Why is Online Bullying More Prevalent?

Why Is Online Bullying More Prevalent?

On most days I spend time posting on the CBSSports.com website with people that I have become “pseudo friends” with over the past 5 years.  We use this site to converse over topics ranging from last night’s baseball games to the upcoming presidential election to bizarre and funny news topics.  Today, as I was going through my daily routine of reading sports I was taken aback by the ugliness of some of the forum posts written by my fellow posters. 

To be fair, these posts were posted on the “Off Topic” board on a sports website, where topics range from brilliant to absurd and are mostly discussed with humor and wit.  However, somewhere, somehow, during the recent past the humor and wit has taken a nasty turn towards bullying by individuals and groups of individuals.  I kind of think of it as a Lord of the Flies scenario where people are following a mob mentality.  Today a poster accused another poster of being gay.  A little strange since it is an anonymous site and the accused poster has never posted personal information.    More than likely the poster was trying to get a rise out of the individual but he would not let it go.  There was post after post about the guy being gay.  And after a while other posters began to get into it and began targeting the individual with what I assume were lies. 

Is this a huge deal?  Probably not, but you just don’t know.  However, it helps illustrate the negative side of anonymous posts on the internet and it piqued my curiosity on adult bullying and the internet. Unfortunately after researching through the academic resources provided to me through Regis University it is quite clear that research on Adult internet bullying is in its infant stage.  The main focus of cyber bullying research focuses on teens and is being researched nationally by organizations such as the Cyberbullying Research Center and the National Crime Prevention Council. 

The numbers associated with cyber bullying provided by these organizations are staggering.  Bullyingstaticstics.org, which gathers data from multiple sources, estimates that over 25 percent of American adolescents and teens have been repeatedly bullied through cell phones or internet.  And less than 10% of those bullied will report this to a parent or an adult. 

With the instances of adolescent and teen bullying numbers being so high it’s not hard for me to understand why I’m seeing increased instances of adult bullying online.  It's unfortunate that the internet has led to a loss of civility and this loss has started to turn me off from using a social tool that I have used over the past 5 years.

Bullying Statistics.  (2009).  Adult Bullying and Cyber Statistics.  Retrieved fromhttp://www.bullyingstatistics.org/

Reliance on Social Media by Students

By: Rebekah Silk

“Student reliance on social media is undeniable” Sacks, M., & Graves, N. (2012)


The reliance students have on social media is the new in thing, social media can include, Facebook, twitter and YouTube just to name a few. Social media not only serve as communication tools for students but shape the way they build their social and professional identities. When I think about social networking I think about communicating with friends and family. I never thought I would be communicating with students and doing research work and getting class projects done. Social media is not only being used by students but it’s also now being used by HR personnel to search for potential job candidates. Social media is now replacing communication by email and telephone. You can easily instant message someone which could possibly replace text messaging. You have an application you can download on your smart phone, which will put in constant communication with everyone on your networking site. Social media is now how others communicate; we can just say “look me up on Facebook”. This is a huge way to network and get yourself or business known.

In conclusion on the reliance on social media by students as well as employers, businesses and friends, you never know what you can do when you are communicating in cyberspace. There are so many ways to relate to others and now you can do school work with other students in other states or countries or right next door. The possibilities never end.

Reference: Sacks, M., & Graves, N. (2012). How Many “Friends” Do You Need? Teaching Students How to Network Using Social Media. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(1), 80-88

Weight No More

         “The physical and emotional health of an entire generation and the economic health and security is at stake.”  - First Lady, Michelle Obama

Let’s face it we live in a fast-paced world. Convenience is the name of the game.  Eating healthy is not always an easy option and getting in time at the gym seems impossible. There is a reason losing weight is dubbed “the battle of the bulge” or “combating obesity,” it’s hard, exhausting, and overwhelming.  Given the expanse of the internet and the increase in online communities geared strictly toward weight loss, pounds and inches don’t seem as daunting when you have the social support of a network people just like you.

