USA Facing a Truck Driver Shortage?

Truck drivers form the backbone of the transportation industry in the entire world. A country may have the best roadways, ships and port systems and even air freight delivery systems in place but trucks and truck drivers will be required to transport the goods from the point of delivery to the point of use or retail sale. As a result,  the truckers are always going to be in high demand to transport goods from one location to another. On an average, more than 3.5 million truckers are employed in the USA on short haul and long haul transportation runs and the demand for trained truckers is expected to increase.

 

 

 

 

 

Ever thought of becoming a Truck Driver?

Although truckers are in high demand, the job itself is considered to be quite down-market. Very few people are interested in becoming truck drivers and the American Trucking Association says that the trucking industry is facing a severe shortage of trained and experienced truckers. In the year 2011, there was a demand for more than 200,000 long haul drivers and this demand is expected to double in the coming decade. This shortage is not apparent at present but if it continues, it could cause delays in nearly every industry in the USA along with increased freight rates and higher food and goods prices. According to the US Department of Transportation, more than 2 million truck driving positions will be vacant by the year 2018 as aging truckers retire. The average age of the current generation of truckers is about 51 and when they retire, the trucking industry is going to be severely hit with a sudden shortage of trained truckers.

What is the reason for this shortage? Why are people not interested in becoming truck drivers?
There are currently more than 2 million truck driving positions that are vacant in the USA for trained truckers. However, the trucking profession itself is filled with complications. These complications may make it difficult for an interested candidate to complete the course and start working as a trucker. A few of the immediate drawbacks that are apparent in the trucking profession are as follows:

 

 

 

 

• Cost of the course – Candidates who are interested in joining the course have to complete a four-week class. The course itself costs about $4000 to about $6000 which can be quite expensive.

 

 

 

• CDL of the Commercial Driver’s License – After passing the course, candidates have to apply for the CDL depending on the type of truck they are planning to drive. The CDL exam is quite strict with a skills test that involves a pre-trip inspection and a driving test. After the practical test, this is followed with a knowledge or theory exam that covers mechanical and commercial driving rules. Along with these CDL exams, the student has to pass a medical exam that will grade the student for the license. The CDL and the medical exam are difficult to pass and many candidates do not pass the exam. On an average, 18 out of every 30 candidates do not pass the training course and the CDL exam.

 

 

 

 

• Regulations – In the last decade, federal regulations have tightened resulting in large trucking companies being very careful about the candidates they hire. For example, most companies will only hire drivers with clean driving records and personal histories. This automatically cuts down the pool of eligible candidates for the jobs. Apart from driving histories, insurance companies also require national trucking companies to hire candidates with a certain amount of experience. As a result, fresh candidates are forced to work with bigger companies that will automatically make the person work more and for lower wages.

 

 

 

 

 

• Long Trips – Unfortunately, the sheer demand for Trained Truckers is the same aspect of the job that most new truckers don’t like. Due to the shortage of drivers, new drivers have to pay their dues in the form of longer Traveling times and longer distances. This results in a very difficult time adjusting to the job. New drivers have families and they want to have a weekend off but stricter regulations have made it mandatory for new drivers to get as much as experience as possible. Most Trucking companies will only accept drivers who are 23 years and over and with at least three years of driving experience. For more experience, it is also necessary for them to work longer hours. As a result, more than 30% of the new drivers who join the profession drop out and change professions in the first year itself. However, newer federal safety regulations have decreased the amount of time that a driver can spend on the road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Wages – Salaries are one of the reasons why candidates are not willing to join the trucking profession. Truckers are paid in a variety of methods. Usually, the more experienced the driver, the higher the salary. Most truck drivers get paid about 35 cents per mile. This rate may also depend on the method of payment offered by the company. On an average, truckers who don’t own their rigs may average salaries of $40,000. However, if they work for 70 hours or more per week, the rates may increase. These salaries are seriously limited by several factors. Raising the salaries will automatically mean higher freight rates. These rates are transferred to manufacturers and eventually to the consumer resulting in higher rates all around. With experience and clean driving records, companies are willing to pay as much as $70,000 – $90,000 per year.  $850 a week divided by 70 hours of work equals $12 an hour on average. Truckers give there life away for this low salary.

