Chapter Overviews Chapter One - Readjustment - Heavy-duty stress in service requires a readjustment process upon returning home. You’ve undergone changes that require your attention to reintegrate effectively into civilian life. Chapter Two - How You Feel - You see and hear things in combat environments that are not part of your normal life. You were trained to deal with these events in a military way that is quite different from the way a civilian would react. Chapter Three - Re-experiencing Events - You may have repeated thoughts of disturbing service experiences, flashbacks, nightmares, and panic awakenings. It can be hard to feel as though you’re living in the moment; even though you’re back home, it appears like everyone around you is in a different world. These reactions can disrupt your life but will improve if you develop your Reintegration Action Plan (RAP). Chapter Four - Triggers - There are events (sounds, smells, sights, or feelings) that can throw you back into experiences you had while you were deployed. Triggers are tricky, because they come when you least expect them and can make you think you are going "crazy." Remember--that doesn’t mean you are "crazy." Chapter Five - How You Act - While you are deployed, there are states of readiness you must be in physically. You are trained to always be on the alert. Many times this can be stressful. Your reactions in combat, however, are different than the reactions you might have here at home. Being aware of this is important, but taking time (a slow dial-up) will help you to readjust your reactions. Chapter Six - How You Think - A mental state of readiness while in combat is required so as to enable you to react quickly, when necessary. Life at home is a lot slower, and this may annoy you for a while. Chapter Seven - Relationships - Stressful experiences affect people in ways that often result in discomfort when being close to others and thereby may cause strained relationships. Plan for this, seek feedback from others, and adapt with some suggestions offered in this chapter. Chapter Eight - Sleep Management - Inadequate sleep patterns can make everything mentioned in the above chapters seem worse. You have been deprived of the normal hours of rest that you need, but now you must consider sleep management as a necessary requirement for your body. Read this guideline for getting better rest. Chapter Nine - Military Sexual Trauma - Traumatic events (such as rape) cause both short-term and long-term stress reactions. Nearly one-third of all rape victims develop Rape-related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (RR-PTSD) sometime during their lifetimes. Chapter Ten - Traumatic Brain Injury - Like PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury is not an injury that is always visible, especially if it is mild to moderate. Know the signs - this is crucial. If you notice any of these, consult your doctor—this is essential. Chapter Eleven - Spiritual Responses - This chapter is brief but can be very important in the readjustment process. Look to someone you feel comfortable with to discuss spiritual matters. The Chaplains are always available to you. Chapter Twelve - Buddy List - Compile the names of buddies you will call and who can call you, if needed. Resource List - A list of resources is provided. Use them if you have the need. Using the RAP to Develop a Plan of Action Many returning service members do not expect that they will have a difficult time adjusting. It is common for them to be excited to leave behind the day-to-day grind of combat and return to their normal lifestyles. Some think that they will just flip a switch, and everything will change back. This is called "magical thinking." It may take time to return to a normal lifestyle, and you will often find yourself experiencing some very challenging periods of readjustment. It is important to take time to think about and develop a REINTEGRATION ACTION PLAN (RAP) for your return home. You entered service with extensive training prior to deployment. Why not develop a Plan of Action for your return home? An important part of this RAP is to keep up communication with other veterans who know what you experienced. Next, we encourage you to talk with family and close friends, a minister, or a family doctor about any adjustment issues you are experiencing. The VA also has trained counselors you can speak with, or there are private counselors in your community that you may choose. The important thing is to share your feelings. It is not a sign of weakness. You will be asked to make a Buddy List of people you will be willing to turn to and have them turn to you as you readjust to civilian life. Put people on your list that you would be willing to reach out to and who would be willing to call you, if needed. You will find a Buddy Page at the end of this booklet. Use it! Everyone is Affected by War Critical Stressors of the Service Member Might Be: * Threat to one’s life * Threat of harm to one’s troop or others * Witnessing the awful destruction of war * Witnessing others’ hurts and trauma * Experiencing a trauma Things Have Changed This first exercise should help you to begin thinking about the things that you can do as you readjust to civilian life. First, let’s look at what has changed since you have been gone. Who’s waiting for you at home? List the people awaiting your return. Now think about the ways you have changed. Use one or two words if you don’t want to go into detail right now. Now think about what has changed back home since you have been gone. Include areas like family, friends, job, society, etc. What Can You Expect? The next part of this RAP walks you through the most common areas of adjustment that you may experience. This workbook describes these areas and gives you some suggestions for TOOLS you can use to work through these times. Develop your own Action Plan if you experience any of these reactions. Everyone is unique (different)-the way one person reacts to an experience can be quite different from another. The supply route is as dangerous as the combat zone. Everyone in this war has a high exposure to danger, and remember, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common. This graph may describe the first few weeks or months, but reintegration could take years. Things to expect that are indicative of the steps of a service member returning "home": Return Home: * You will have good days and bad days * In time you will reconstruct your life * Coming to terms with your war experience Lows: * Letdown can set in within the first few days or weeks * You may have dreams of your experiences while deployed * You may want to isolate. You may feel anxious, lonely, and depressed. Highs: * Excited to be back and see family and friends * Freedom to come and go as you please * Community appreciation for your service