Weight issues have been a major news story for years, and millions of Americans suffer from extra pounds.  According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in 2009-2010, 35.7% of U.S. adults were obese, and 16.9% of children/adolescents fell into the same category.  (CDC, 2012)  These are scary statistics! Without major awareness and initiatives to help people lose and keep the weight off there will be a steady increase to these numbers.  Online communities are stepping up to the plate and lending a hand to support people who wish/need to lose weight. 

         Take for example one of the leading weight loss sites, www.sparkpeople.com.  Their “weight loss program teaches people to stop dieting and transition to a permanent, healthy lifestyle. Far beyond just weight loss, SparkPeople helps everyone learn to eat better and exercise regularly for life.”  (SparkPeople, 2012). This community strives to give people the tools they need to make better, healthier choices. This change is not a fad diet that gives fast results but permanent lifestyle changes.  

         They provide a safe community where people can track their water, fitness, food, and pounds lost. It’s free to join, unlike other websites, such as Weight Watchers ©.  They offer not only the online component but also mobile applications for smart phones.  Having a resources such as this site helps someone who is struggling with their weight connect with others, set goals, and find a wealth of resources.  The site is full of recipes, workout videos, tips, tricks, team challenges, and more. Members can join groups of like-minded people, such as 30-somethings, or busy moms, to lend and gain much needed support on their journey.

         This site is not just for tracking measurements but social support as well. “Social interactions among SparkPeople members are sources of encouragement, information, and validation of struggles and successes. These interactions occur through multiple avenues, including posts in discussion forums, private messages, and comments on blogs. Approximately 500,000 members log into the Web site at least every month.” (Hwang, 2011).  In a recent study, it was found that the average user at SparkPeople was 36 years old, 18.1% had normal body masses, 32.7% were overweight, 20.6% were obese, and 28.1% were extremely obese. “Most participants [of the study and likely SparkPeople members] were experienced and frequent user of the internet.” (Hwang, 2011) These statistics show that average people, with a varying degree of obesity, are working together and supporting one another to lose the weight.  Since most users are on the internet frequently it means more support for you on your journey.

         Have kids?  Obesity and weight loss is not an adult only issue and sparkpeople.com is only available to ages 18 and older.  Take a look at, letsmove.gov, and find some great ideas to help your children and yourself make healthier life choices. Created on an initiative by First Lady, Michelle Obama, this site gives great facts and figures to put health and weight into perspective and to help manage your child’s weight.  They have sections for eating healthy, getting active and taking action against weight loss/obesity.  What really makes this site stand out above others is its community-based approach.  By changing how schools and communities eat and live an active lifestyle, the child and adult obesity rates can drop significantly. By following the site and receiving emails, you will be well on your way to success. 

         Being overweight can lead to a shortened lifespan, disease, and injury. Now these communities are reaching out to others, trying to make life healthier. Sites like SparkPeople.com, Letsmove.gov, and so many others, take the fear and frustration out of doing this battle alone. I know when I’m struggling not to eat something, or lack the energy to exercise, a few minutes on one of these sites communicating with other members, I feel more alive, more positive, and like I’m on my way to a healthier life.

         The invent of the internet and the growth of supportive websites, has been an amazing addition to an already fast-paced society.  Losing weight is not easy, but with the social support and tools of these growing communities filled with people going through the same battle, it is a lot less lonely and a lot more productive.  The communities offer tools and social outlets to help people succeed.  For those 35.7% of adults and 16.9% of children, that are overweight, now is the time to take action and reach out to the other - together we can.

Works Cited

LetsMove. (2012, August). Retrieved from LetsMove.gov: www.letsmove.gov

SparkPeople About US. (2012, August). Retrieved from SparkPeople: http://www.sparkpeople.com/about/index.asp

CDC. (2012, January). Prevalence of Obesity in the United States, 2009-2010. Retrieved from www.cdc.gov: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db82.pdf

Hwang, K. O., Ottenbacher, A. J., Lucke, J. F., Etchegaray, J. M., Graham, A. L., Thomas, E. J., & Bernstam, E. V. (2011). Measuring Social Support for Weight Loss in an Internet Weight Loss Community. Journal Of Health Communication, 16(2), 198-211

Opening Picture:  From http://www.ailaspeaks.com/weight-no-more-program.html

End Picture: From easternshoremedicalweightloss.com

5.93 million years and counting........