 

 

 

 

• Health and safety concerns – Truckers have to drive long distances and this can aggravate health problems. Truckers may also suffer from sleep apnea, asthma, high blood pressure, obesity and drug addiction. Safety is also a primary concern as truckers do have a higher recorded history of fatalities as compared to any other profession. Accidents, crime, hijacking, kidnapping may also occur in isolated areas of the truckers route resulting in serious problems.

Although there is a higher demand for trained truckers, stricter federal regulations and insurance regulations have resulted in several truckers being forced to take lower paying jobs.

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Truckers, adventurers, and travelers alike can satisfy their vigorous desires by visiting some of the perilous roads in the world. One of which are the roads found in Ecuador. People visiting the area will not only enjoy the adventure but also the majestic scenes in the place.

The Cotopaxi Volcan Road

The Cotopaxi Volcan road in Ecuador is one of the most dangerous roads on earth. However, while this 25-mile road is uniquely terrifying for truckers, it leads to the entrance of Cotopaxi National Park through a swift fast moving stream. Travelers must watch every second they take in passing through the road, or else, they might not make it to the National Park.

Pan American Highway is connected by Cotopaxi Volcan road to the Cotopaxi Volcan national park. This 40-kilometer track is covered by potholes. It runs through streams flooding heavy waters, so it is not an ideal place for family vacations. The road is so dangerous, getting the lives of some reckless tourists every year.

This road is just one of the countless terrifying roads for truckers in the country. The dangerous route is full of holes, but it makes the truckers’ journey exciting when they need to pass through a bridge-less stream. This place is fatal especially during flash floods. Even if the rain is not heavy, flash floods still occur in the area.

Volcanic eruptions happen once every century, but mudslides and floods are common in this road. Moreover, the changeable weather conditions as well as very rugged road surface add in the danger of traveling on this route.

The Cotopaxi Volcano

When truckers successfully pass through the terrifying road, they can receive a great reward of gazing Cotopaxi volcano. Being one of the topmost active volcanoes on the planet, Cotopaxi erupted for 50 times already since 1738. A large number of valleys were formed by vigorous lahars are surrounding the volcano. These calamities gave great risk to the settlements and fields of the local people in the area.

Truckers In Ecuador

Most of the common tourists are going to the country’s national park to visit the Cotopaxi volcano. For those adventurous truckers who are looking for dangerous roads on earth, they are lusting to try passing through the rugged terrains of Cotopaxi Volcan road. Since the road is very unsafe, many people are even discouraging the use of these routes.

Since the area is very dangerous, it requires durable trucks designed to overcome extreme situations. Moreover, truckers must also be trained enough to pass the test of this challenging route. The place is so risky so people must not try the area if they are not sure about their capability.

History And Conditions Of Railroads In Ecuador

In 1908, the Guayaquil-Quito railroad was completed and served as the very first effective inter-regional connection between the two cities in the area. This road shortened the travel time of people living there from 12 days to 12 hours.

During the 1950s, several roads were built to transport agricultural products. After the world war II, the country started to invest in building highways. These highways then became the main means of transportation among the people. The opening of new roads also opened up new settlements in the country. In 1989, about 28,000 km roads were developed. However, only few of them were paved and graveled. Most of them remained as dirt roads.

The Pan American Highway is the most heavily traveled and oldest route in the road network. Following it is the Inca imperial highway in Sierra, linking the towns in inter-Andean corridor and the Colombian border. This railway from the Colombian south border going through the capital of Cuenca was paved except the 12-km segment of the road. Most of the road’s surface there is graveled.

