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Gulf War Syndrome & Stress Coaching
© Martyn Carruthers

Online Coaching for Emotional and Relationship Problems

What is Gulf War Syndrome?

Many Gulf War veterans report unusual symptoms, such as deaths, tumors and abnormalities in their children. Gulf War Syndrome is a popular name for a variety of poorly defined psychological and physical symptoms suffered by veterans of the recent Gulf Wars.

Many theories have been suggested about the origin of the symptoms called Gulf War Syndrome, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

Causes of Gulf War Syndrome

The causes of Gulf War Syndrome symptoms are suggested to be both physical and emotional. Some proposed causes include:

• Parasites
• Oil fire fumes
• Depleted uranium poisoning
• Biological or chemical weapons
• Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)
• Side-effects of anti-nerve agent drugs
• Autoimmune diseases induced by anthrax vaccine
• Aspartame poisoning. (Artificially sweetened drinks were provided to Gulf War troops. Aspartame may break down into methanol, formaldehyde and formic acid at about 85˚F)

If only physical causes are researched, then emotional problems will be dismissed or ignored. Proposed emotional causes for Gulf War Syndrome focus on PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). Similar symptoms were noted in veterans after World War I, World War II and the Korea and Vietnam wars. These symptoms often include depression, anxiety and stress. See Emotional Intelligence.

Depleted Uranium (DU)

Depleted uranium (DU) is dense, hard and radioactive. It burns if heated and it vaporizes on impact. These are useful qualities for weapons of death and destruction. American tanks shoot 15-kilogram uranium darts that create clouds of tiny uranium particles that, if inhaled, remain in lung tissue.

Although the US government says that depleted uranium is safe, medical researchers say that the effects of exposure are not understood, (Journal of American Medical Association, April 2004.)

Some Gulf War veterans say that the effects of low-level radiation exposure have been researched since atomic weapons were developed, and that the military will not disclose its test results about the consequences of exposure to uranium dust. US military officials may fear being denied the use of depleted uranium in their weapons.

Gulf War Syndrome - Symptoms

As no medical test can diagnose Gulf War Syndrome nor Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (there is currently no coherent symptom set nor even clear definitions), many professionals claim that neither illness is physical but that symptoms are psychosomatic (the symptoms have an emotional basis).

Psychosomatic disease often refers to:

• People who report inexplicable physical symptoms
• People who fear a disease and interpret any symptom as evidence of that disease
• People who report blindness, deafness, paralysis or seizures without somatic cause

The symptoms of Gulf War Syndrome listed by the American Legion can be caused by many conditions, and none are specific to Gulf War veterans:

• Headache
• Muscle pain
• Chronic fatigue
• Sleep disturbance
• Menstrual disorders
• Respiratory problems
• Nervous system disorders
• Neuropsychological problems
• Skin rashes and unusual hair loss
• Cardiovascular signs or symptoms
• Gastrointestinal problems (nausea, diarrhea & constipation)

Although we can help people cope with these and similar problems, our systemic coaching is not widely available. We train coaches, counselors and therapists from many countries to include systemic coaching in their work.

Please consult your physician about any opinions or recommendations about Gulf War syndrome medical symptoms or other medical conditions.

Systemic Coaching Solutions

People who experienced war trauma, especially if they feel betrayed by their government, may show strong emotions, trance-like dissociation, chronic fatigue or psychosomatic disease. Such people may:

• avoid finishing projects
• cannot specify timed goals
• distract themselves with obsessions
• be depressed - life does not make sense
• express strong and inappropriate emotions
• offer endless justifications for their behavior
• be diagnosed with developmental or personality disorders
• be diagnosed with stress disorders or chronic fatigue syndrome

Developmental Disorders . Personality Disorders . Chronic Fatigue

Systemic coaching can help people find rapid relief from the consequences of war trauma and deep stress. Soulwork systemic coaching can help you resolve relationship problems. Our systemic coaching follows a general sequence ...

1. Understand relationships and strong emotions
2. Define goals, resolve objections & plan for success
3. End inner conflict and recover integrity / identity
4. Recover identity loss; missing qualities, expertise and skills
5. Dissolve relationship bonds and create healthy relationships
6. Dissolve emotional stress reactions and rebuild motivation
7. Dissolve therapist damage and find inspirational mentorship
8. Learn friendship and partnership skills to find happiness
9. Learn to cooperate in teams and become a team leader
10. Learn effective parenthood and family skills

We help people select and fulfill important goals that express their deepest values, as people decide “How do I want to fulfill my life?”

Depression . Anxiety . Bipolar Disorder

Plagiarism is theft. Copyright © Martyn Carruthers 1996-2012 All rights reserved. Soulwork Systemic Coaching was primarily developed by Martyn Carruthers
to help people dissolve emotional blocks, improve relationships and achieve goals. These concepts and strategies are for general knowledge only. Consult a physician about medical conditions and before changing medical treatment. Don't steal intellectual property ... ask for permission to post, publish or teach this work.