By: Ryan Randol
A statement is often made that time is money.  Assuming that this is true, online game play represents a tremendous financial resource that is being tapped in many ways.  In some recent research, I discovered that online game play is much more significant than I had imagined.  A single game, World of Warcraft, had logged over 5.93 million years of online user game play by 2010, according to Jane McGonigal, with no end in sight (Olivetti, 2010).

Online game play offers an experience that can't be recreated with a traditional idea of a game.  For example, World of Warcraft held the Guinness World Record for subscribers in 2010 having reached 12 million subscribers (Guinness World Record, 2010).  Obviously, a twelve million player board game would not be a possibility.  Likewise, 12 million participants in dodge ball would present a futile scenario.  It is only through massive servers that interaction of this scale can occur.

The energy that is expended in online game play is substantial.  The consumption of electricity alone is tremendous.  Assuming a typical CPU consumes 500 watts and the average residential rate for electricity is $0.12 per kilowatt hour, the cost of the electricity to play World of Warcraft had exceeded $3,000,000,000 by the time Jane McGonigal made her claim in 2010.  This cost doesn’t account for the mental capabilities that have been dedicated to online games by the aficionados.

Online game play creates a sense of community that is unrivaled because the participants share a significant interest to start the interaction.  This common interest provides an environment that can be highly conducive to collaboration.  Many games have the option to form alliances and work together toward a common goal.  These alliances may form across racial, social, and religious lines that would not normally be breached.  Players can participate in the game from any area of the world where broadband internet service is available.  This feature of online gaming allows cultural barriers, which would otherwise exist, to be ignored.  Perhaps, through online gaming breaking these barriers, we may see barriers in the physical world fall as well.

References:

How Online Gaming can Change the World. (Olivetti, 2012). Retrieved from:  http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/18/how-online-gaming-can-change-the-world/

Most popular subscription-based Massively Multiplayer Online Role Player Game (MMORPG).  (Guinness, 2010).  Retrieved from:  http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/6000/most-popular-subscription-based-massively-multiplayer-online-role-player-game-%28mmorpg%29

Military Cyberspace Communication

“The DOD has made great strides during the past five years in developing cyber warfare specialties” (Franz, 2011 pg. 87).

            Fifty years ago if someone were to tell top U.S. Military leaders that they would be fighting war in cyberspace, they would have most likely laughed as they wrote letters and made phone calls. However, currently a lot of the communication within the U.S. Military is now done through emails, texting, and even Facebook. Oh yea, the Air Force even flies aircraft from a cockpit set up in front of a computer monitor.  That being said, in the past decade the U.S Military has found a need to develop a force that can communicate and fight in cyberspace. For that reason this research will discuss the where cyberspace technicians fit in the D.O.D. and the challenges they face.

            One of the first things many people thinks when they see someone in an Air Force uniform is that they are a pilot. However, a successful air operation depends on much more than just a skilled pilot, and cyber communication plays a role in almost all military functions (Franz, 2011). For this reason, cyberspace technicians have been assigned to direct and plan offensive and defensive activities through cyberspace. Defensively, cyberspace commanders would assemble teams to protect installation networks that are critical to executing the mission. They have also been directed to plan, design, and use cyber warfare tools and weapons (Franz, 2011). However, developing a war fighting culture for cyber warfare professionals can be difficult. The offensive mindset of keeping networks running comes natural to most, but the defensive part doesn’t come easily and extra effort has been required. That being said, D.O.D cyberspace technicians have answered the defensive challenge and maybe even taken it a little too far. It has almost become comical to log on to a government computer. People who have done this know they have to sit through the five different popups that come up warning the user about threats. Meanwhile, the system performs a hardware audit ensuring that no one has changed any parts and don’t plan on plugging in that memory stick unless you want a communications technician knocking on your office door. Nevertheless, it’s obvious that the U.S Military needs to continue to develop and strengthen its cyberspace capabilities. The question is how much will it grow? The U.S Air Force stemmed from the Army when government officials realized they needed a branch dedicated to air superiority. Could we see a new military branch dedicated cyber warfare? I guess only time will tell. 