The north-south route from Esmeraldas to Costa is paved. This lane is in parallel with Pan American Highway. It is found in the south of Machala and north of Quayaquil to the Peruvian border. This road is divided into two routes. One split goes to Babahoyo (the eastern branch) and the other one goes to Daule River (western branch). The road made an important role in giving traffic for the tropical production in Costa.

There were paved railways connecting the north-south Costa road and Pan American Highway. Moreover, there were asphalt roads connecting the oil-producing places of Salinas in the Pacific as well as the small port of Manta with Guayaquil. These east-west arteries became useful in integrating the regions, showed by the progressing volume of production loaded between Sierra and Costa.

During the late 80’s the country suffered from lack of good highways . A few dirt roads are extended from the Pan-American Highway. Most of them are to going to the oil-producing areas in the northern part of the region. The roads were made by the oil companies to easily access their fields, but they also became useful in increasing the colonization of the country. Some populations added along the way through these highways.

A lot of trucking companies and bus lines provided motor transports in the country. Most of these trucking companies were small and they have no regular schedule. They were just operated by the owners who are also the drivers. Majority of the bus drivers and owners, with a few truckers, are under the cooperatives, which provided uniform rates. Bus transportation services in the towns are inexpensive. They also transport regularly but are often plagued by vehicle breakdowns and are very crowded. In 1986, there were an estimate of 22,000 trucks, 14,000 buses, and 250,000 passenger cars in Ecuador.

The history and calamities in Ecuador are the reasons behind the dangerous roads that are common to the place. They became a great attraction to adventurous truckers who want to experience extreme rugged transportation. While the roads are perilous, the country also offers beautiful scenes and attractions. Truckers who are trained well to drive in the rugged terrains, and own durable transportation motors are invited to challenge themselves in these famous roads. They will surely have a lot of stories to tell afterwards.

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Truckers On The Croatian Coast Highway

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Luxor-al-Hurghada Road Egypt

The 299 mile stretch of road that connects the tourist cities of Luxor and Hurghada in Egypt has become a notorious black spot, and one of the most dangerous highways in the world. Luxor is home to the Ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, and is recognized as a key tourist destination in the desert country. Grandiose temple ruins, historic monuments and tombs are scattered throughout the ancient city, which attracts thousands of tourists annually. Almost 300 miles away from Luxor is the city of Hurghada, a popular coastal town on the fringes of the Red Sea. This spectacular oasis offers visitors a chance to cool off from the sweltering heat of the countryside, providing modern amenities and fun activities such as snorkeling and recreational scuba diving in the calm clear waters. However, the journey by road between these two beautiful cities is ridden with peril, prompting many tourists to opt for rail or air transportation.

 

 

 

 

 

A trip along the notorious Luxor-al-Hurghada highway takes about 4 hours, 40 minutes to complete, if you can survive the journey. The tarmac road is relatively well-marked and frequently patrolled by security agents, on the lookout for bandits and extremist militiamen who reside in the rugged terrain. These criminal elements more than anything else contribute to the notoriety of the highway. Keen on undermining the bustling tourism business, these local terrorists, mostly members of the outlawed Al-Gama’a al-Islamiyya Sect, are known to cause trouble for drivers along the highway at the slightest opportunity. Thus, normal drivers and truckers alike are known to avoid this route whenever possible.

 

 

 

 

 

Many local drivers narrate of their less than pleasant experiences at the hands of highway robbers along the Luxor-al-Hurghada. Tales of robberies, kidnappings, extortion and possible murder have given the highway a bad reputation. Paranoid drivers cruise along the road at high speeds for fear of meeting the shadowy thugs. This in turn leads to terrible crashes and collisions, as exhibited by the twisted vehicle shells that lie in some areas. Things take a turn for the worse at night. There are virtually no lights along the highway, giving robbers the perfect opportunity to waylay unsuspecting drivers. As a result, local drivers switch off their headlights at night, while cruising at deadly speeds. This is obviously a recipe for disaster, and numerous collisions along the highway attest to this fact. Some drivers and truckers are opting for night vision goggles to aid in crossing this perilous stretch of road at night.

