Sex after Service

A Guide for Military Service Members, Veterans, and the People Who Love Them

Drew A. Helmer

Military service members and veterans are perhaps particularly vulnerable to sexual dysfunction given some common experiences in the military and during combat deployments. Deployment to a combat theater is an inherently stressful experience, made worse with actual combat exposure and other physical and psychological hardships and trauma. This in turn contributes to higher rates of physical damage (including traumatic brain injury and amputations), post-traumatic stress disorder, and unhealthy coping mechanisms (alcohol and substance abuse). Medications commonly prescribed to treat or manage these conditions can also contribute to sexual dysfunction. Perhaps worst of all, the most intense period of experiencing these complications is likely to occur in the service member’s or veteran’s 20s and early 30s, the life stage at which most Americans are dating, selecting a partner, and creating a family. Sexual dysfunction can have significant impacts on all of those important activities.

This book serves as an authoritative resource for military service members, veterans, and those who love them, on all manner of sexual health issues. Starting with an introduction to the basic concepts of sexual health, Helmer then goes on to discuss the effects of combat on overall health, sexual health and function, and differences in those effects on men and women. Including Veterans’ stories throughout, the book illustrates some of the challenges and complex situations empathically and in nonjudgmental terms. While many service members join and experience combat before the age of 30, the author also considers the effects of aging and life stage on sexual health and function in military personnel. Finally, Helmer clearly articulates a process for determining if there is a sexual health issue that rises to the level of a problem and what can be done about it. This is handled with a positive, hopeful tone and general, yet effective, suggestions on where and how to seek assistance.

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 180 • Trim: 6 x 9

978-1-4422-7481-5 • Paperback • October 2016 • $14.95 • (£11.99)

978-1-4422-3057-6 • eBook • December 2014 • $13.95 • (£10.99)

Subjects: Psychology / Human Sexuality, Self-Help / General, Health & Fitness / Sexuality

Sex after Service

A Guide for Military Service Members, Veterans, and the People Who Love Them

Paperback

eBook

Summary

Military service members and veterans are perhaps particularly vulnerable to sexual dysfunction given some common experiences in the military and during combat deployments. Deployment to a combat theater is an inherently stressful experience, made worse with actual combat exposure and other physical and psychological hardships and trauma. This in turn contributes to higher rates of physical damage (including traumatic brain injury and amputations), post-traumatic stress disorder, and unhealthy coping mechanisms (alcohol and substance abuse). Medications commonly prescribed to treat or manage these conditions can also contribute to sexual dysfunction. Perhaps worst of all, the most intense period of experiencing these complications is likely to occur in the service member’s or veteran’s 20s and early 30s, the life stage at which most Americans are dating, selecting a partner, and creating a family. Sexual dysfunction can have significant impacts on all of those important activities.

This book serves as an authoritative resource for military service members, veterans, and those who love them, on all manner of sexual health issues. Starting with an introduction to the basic concepts of sexual health, Helmer then goes on to discuss the effects of combat on overall health, sexual health and function, and differences in those effects on men and women. Including Veterans’ stories throughout, the book illustrates some of the challenges and complex situations empathically and in nonjudgmental terms. While many service members join and experience combat before the age of 30, the author also considers the effects of aging and life stage on sexual health and function in military personnel. Finally, Helmer clearly articulates a process for determining if there is a sexual health issue that rises to the level of a problem and what can be done about it. This is handled with a positive, hopeful tone and general, yet effective, suggestions on where and how to seek assistance.

Details

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Pages: 180 • Trim: 6 x 9

978-1-4422-7481-5 • Paperback • October 2016 • $14.95 • (£11.99)

978-1-4422-3057-6 • eBook • December 2014 • $13.95 • (£10.99)

Subjects: Psychology / Human Sexuality, Self-Help / General, Health & Fitness / Sexuality