Bullying in the Cyber-World

By: Lauren Butler

“In recent years a new form of aggression or bullying has emerged, labeled “cyberbullying”, in which the aggression occurs through modern technological devices, and specifically mobile phones or the internet” (Slonje & Smith, 2008, p. 1).

It’s no secret that there has been a major increase in the use of technology for communication, with a vast majority of young people being active online. Incidentally, this in turn has increased the amount of cyberbullying taking place among adolescents and teens. Text messaging, social media, email and chatting outlets are the most popular mediums for bullies to wreak havoc, but identity theft has also become a genuine concern. Cyberbullying gives bullying a new face, and according to an article found in the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, there are features of cyberbullying that can distinguish it from what is thought of as traditional school yard bullying. “One is the difficulty of getting away from it” (Slonje & Smith, 2008, p. 2), as online communication can be relentless with a huge audience. Indeed, probably the most daunting element of cyberbullying, “is the invisibility of those doing the bullying: cyberbullying is not a face-to-face experience, and (like rumor-spreading) provides those doing the bullying with some degree of “invisibility” and at times anonymity” (Slonje & Smith, 2008, p. 2).

Consequences of cyberbullying are not as obvious and straight forward so repercussions can be delayed. Cyberbullying is fairly disguised and bystanders may not be aware of the situations, therefore it can make help a lot harder to obtain. In recent years there has been a major push to control and eliminate traditional bullying at schools with the implementation of zero tolerance policies, so cyberbullying has become the new out of sight method for bullies. Unfortunately victims of cyberbullying usually don’t tell anyone, and if they do it’s just their friends, leaving them susceptible to continued mistreatment. Also, with somewhat of a technology gap between parents and the younger generations, the adults are often clueless as to the methods, means, and language used by cyberbullies leaving them in the dark.

Cyberbullying can be a silent issue, but never the less it is real, and becoming more of concern as communication via technology continues to grow. Although a form of bullying, it is not the same as traditional bullying, and needs to be viewed and handled in a different manner. Technology is changing rapidly and is therefore continuing to provide more outlets for cyberbullies to prey. Parents need to ensure they are aware of their children’s’ online activity, and to try and create open communication climates with them. Communication is key, and if parents educate both themselves and their children on the issues of cyberbullying it can make a difference. If teens know they have an outlet to turn to, they are more likely to reveal their experiences and concerns. Advocacy and awareness are instrumental to ensuring that cyber predators lose their power!

Reference:

Slonje, R., & Smith, P.K. (2008). Cyberbullying: Another main type of bullying?. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 49(2), 147-154. doi:10.1111/j. 1467-9450.2007.00611.x

The Challenge: Managing Virtual Teams

By Matthew Schwall

“Managing virtual teams is different and more complex than managing face-to-face teams” (Berry, 2011, p.186).


Companies are choosing to build virtual teams that may be spread out geographically. As a result, in-person meetings are expensive for businesses due to travel. Electronic communications such as e-mail and teleconferences provide an alternative, but making the conversations effective is challenging. Data, which was presented in-person, must now be available to all members of the team and must be reliable and secure.

Face to face communications allow immediate feedback, a dynamic that is lost in some types of electronic communication. The “human touch” is part of what needs to be added to electronic communications suggests Uber Grose (2002). The dryness of non-personal communications leaves us with an automatic disadvantage. There is no body language to observe, no observable interaction with others, no feel for the counterpart’s environment, and no personal bonding. Additional personal information should be added to communication to humanize the person at the other end of the conversation.

