior's knowledge and skills are vital for living at peace in an insane world.
Reviews (152)
Very good book. Easy to read
Very good book. Easy to read, understand, and relate to. I bought it to try understand what my roommate is going through as a combat vet with PTSD and TBI and this was a big help in understanding his reality and also preparing me for potential triggers and explanations for behavior that might normally be seen as overreacting. I got him this book too and he found it very helpful in not only understanding himself better, but it also gave him techniques to deal with some of the issues he wants to work on. There's a lot of great information in here and I found it interesting enough to read it in a weekend. I wish I had read this years ago when I dated combat vets and active military that had multiple deployments in combat zones - it would have spared all of us a lot of fights, frustration, and heartache. I also wish this book had been in existence years ago when my Grandfather was alive (WWII vet with severe PTSD); his life would have been so much different had the family known the reasons behind his behavior and how to react when he was triggered. Hope he'd be proud of me now.
Clear, thorough, and accurate
Being a psychiatrist who writes frequently about PTSD myself, I was looking for a good book about PTSD to suggest for adults. This is the best overview I've found so far written for laypersons. The writing is clear without lots of scientific language. Dr Hoge covers the challenges of seeking help and what to expect from good treatment. Unfortunately there are a lot of incompetent therapists out there who don't handle PTSD well and I would have liked to see the author advise vets on how to spot those and what to do about them. Otherwise there was much good self-help advice.
A must read
This book is a must read for anyone who went to war or loves someone who went to war. Helped me understand my combat veteran husband on a deeper level. Helped him understand things he was experiencing and realize that he wasn't alone. This book helped us both a lot. We each have our own copy. I also highly recommend The Things They Carried.
It has helped me to understand better the where and why of his "strange" at times ...
As a former military spouse and now close friend to a military contractor with one tour in Iraq and now on his second tour to Afghanistan, all of them as a law enforcement advisor. I feel it is a most read for military spouses and civilian employees involved in those countries conflicts alike. It has helped me to understand better the where and why of his "strange" at times behavior, his nightmares, and my dodging of punches in occasions. This book has made me realize many of the things that are going on in his mind when he comes home are not the result of not loving me but the result of his assume guilt, and other things that happen not only to soldiers but also to the civilians directly involved with the training of the foreign troops in the hostile environment of those countries.
I Salute you COL Hoge!!
As a warrior, I believe this to be the best book on PTSD and covers everything one may need; it motivates one to make the first step towards healing.Many books on the struggles with PTSD just don’t cut it when it comes to understanding the culture of the Soldiers and seem to go into too much science. This book’s explanation of the struggles a warrior goes through may just motivate you to find the help to live a life you deserve and improve your relationships with the people you love most. I salute you COL Hoge and 1SG Schindler, for a meaningful book.
Must read to understand PTSD in soldiers
If you are a soldier or have a soldier in your family who is struggling with symptoms such as sleep problems, anxiety and irritability after deployment, you need to read this book. Retired COL Hoge has written a masterpiece when it comes to understanding PTSD and mTBI from the soldier's perspective. More importantly, he provides a road map for recovery as well. I use this book regularly in my work with soldiers and it helps break the stigma many of them have about being weak when they have not been able to overcome post-deployment issues themselves and the guilt they often carry. Anyone who wants to understand what soldiers experience and what PTSD is like for them will be glad they read this.
Writing is well done and presented in a way that makes it easy to follow
We are beyond reading this at our house. We usually have 2 or 3 copies at home and frequently give them to Soldiers around us we know could benefit from this one. Writing is well done and presented in a way that makes it easy to follow...or easy to skip around to the content you need. Very happy with this book. Thanks, Dr. Hogue!
Definitely a need to read
This book has a lot of different information covering a lot of complex areas that we as combat veterans can use to better our lives when we have returned from a deployment. It also helps those who are closest to us to better relate to, and help work with us without having to walk on eggshells. There is also a part in this book that will help the veteran to deal with returning to their family which I think is totally awesome . I strongly recommend this book two any and all combat veterans, spouses, loved ones, Etc to help them get past the difficulty of a combat veteran returning home. Awesome book filled with lots of information.
Perfect as a learning guide, and aid
This book is incredible for anyone who is caregiving for, or even who has, or knows anybody with PTSD. I love every bit of knowledge I'm getting out of this, and recommend it to anyone looking for tips. I've recommended it to my therapist (who works at the VA with Veterans who have PTSD, and caregivers of those with PTSD). She's in turn recommended it to her patients. This is the most important book anyone who wants more information on PTSD will EVER read. It hurts to read sometimes, because it feels like I'm reading something about my own life, or about my husband's life. I never feel like anyone will understand him, or us, and this book gives me so much hope. BUY this if you want ANY more info on PTSD. It will be your PTSD Bible.
The Combat Vetern'a Bible
This is an outstanding work. The whole idea of ptsd is fraught with myth and nonsense but with the vast numbers of returning veterans from Iraq first and now Afghanistan, most with multiple tours, there is an avalanche poised to fall in every country that contributes troops to that sorry exercise. This book is timely, because at the end of the day, in my experience as a Vietnam vet, the burden of coping with the trauma post deployment falls on the veteran. The author has had the experience and he understands the problems we face clearly. The book is a great guide and source of critical information. Networks of other vets and professional help all have to be part of the mix, but recovery or adaptation are an inside job. The book also offers insight and guidance to the other half of the equation those to whom the veteran returns. It should be handed out as part of the readjustment package provided to all returning veterans
Comments
Post a Comment