Author

Drew A. Helmer, MD, MS, is an internist and primary care physician who has assisted many Veterans with their sexual health concerns and learned with them how best to talk about and problem-solve solutions within and outside of the healthcare system. He has published several original research articles about Veterans’ sexual health concerns and presented his findings at national and international meetings. Dr. Helmer is the Director of the War-Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC) in New Jersey and Associate Professor of Medicine at Rutgers University-NJ Medical School. The WRIISC is one of three centers funded by the Veterans Health Administration to further the health and quality of life of veterans with deployment health concerns through research, education and clinical care.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Dear Reader
1: What is sex? Sexual health and function
2: Military context and culture
3: Effects of combat deployment on health
4: Effects of combat deployment on sexual health and function
5: Different impact of military service on men and women
6: The ups and downs of sexual health
7: Am I normal?
8: Let’s talk about sex
Resource Directory
Bibliography
Index

Reviews

Helmer, director of the War-Related Illness and Injury Study Center, here examines the problems with sexual health often experienced by members and veterans of the armed forces due to residual trauma and injury. As he states in the introduction, the subject merits discussion precisely because it is so 'often dismissed as unimportant and stigmatized in mainstream health care settings.' Opening with basic introductions to the relevant medical terminology and features of military culture, the book addresses such topics as common adverse effects suffered by service members, which range from chemical exposure to PTSD, and the impact of aging on the sex drive. Helmer also discusses how belonging to the military shapes an individual’s sense of self and communication style. At the back, he lists agencies and organizations that can provide further resources, including for homosexual and bisexual people . . . [F]or both couples and caregivers, this book can provide a valuable starting point for long-term sexual health and wellness. (Previous Edition Praise)
— Publishers Weekly

This excellent book addresses an important, complex, and often overlooked health issue faced by service members, veterans, and their loved ones. Dr. Helmer has created the authoritative resource on sexual health for those who have sacrificed so much and the professionals who care for them. (Previous Edition Praise)
— Bret A. Moore, Psy.D., ABPP, former Army psychologist; Iraq Veteran; coauthor of Wheels Down: Adjusting to Life after Deployment

Finally - a book for and about sexual health in veterans! This book provides an excellent and comprehensive overview of human sexuality and the impact of combat and military service on the sexual heath of the men and women who serve their country. Written in accessible language with poignant stories illustrating key points, this should be required reading for all health care providers who interact with service members as well as the partners of these men and women. (Previous Edition Praise)
— Anne Katz, PhD, RN, FAAN; AASECT-certified sexuality counselor

Dr. Helmer has written an extraordinarily thorough exploration of sexual concerns for military personnel and those who love them. He provides a reassuring and informative guide for the many visible and invisible wounds of sexual health and fulfillment following military service. Helmer's understanding of the military culture, scientific sexual facts, and relationship challenges bring hope and clarity for military service members. (Previous Edition Praise)
— Libby Bennett, PsyD, Clinical Psychologist and Certified Sex Therapist, co-author of Finding and Revealing Your Sexual Self

As we are focusing our attention more and more on the post deployment experiences of service members and their families, this book provides important information on a topic that is typically not discussed-healthy sexuality after wartime deployments. This information can help to identify and normalize sexual issues and in so doing begin the process of reconciliation and reintegration for these families. (Previous Edition Praise)
— Lydia I. Marek, Ph.D., LMFT, CFLE, Virginia Tech University

Sex After Service is one of the first resources for veterans who experience problems with sexual functioning. I found the book thoroughly engaging and the case examples true-to-life. By the end of the book, I felt like I knew David and Susan, Edward, Ted, Clarissa, and the others! (Previous Edition Praise)
— Michael R. Kauth, PhD; Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

Sexuality is a vital part of every person and the trauma of war can affect sexuality greatly. Helmer's book is a timely guide for those who serve, at a time when many are coming home and trying to figure out what normal looks like after the military. An easy-to-read resource that is straightforward and informational. (Previous Edition Praise)
— Ginger Holczer, Psy.D., coauthor of Finding and Revealing Your Sexual Self: A Guide to Communicating About Sex

Drew Helmer’s Sex After Service, reduces the stigma that many veterans and their families experience when they struggle with sexual health and dysfunction. Drawing upon his experience as a medical doctor and researcher, Helmer offers a clear and comprehensive guide to the unique ways that deployment impacts sexual health and how to access help. (Previous Edition Praise)
— Jill P. Weber, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist, Author Having Sex, Wanting Intimacy-Why Women Settle for One-Sided Relationships