(Excerpt from The Endless Journey Home by Specialist Joe Collins)

This is another important symptom that is common among PTSD sufferers. It is often progressive and the person can easily be diagnosed with Depression when it is really a symptom of PTSD.

Early Stages:

The individual will begin to show signs of not maintaining a clean appearance, such as combing hair, shaving on a regular basis or wearing clean clothes.  They might also begin to stop picking up after themselves on a regular basis and/or not keeping a clean and organized home.

Later Stages:

By this time the individual most likely has no regard for their own appearance, and most likely doesn’t shower or bathe on a regular basis.  They probably can hardly clean up anything after themselves due to the fact that by this stage, even small, simple tasks seem overwhelming.  If the soldier has reached this level of illness, then immediate medical attention should be sought.  By this stage, if there is no one to care for the sick veteran, then it becomes dangerous because they are struggling to even make it day to day.

For additional information, please visit PTSD Symptom and Resources.

 

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