 

 

 

 

 

The Luxor-al-Hurghada cuts through mostly uninhabited rugged terrain and bare hills. Thus, any driver wishing to cross the highway must make ample preparation for the trip, since there will be no stopovers. There are not pit stops along the way to fix flat tires or refuel empty gas tanks. There are no roadside motels or eateries along this treacherous road either. If your car stalls here, you are on your own, since few sensible drivers will be willing to offer assistance. Preparation for the journey is of utmost importance. Anyone who has driven in Cairo, or used the Autostrad, Alexandria Desert Road, or Ayn Sukhna Road is aware of how badly many Egyptian drivers behave behind the wheel. Incessant hooting, overtaking, cursing and jay walking are common practices on most roads. New and foreign drivers have to exercise lots of restraint and temperance while driving here. The best option is to hire a local driver, or use alternative means of transport.

 

 

 

 

 

In Egypt, truckers and trailer drivers are closely regulated and checked by Government authorities. According to transport analysts in the country, almost 94 percent of the country’s trade logistics are facilitated via road transportation. This has created a perennial problem of congestion on the roads, especially in growing cities and towns such as New Cairo. In turn, this has led to a sharp spike in the number of fatal road accidents in the country. Statistics from the Central Authority for Public Mobilization and Statistics reveal that a staggering 7,000 lives were lost through road accidents in the country in 2010. A total number of 24, 371 car accidents were reported, averaging about 66 crashes per day. Truckers topped the list of highway offenders in the country, responsible for almost 40 percent of the total number of crashes reported on highways.

 

 

 

 

One of the laws governing truckers operations in the country is the ban on haulage of coupled trailers. Prior to 2008, these behemoths dominated the transportation industry in the county. However, a law was passed in that year, restricting trucks from pulling more than one loaded trailer at a time. A wave of protests from truckers followed the passing of this unpopular edict; forcing government agencies to extend the adjustment period for the new law to 2012. Another law requires truck drivers to stick to roads with a width of 3.2 meters or more only. The 2008 traffic laws also made it mandatory for trucks to be fitted with digital tachographs and speed limiters. Truckers who still view these laws as unfair recently staged protests, blocking the entrance to the Ministry of Transport offices in Cairo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The escalating number of road accidents has spurred some action from transport authorities in the country. For instance, the infamous Luxor-al-Hurghada highway is constantly under security agency surveillance, with speeding cameras installed at renowned black spots, and traffic police patrol cars on high alert. Nonetheless, security agencies claim that most accidents in the country’s roads are caused by human error. A former secretary to the Minister of Interior estimates that over 70 percent of accidents are as a result of over speeding, drug and alcohol abuse, distracted driving, and failure to avoid pedestrians. In 2008 when speeding tickets were introduced in some areas, an average of 10,000 tickets was issued to drivers on a daily basis.

 

 

 

 

 

A major issue of concern among truckers is the use of drugs and stimulants on the road. A study by the Ministry of Transport recently established that roughly 30 percent of truck and trailer drivers used some sort of drug or stimulant while on active duty. This is a worrying trend, given that out of 1421 accidents that happened on major highways in 2010, heavy duty trailers were responsible for 1364.

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Truckers On The Croatian Coast Highway

 

 

 

 

 

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No matter where one chooses to operate a truck, the life of truckers is far from easy.  These individuals transport goods and raw materials from the point of manufacture to the point of use.  In fact, if consumers take a good look around their home, it is difficult to find anything that was not transported on a truck at one point from the manufacturer, farmer or supplier to the consumer.  Truckers on the Croatian Coast Highway face even greater challenges than those on the roads in other sections of the world.

