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PTSD In Fallen Angels By Walter Dean Myers

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PTSD Affecting Soldiers He stood there, frozen, shocked, not knowing what to do when he saw a gun pointed at him. Thankfully, the trigger didn’t work, but he had to witness a scarring event, in which he had shot his enemy in the head. It is not surprising that soldiers returning from a stressful war often suffer from a psychological condition called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. For instance, in the book Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers, the principle character Perry unmistakably demonstrates how war troopers can be damaged and experience the ill effects of PTSD. Throughout the novel, it’s visible to see the post symptoms of the psychological disorder affecting Perry and the army. In the book, Perry describes one of his encounters with PTSD by saying, "The noise was terrible. Every time a mortar went off, I jumped. I couldn’t help myself. The noise went into you. It touched part …show more content…

He recounts his past experience by stating, "I really wasn't pissed, because I knew the real question wasn't about my knee. I thought the knee would be okay. The real question was what I was doing, what any of us were doing, in Nam" (Mayers 69). Many other soldiers, like Walowick, show a sense of helplessness. Some of the soldiers, a person who shows signs of PTSD, may experience nightmares, flashbacks, difficulty sleeping, and feeling emotionally numb. Bruce Dohrenwend, and his colleagues have done research on the percentage of people affected by PTSD, “The National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study (NVVRS) of a representative sample of 1200 veterans estimated that 30.9% had developed posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during their lifetimes and that 15.2% were currently suffering from PTSD”(Dohrenwend et al). Monaco, Perry, and Walowick all experienced these symptoms at one point in Fallen

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War is the graveyard of innocence for boys who become men through the loss of humanity. The book “Fallen Angels,” by Walter Dean Myers, is a story about Richard Perry, a young man who mistakenly joins the Vietnam War to avoid the shame of not going to college. As the book goes on Perry discovers his mistake and in the process, not only loses his innocence, but also his humanity. Wars will always be the dark parts of our history and no war is devoid of horrors that can strip anyone of everything they are, and in war soldiers must use coping mechanisms to deal with these very apparent horrors.

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He describes, for instance, the constant tension and anxiety that accompanied everyday life in Vietnam, saying that "The thought of being killed did not frighten me; it was the thought of being maimed, and the horror of waiting for something to happen that might not happen at all" (Caputo, p. 128). This quotation encapsulates the ongoing nervousness and alertness that marked his experience, mirroring the circumstances that may give rise to post-traumatic stress disorder. In addition, Caputo talks of extremely traumatic events, such what happens after a firefight: "I remember seeing bodies torn to pieces, the flesh turned inside out, and the almost unbearable smell of blood and burnt flesh" (Caputo, p. 147). These vivid portrayals highlight the horrific experiences that soldiers had, which aids in the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Caputo talks about how his behavior and perceptions were changed by his constant exposure to violence and death.

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Many veterans with heavy combat exposure have seen and experienced excessive and abundant amounts of these scenes, which is obviously infinitely much more than the average civilian will ever see. As a result, it can produce some disturbing outcomes on mental health. “Veterans with heavy combat exposure generally have more psychopathology or psychiatric disorders than others” says Spiro, Avron, et al in their Life-Span Perspective article on military service (93). Hoge, Charles et al also state that “other military conflicts has shown that deployment and exposure to combat result in increased risk of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression, substance abuse, functional impairment in social and employment settings, and the increased use of health care services” (1023). It is important to note that those who have combat exposure have a higher chance of these issues.

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However, they are left with the memories of what they saw. Soldiers affected by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD causes them to “often recall and re-experience the specific trauma of war” (The Emotional Effects of War on Soldiers). This means that any type of thing that reminds the soldier of the war, will cause them to relive that moment. Whether it’s a loud noise, a crowd of people, or a weapon, even the simplest word can make them remember the exact feeling of the war.

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