Team communication across cultural boundaries using electronic media creates additional challenges, but may also have some advantages. Phone conferences are especially problematic. Non-native English speakers are at a disadvantage when trying to communicate verbally. Texas Instruments in an attempt to reduce travel costs uses WebEx to host virtual meetings (Uber Grose, 2002). Visual presentations can be shared between team locations to help clarify the information being presented. WebEx meetings have an instant messaging feature, which allows those that are timid or are not as fluent in English to communicate.

Moving data effectively between teams is a challenge. Gibson & Cohen (2003) found that team members prefer basic e-mail rather than larger more controlled data storage systems. Additionally, the method to communicate and move data must be reliable. Communication may be interrupted due to different technological issues, computer security, and system outages. I recently expected a WebEx call from the Far East and was rather concerned when the scheduled call was not attended. Was my meeting invitation received? Later in the day I found that there was a typhoon in the area from which the participants were calling. There was a country-wide evacuation and all communications were down. Working with off-site team members poses a unique set of challenges especially when normal lines of communication and data transfer are interrupted.

Managing virtual teams presents a unique set of challenges, which need to be understood and addressed for businesses to be successful. While difficult, these challenges can be resolved with the aid of electronic computer assisted tools and by understanding the environment and cultures of the team members.


References:

Berry, G.R. (2011). Enhancing Effectiveness on Virtual Teams Journal of Business Communication. Journal of Business Communication, 48, 186-206

Gibson, C. B., & Cohen, S. G. (2003). The last word: Conclusions and implication. In C. B. Gibson & S. G. Cohen (Eds.). Virtual teams that work: Creating conditions for virtual team effectiveness (pp. 403-421). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Uber Grosse, Christine (2002). Managing Communication within Virtual Intercultural Teams. Communication Quarterly, 65, 22-38

Is Online Adult Education Worth The Investment?

By Ndid Anamege

For most adults taking online classes, the question has always been asked; Is it really worth the time and money invested? Depending on the individual responding, the answer could be either a yes or a no. But over he years, the number of students enrolling in this method of attaining a degree has been on the increase regardless of what people may be thinking of it.

For a working adult who aspire to move up in an organization he or she works  for , an online education is a great option towards getting a degree that will make that possible. The other option of abandoning their careers to pursue a college degree has always made many decide against furthering their education. And for a mom or dad the idea of raising a family and going back to college is often hard. There is the problem of rigid college schedule to juggle with the family. And of course there is the problem of availability of degree program of interest for someone who may have just relocated to a different town or state.

Online education has made it possible for the average adult to still get a quality education without interrupting their lives. The level of materials being taught are very comparable to standard 4-year colleges. Tuitions and fees are about same. Employers who used to look down on degrees from online colleges are now even paying for employees to get such degrees. So obviously online education is a good option to a traditional 4-year college.

Cyber Garbage

"Meet hot sexy single's in your area." This is some of the junk that is floating around online in our cyber communities now. Would you really trust meeting someone from a website and trusting that this is their actual identity? What ever happened to meeting someone nice from work, or school, or maybe even at church, but online, really!? There are several different dating sites set up online such as: Eharmony.com, match.com, and even a site called christianmingle.com. Christianmingle... Really!? This is so inappropiate, especially for someone as religious as myself, one is supposed to wait for the special someone, there is a plan for everyone. Why rush it? It seems as though everyone is in such a rush or hurry to meet someone. In my opinion however, if you rush it, it is not going to turn out how you want or intended. It's crazy to me to think how advanced our technology has come. Everything anyone needs anymore can be found online, and most of the time a lot cheaper. Though there are several sites online that offer online dating and such, there is also social sites that encourage and added the dating feature online also. Could this be a new rising of something that is already so big? Furthermore, I noticed that I can't even log onto Craigslist.com anymore without a bunch of spam claiming to meet singles in your area. It's sad how polluted the net is now with all the dating content going around. Among countless hours of research, I have come up with no way to completely get rid of all these pop up's . I have Norton that is supposed to protect my internet from all these sites and pop ups, but I still have yet a way to stop these from happening. The social content is not the only thing that is being compromised on the net. People's identities also are being stolen and used, which brings me back to my point, why trust something like this online? In my opinion as I watch the internet continue to grow, so will all the junk and spam also. Perhaps one day, someone will come out with a true solution as to stopping this spam from happening. Until then however, I see this being a continuing problem. But, why trust that someone is truly who you want over online, when in reality, they might be a pyscho.