The Adriatic Highway, known in Croatia as Jadranska magistrala is part of the European Route E65 and stretches along the Adriatic Sea’s eastern coast.  The road primarily passes through Croatia, but there are smaller sections located in Bosnia, Montenegro, and Herzegovina.  For the most part, this highway is a two-lane road for its entire length, with a short 4-lane section located between Sveti Juraj near Kaštela and Split.  While plans are in the works to expand the 4-lane section, today’s truckers are still moving along this long and winding, primarily 2-lane highway.

In the future, the Adriatic Ionian motorway is to be completed.  This modern multi-lane highway will replace the Adriatic Highway, providing a high-performance route along the coast.  Until that time, truckers are stuck with this winding highway filled with at grade intersections and dangerous high speed loving Croatian drivers who make the trip even more dangerous.

Officially, the Croatian section of the Adriatic Highway is called D8 state road or Državna cesta D8.  The highway connects the Slovenian border crossing at Rijeka with the Montenegro Border at Karasovići.  Cities located between the two border crossings in Croatia include Senj, Zadar, Šibenik, Split, Opuzen and Dubrovnik.  The Croatian portion of the Adriatic Highway is just less than 400 miles (643 kilometers).  For truckers, these 400 miles of highway are considered some of the most dangerous in the world.

In the past 10 to 15 years, multilane highways have been built further inland to help reduce the traffic on D8.  Additional motorways continue to be built paralleling the road, including A7, A6 and A1.  However the D8 is a more familiar route to many drivers and remains more popular, even though it is considered more dangerous with the numerous blind curves along the way.  In addition, as a state road, D8 remains popular as an alternative to tolled highways, even though travel on the road will take considerably more time.  During the summer months, traffic is even more intense due to the substantial number of vehicles attributed to tourism along the coast.

Some of the heaviest traffic is found between Rijeka and Senj.  The alternative routes along A1 or A6 are considerably longer than this section of the D8.  Truckers may not be aware that these alternative routes can normally be driven in a shorter amount of time, due in part to the fact that until 2009, the A6 had some slow semi-highway sections along the route.  However, with the completion of this section of highway, travel along the alternative route normally can be completed in significantly less time.  Completion of the A7 is expected to reduce some of the traffic and congestion of this section of the coast highway.  Truckers can avoid many of the dangers of the congested coast highway by choosing the alternative routes that provide safer and faster travel to their destination.

Truckers will find the Croatian roads in general are dangerous due to their narrow and twisty nature.  The highways often lack markings or warning signs making them more dangerous.  Cut into the sides of hills and mountains, there is little room for lay-bys or even side rails.  During the tourist season, there are many travelers paying more attention to the stunning scenery on the jagged coast than to the road.  This can make driving these roads a scary proposition, especially when your vehicle is a large truck.

Once truckers pass from Croatia into Montenegro the Adriatic coast highway is their only option for travel.  All traffic crossing the border into this country from the other Croatian roads is now forced back onto this narrow two lane highway.  Although not known to be as dangerous as portions of the D8 in Croatia, the congestion can cause this trip to be dangerous for the truckers.

Truckers in Croatia should know that the state is serious about limiting alcohol consumption of motor vehicle operators.  A controversial law reduced the limit to 0.0% until 2004, when the legal limit was raised to 0.05%.  However, with the road conditions in the country, truckers will want to be sure they have all their mental facilities available before sitting behind the wheel.

The government has set the speed limits to follow these general rules:

Inhabited Areas – 50 km/h Outside Inhabited Areas – 90 km/h Marked Expressways – 110 km/h Marked Motorways – 130 km/h

However, drivers are expected to follow any specially posted speed limits in local areas.

