War is war. It is very easy to define because it exists in so many different ways. People are constantly at war with themselves, and with each other. Soldiers are the ones trusted to display courage by defending their country. But what exactly are soldiers? They are trained killers, who have a duty of protecting what they stand for day in and day out no matter what. However, at the end of the day, soldiers are just people; people who put on a uniform, and are more often than not changed when they take it off. For legendary sniper Chris Kyle, things were no different. The book, American Sniper, retells war stories firsthand as they happened in the Iraq War. Some of it is ugly and gruesome, but all of it is true, and that is what stands out. American Sniper portrays the heroic acts of one individual, and it furthermore highlights the toll war takes on soldiers once they hang up their uniforms for good, which unfortunately is far from pleasant. 

Humans are extremely vulnerable creatures. Some people are born with a desire to take their mentality and toughness to the test, at perhaps the highest level possible. The Navy SEALs are the nation’s elite military soldiers, trained to perform in the water, on land, and in the air. The training they go through is unimaginable, and it is extremely long. In it, “students encounter obstacles that develop and test their stamina, leadership, and ability to work as a team” (“What Is a Navy Seal”). Chris Kyle testified in his book to the immense pain he had to go through to become a SEAL. Something that every SEAL dreaded in their training was something called “Hell Week” (Kyle 30). It consisted of the biggest tests yet for the soldiers, to see who really had what it took to become the best of the best. Chris Kyle described it like this, “it’s five and a half days of continuous beat-down designed to see if you have the endurance and the will to become the ultimate warrior.” It turns out, Chris had exactly that, and he proved it through everything he did. 

Perhaps the strains of war are a direct result of the training soldiers receive. It is true that soldiers absolutely need training so that they can carry out their duties successfully and safely in battle; however, some of the things they do come back to haunt them in the future. In the recent past, a Navy SEAL actually died from parachute training (Heinatz). Nowadays, everything SEALS do is very hard on the body. Perhaps most importantly is the effect of daily combat and killing. These things can truly drive a man crazy. When soldiers go home and stop engaging in those things, their minds are still at war, and their thought processing is overcome by the tragedies they encountered. This is especially true for victims of post-traumatic stress disorder. 

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is a horrible thing that affects millions of people worldwide. Soldiers, however, are more likely to experience PTSD than an average person. They are often stuck with its horrible effects for the rest of their lives. A number of things can contribute to the development of PTSD, such as built up stress for a prolonged period of time. What soldiers do in war, what enemies they face, and where the war is fought are all factors that can add to stress (How Common is PTSD?). This is why veterans are almost twice as likely to get PTSD than average people are, at least some time in their lives (Mental Health Effects 1).  Chris Kyle could not escape it, and the same is true for thousands of others who stood in the line of combat. 

Treating PTSD is a hard process. The first and hardest step for soldiers, perhaps, is to admit to having a problem. Recognition can be very hard for a SEAL, who is big on handling situations personally, without help. Former SEAL and friend of Chris Kyle, Kevin Lacz, described this problem. “A lot of men and women put on that uniform that armor, and they don't want to talk about it. And I think one of the most important and therapeutic things to do is talk about it,” and it is important not to forget that “You have to ask, and if you don't, you are going to continue to struggle” (Former Navy SEAL sheds light on PTSD). It is much easier to treat the problem when the patient admits to having it. Not only does cooperation increase, but it simply makes the treatment process faster. Chris Kyle had a problem with this, and that is why he struggled so badly with the disorder. Fortunately, there is certainly hope out there for patients. Studies have shown that victims of PTSD experience constant overwhelming stress in most aspects of their lives (Sang 2985). Cortisol levels have a tremendous effect on symptoms. In PTSD patients, basal cortisol levels are extremely low, causing an increase in stress and negatively impacting cognitive functions. In order for patients to reap the benefits of a healthier, more sane lifestyle, their basal cortisol levels must be monitored at all times. Another thing that can help with PTSD is exercise. The more exercise performed in a PTSD patient, the greater their basal cortisol levels (Sang 3). One shocking thing associated with improvement in patients is LSD, a psychedelic drug (Schuster). LSD was actually used in multiple experiments in the cold war, given to soldiers to study the effect it had on interrogations with enemies (Khatchadourian 1). But why? Well, LSD is known to relieve stress. In the battlefield, perhaps it helped soldiers cope with hardships and pain. What is known, however, is that the drug could possibly be a future go-to PTSD symptom reliever, but there is a lot of risk associated with it. Doctors still have a lot to learn about PTSD and the best way to go about it. A study has been done related to the use of metaphors to help therapists cure patients, especially those who have dealt with combat. “The use of the metaphor has proven to be both a successful adjunct (i.e., complement) and a successful direct therapy in treating military service-related PTSD” (Foley 2). Having the client describe their experiences using metaphors have proven to be extremely beneficial because it allows them to have more control in the guided therapy. More importantly, the metaphor can serve as a “buffer” between the memory of the event and the client, which eases the pain of talking about it (Foley 130). With all the ways of going about treating PTSD, it is rather astonishing to think that most victims of it do not get fully cured. Chris Kyle serves as a prime example, as do numerous other veterans.