Finding Love Through a Pet Online - Is it Really Possible?

Okay ladies, calm down and get your eyes back in your head. . . Now that I have your attention, this blog isn’t about a possible fly by night Casanova. Rather it’s about a love that dates back to prehistoric times; the love and bond between a human and a dog. Can we really find the right companion online with all the options available? How can you tell a scam from a legitimate breeder? Lately I’ve wanted to add more pitter patter of little footsteps to my household since my daughter has reached her teen years. Our interactions consist of talk about her latest Korean craze, whether it is music or a drama series. Oh, and she does talk to me when she’s hungry or wants me to buy her something. That aside, it’s basically been our dog Jasmine and me moping around the house and relying on each other for companionship. I did get lucky and find love online once with Jasmine. My daughter and I were looking for a dog after having to part with a Chihuahua with definite bladder and bowel issues. We tried adopting from a shelter and ended up with a border collie mix that not only liked to herd our cats, but after she started herding some children in our family she had to go. Finally we checked out the dogs on the Retriever Rescue of Colorado website where it was love at first site with Jasmine, and the rest is history. There are breeders that advertise online, and might appeal to some who want a pet with papers for show or breeding purposes. Also, some people want dogs specially trained for a task and there are breeders that specialize in that like Ashland Kennel in Georgia which breeds dogs for hunting. Unfortunately there are also scammers out there, just like in every online industry. The scammers can charge anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars, to allegedly include vaccinations and papers with their pet for sale. Bottom line, they don’t have pets for sale and never ship the animal as promised. Yahoo had a great article with tips on how to avoid fraud. Africa seems to be a hotbed for puppy fraud, among other types, and was featured on a television news feature out of New York. In my research Cameroon, Africa kept coming up again and again as a place to avoid sending funds for puppy purchases. Bottom line, as with any purchase, it is caveat emptor – buyer beware. If it seems too good to be true it probably is. Do research before purchasing a dog from an online breeder. I like adopting from local rescue agencies because the companies have been around, and most likely have placed these dogs in a foster home so know a bit about the animal’s personality. Local shelters are great resources, too, but don’t always know the dogs’ personalities as well as those agencies with foster homes. Most rescue agencies evaluate animals on socialization with adults, children, other dogs, and cats, as well as training levels. Tomorrow I am meeting Magic at the park and I hope we’ll have a little magic of our own. Retriever Rescue of Colorado matched us with him and I’m hoping he’ll blend into our household and give Jasmine and I some additional companionship. Wish us luck!

MMOG is Relatable

"Massively multi player online games (also known as massively multi player online role playing games, MMORGs, MMOGs or MMOs) are, as the name suggests, games that are many people play online together in virtual worlds," (Bailey, 2012).

 

To be successful in an MMORG the player must engage in a large amount of communication within the gaming community. Despite its added creativity and imaginative features, this communication used in the virtual world actually builds real-world skills. These skills derive from the need to be independent, solve problems, negotiate, learn currencies/trade value, and work as a team to conquer various aspects of the virtual world. Role playing requires most of the same energy as living except the users are required to create themselves and function in an online community rather than just be themselves and take what is handed to them. The role playing in MMOs is advanced enough that players can even join together in protest of problems with the game to truly contribute to their online citizenship.

These online communities are also generally more well behaved and arguably better at communicating than traditional communities. "One reason for this is the value players attribute to belonging to the communities. In some cases value is due to the cost of purchasing the software required to play the game," (Bailey, 2012). The users are there by choice and must engage with others to gain achievement in order for them to fulfill their role playing duties. By observing these behaviors, we better understand communicating in cyberspace through the use of virtual worlds versus offline communication. It helps each player develop an idenitity and feel as if they belong to something of importance. So what does this mean?