Life on the road as truckers has many difficulties.  Drivers are often away from families for days at a time.  They spend hours behind the wheel and may sleep in the vehicle only to wake up and head off again.  Rates of pay often vary greatly by location where the individual is driving as well as what is being transported.  While many are privileged to drive their rigs on modern super highways where laws are strictly enforced, others must drive on some of the most dangerous highways in the world.  Truckers who use the Croatian coast highway are among the latter group.  Many of these truckers spend practically every day of the week avoiding the dangers found on the road.  Some will give their lives in an attempt to deliver goods from the manufacturer or farmer to the consumer.  Those who are not truckers owe these professionals a debt of gratitude.  Without their work, the food you eat, clothes you wear and homes in which you live would not exist.  The work of truckers is necessary for life as it is known today.

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Traumatic experiences are part of human life and experiences. The effects of trauma can last for a short or long period depending on the

situation and person involved. Military veterans may find it difficult to deal with stress, anxiety, and depression experienced in combat. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, 30 percent of Vietnam veterans have struggled with PTSD. The ensuing Desert Storm War and Operation Iraqi Freedom have seen a rise in PTSD cases. Statistics from the VA Department shows that both wars have respectively registered 10 and 20 percent PTSD cases. Military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan exhibit a high PTSD prevalence. At least one in five soldiers from these two wars has PTSD. A veteran who finds work as atruck driver might experience difficulties in the new work environment. Several Acts have been enacted in a bid to improve the economic situation for veterans. These efforts are commendable but the PTSD situation calls for more research, treatment, and support efforts.

Understanding PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been known by names such as battle fatigue and shell shock. This debilitating condition develops after witnessing fatal or life threatening situations. This leads to a feeling of helplessness, extreme fear, and horror. Most of these experiences occur on the battlefield. PTSD symptoms will vary from person to person. This is due to the unique nature of every person’s DNA make up and ability to handle stressful situations. You can leave the military feeling healthy only to develop PTSD a few months or years later. Others may develop PTSD a few hours or days after combat. Some of the situations that may lead to PTSD include war, terror attacks, natural disasters, kidnapping, assault, death of a dear friend or companion, and rape. PTSD cuts across all races, ages, and gender. Data published by the VA Department shows that 71 percent of female personnel in the military suffer from PTSD. This is astonishing considering 17 percent of the military population is made up of female personnel.

Signs and symptoms

Military personnel have different trauma experiences from normal trauma. All traumatic events will make the person involved feel numb and afraid. These feelings may last for a few days and subside after some time. You might have might have nightmares and shudder at the thought of going through the same experience again. Most of these symptoms ebb away with time and life continues as usual. However, PTSD symptoms are not short lived but last for a long time. Veterans suffering from PTSD will feel like being stuck in a rut. Mental health experts have recognized three key PTSD symptoms. These include:

 

 

 

• Experiencing the traumatic event repeatedly This phase involves experiencing continuous memories of the same event. The flashbacks will make you behave as if the event is happening again at the present time. When this happens, the heart rate increases rapidly followed by sweating and rapid breathing. This will happen even when you are in bed sleeping.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Deliberately avoiding reminders You will find it difficult to be in places or surroundings that remind you of the traumatic event. Many veterans lose interest in activities that were a joy in the past. This is accompanied by feelings of numbness and detachment from reality. Most of the veterans who experience these feelings do not expect to live a normal life again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Increased anxiety The person suffering from PTSD will have difficulty focusing on a given task. This is because you will be extremely anxious and easily startled by unexpected movements. In such a situation, it is easy to lose your cool. These symptoms make it hard for a veteran to thrive as trucker. A PTSD patient driving a truck on a busy highway will snap easily if other drivers block the road ahead. A tire burst may cause intense flashbacks while behind the wheel. This is not only dangerous to the trucker but to other road users as well.

