The Faces of Salimetrics
John
A Warfighter
John is a 22-year old War fighter suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. While serving his country, John not only experienced combat where he was under fire numerous times, but also he saw innocent civilians killed by stray bombs and missiles.
When John returned home he began experiencing flashbacks of his experiences in the war theater. He found it difficult to sleep at night and, eventually, found that he was uncomfortable in public places with crowds of people. Initially, he did nothing, believing he should “tough it out” and fearing the stigma attached with mental problems. Finally, exhausted, he sought help from his local veteran’s hospital, only to find that the services he needed were restricted.
Salivary assays are currently being used in studies of post-traumatic stress disorder patients who have seen combat. It is our hope that these findings will translate to better treatments and military staffing decisions that will ensure, in the future, veterans like John will have access to medical professionals who can treat his condition.