This means massive multi player game playing is a beneficial tool in learning to communicate effectively in an online community and be an active member of society in which we all depend on one another to advance.

Bailey, Claire. "CommUnity: Online Conference on Networks and Communities 2012." MMO-topia: Are Massively Multiplayer Online Games Cultivating Communities That Are Better than Life? ComUnity, 24 Apr. 2012. Web. 05 Aug. 2012.

Veterans, PTSD and the Web

Veterans, PTSD and the Web

Natalia Fehlberg

"There’s a nightmare that’s about to unfold over the next 10, 20, 30, 40 years, and it’s going to make the Vietnam veterans’ generation pale in comparison,” (Abbinett, 2008).

A local veterans advocate and Vietnam veteran, Jonathan Abbinett, underwent years of therapy for his PTSD. He predicts there will be a flood of cases due to the strain of multiple deployments on soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen, and the nature of the war on terrorism (Lee, 2008).

The Problem

Thousands of veterans suffer from post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); they become tortured souls. Reintegration into civilian life can be extremely difficult for many service men and women. Until recently, there was a negative stigma attached to PTSD. For decades, soldiers who admitted to having symptoms of PTSD were frequently hospitalized, feared as a threat to others, shunned from society, or labeled crazy and insane. Sadly, since the United States has a volunteer army, society often places the blame on soldiers for signing up. PTSD is not an easily accepted diagnosis, as it can harm any future military careers, as well as civilian careers. Therefore, the extent  of  the  psychological trauma endured by returning troops remains unknown, and they may not receive the necessary tools needed to successfully reintegrate into civilian life. Veterans are not only affected psychologically, their complications from PTSD have a significant impact on society. The sociological implications of veteran PTSD include domestic violence, maltreatment of children, alcoholism, homelessness, joblessness, and increased crime.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) defines PTSD as a mental disorder that can be manifested in a number of ways. After deployment, many soldiers become plagued with chronic, debilitating mental health problems that are associated with PTSD. Once known as shell shock, PTSD has affected the mental health of service personnel dating back to the First World War. However, Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) have produced an astonishing number of psychiatric casualties. A recent study conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs (Pine, 2009) estimates that 18.5% of service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan screen positive for PTSD. While PTSD has haunted veterans for decades, OEF and OIF troops are being impacted by PTSD at greater rates, the question is why?

 

Why has PTSD increased?

USA Today (Lee, 2008) reported that 68% of all soldiers have been deployed to a combat zone more than once and 2,358 have had more than five tours of duty. The current “dwell -time” – the period troops are permitted back in the United States before they deploy again is only a year. There is also a strong and positive association between the total killed and the wounded in conflict and the number of psychiatric causalities. Subsequently, the answer to the rise in PTSD related illness is simple: frequent deployments and regular combat participation is severely detrimental to the mental health of our troops.

PTSD Awareness and the Web

The web has helped to increase awareness in a number of ways. Websites provide veterans with easy access to educational materials and with contacts that provide assistance to veterans suffering from PTSD. Social media such as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter have also helped veterans dealing with PTSD. For example, these web tools connect veterans, allowing them to share experiences and provide words of encouragement to one another. In the box Real Life Stories and Resources, there are links to real life accounts of those dealing with PTSD in addition to important information on services to veterans, their families, and society about PTSD. The United States has the most powerful armed forces. This country does a magnificent job of preparing men and women for combat, and their courageous acts are immeasurable. However, preparing for reintegration into civilian life should complete the training of our service personnel, and we should ensure to properly take care of the men and women who have provided security for our nation.

References

Lee, S. (2008). The Modern Combat Veteran: Dissociative Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Influences on Criminality. Retrieved from: http://www.ptsdasoldiersperspective.blogspot.com/2008/12/modern-combat-veteran-dissociative.html

Pine, A. (2009). Getting inside their HEADS. U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, 135(9), 52-57.

Walker, S. (2010). Assessing the mental health consequences of military combat in Iraq and Afghanistan: A literature review. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 17, 790-796.