These symptoms will make you feel depressed and guilty. The resulting self-blame attitude has led many veterans to dabble in drugs. Trapped in this unending cycle, some veterans entertain suicidal thoughts. If help is not available, the results can be fatal. This is why many veterans suffering from PTSD find it difficult to trust anyone else.   Diagnosis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Veterans in the trucking industry should seek professional help before PTSD symptoms become worse. Diagnosis begins with a complete evaluation of your past medical history. This is important in order to address the root cause and rule out other physical ailments. The initial examination can be carried out by your doctor before referral to a specialist. Mental health professional are involved in the next step. This includes psychologists and psychiatrists who will carry out a thorough assessment of your mental state. Your interaction with a mental health expert will be the basis for treatment. The assessment takes into account the severity of PTSD symptoms. There is no standard PTSD benchmark or threshold. Most psychiatrists and psychologists recommend treatment if symptoms have been exhibited for more than one month. Early medical intervention is the best way to treat PTSD. This will save you a lot of physical and emotional trouble. The National Center for PTSD has published a study showing that PTSD can result in heart problems. As a trucker, you need to have a healthy heart or else it will be impossible to work in a demanding environment.

Risk Factors

It is important to note that anyone can develop PTSD. According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, 31.3 million people develop PTSD. Women seem to be highly susceptible to PTSD. Data published by HHS shows women are twice as likely to develop PTSD as men. Up to 80 percent of people who experience severe trauma end up with PTSD symptoms. These statistics show that PTSD is not a scourge affecting military veterans alone. Certain individuals may or may not develop PTSD depending on exposure to certain risk factors. Traumatic events that occur over a long period will most certainly result in PTSD symptoms. Acts that are intentionally perpetrated by other people also carry a high PTSD risk. This includes physical assault, rape, and neglect. Veterans who experienced traumatic experiences as children will find it difficult to cope with stressful combat situations. The same is true for veterans with a family history of depression, physical abuse, drug abuse, and PTSD. Continuous stress in daily life will make you a PTSD candidate. There are people who cope well after a traumatic event. If you find it hard to cope well after such events, the risk of developing PTSD is very high. As a veteran truck driver, you may lack the necessary support after going through trauma. This makes the situation even worse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Treatment

The good news is PTSD treatment can help you live life to the fullest. Treatment is geared towards helping you regain emotional and physical balance. Treatment usually involves a combination of medical intervention and psychotherapy. Your doctor will help you to learn how to cope with trauma event triggers. Some of the tools used include expressing your fears about the event and coping with the memories. The following are some of the psychotherapy approaches employed.

• Group therapy This is carried out by a counselor in a setting where people with similar PTSD symptoms talk about personal experiences. This will help you open up and stop bottling up fear and anger. As a trucker, you will find this avenue offers a chance to trust other people in the same situation.

• Family therapy PTSD affects the person who is going through the trauma experience as well as family members. Working with loved ones can be productive and lead to healing within a short time. The support and love provided by family members can be the difference between hopelessness and healing. Communication during this difficult period is vital.   • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) This is a new approach that encompasses aspects of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Your treatment sessions include learning how to manipulate information-processing systems. This comes in handy when you are about to relive the same experience once again.

• Exposure Therapy This involves reliving the same experience in a controlled environment. Your doctor may introduce objects that trigger flashbacks. This is done with the aim of helping you come face to face with the anxiety-causing event. This technique has been used to treat PTSD in many veterans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Medication

Doctors also prescribe a wide range of medications to treat PTSD. The medicines are used to control anxiety and depression. Your doctor will prescribe selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as Prozac, Celexa, Paxil, Zoloft, and Elavil. Other medications include mood stabilizers such as Lamictal, tranquilizers such as Ativan, and neuroleptics such as Seroquel. All of these will help make you to be less irritable and worried. There are many organizations ready to help veterans struggling with PTSD. Healing will not happen overnight. It takes treatment, taking positive steps to avoid hopelessness, and having a support network around you. It is wise to practice relaxation techniques. These will come in handy whenever you are in a stressful situation. You must avoid negative influences and drugs like the plaque. Occupy your time with pleasant activities to avoid negative thoughts creeping into your mind. Isolation is the worst enemy you can entertain.

This Article is for all the Veterans out there. On this Memorial Day weekend let us not forget the sacrafice they gave for our freedom.

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