The brutality of war can drive a man insane, as it did for legendary sniper Chris Kyle. One time when Kyle was not serving, he participated in a scientific study relating to “stress and combat situations” (Kyle 357). He viewed multiple simulations and his heart rate and blood pressure were examined during them. To his surprise, he performed well during combat situations, and his heart rate and blood pressure actually dropped during them. This might be a result of his heavy training, teaching him to relax and zone in on important missions or targets. Chris’s weak spot, however, was very evident. When he experienced a simulation of a fellow marine going down from a gunshot, his heartrate and blood pressure spiked (Kyle 358). This points to the fact that Kyle, like many soldiers, are traumatized when a fellow friend gets hurt. PTSD is built up as a result of stress and anxiety from traumatizing experiences. For Chris, even though he broke the record for all time kills in United States military history, he still suffered mentally and emotionally from his experiences in Iraq. “It’s not the people you saved that you remember. It’s the ones you couldn’t save” (Kyle 358). Many veterans still carry guilt on their shoulders from war, which significantly contributes to their constant anxieties. For Kyle, he had trouble relieving himself of the blame for many tragic instances during the war. In American Sniper, his wife speaks of the effect of the war on her husband, what it has done to him as a man, and how it has directly affected the entire family. Once Chris returned home for good from the war, she admitted “He’s definitely not the same person he was before the war…” (Kyle 375). And she was right. Chris began to have a drinking problem, and he realized he was “headed in the wrong direction” and was “going downhill and gathering speed” (Kyle 369). Many veterans experience the same problems as a result of the war. Drinking is heavily associated with PTSD. More specifically speaking, people with drinking problems are more likely to develop PTSD sooner or later. To put it on a scale, between sixty and eighty percent of Vietnam veterans with PTSD struggle with alcoholism (PTSD and Problems). It is clear that war has a significant effect on soldier’s mental health, putting them at a serious risk for developing PTSD and other problems. These problems can end up feeding an even bigger monster inside a person. It can happen to anyone, even if you’re the most respected sniper in the United States military, as Chris Kyle once was.

 Chris Kyle was the most “lethal sniper in U.S. history” (Kyle 380). Even he suffered the ill effects of PTSD. Absolutely no one is safe from it, and that is the scary thing. War changes people, often for the worse. It is sad to see people putting their lives on the line and making a real difference, just for them to hit rock bottom when they return home to their families. Families have to see their loved ones hurting as a result. They know that they are struggling, and often there is nothing to do. That is what is really tough. Watching a loved one come home and self-destruct after it is been months or years since you have seen them last, is pure agony. Luckily, there are resources out there for veterans with PTSD. Chris Kyle did not deserve the ending he received. That is certain. Although, he leaves behind an excellent, compelling true account of his war experiences told in a humbling way. American Sniper serves as in inspiration to all, and it helps connect the dots between war and PTSD through a series of incredible memories. Chris Kyle’s legacy lives on. His life is truly an example, something for others to look at and honor, something to motivate people to recognize when they have a problem, and to find the will to fix it.
