Med News Today

Mental Health Concern for US Troops

Thousands of US troops are returning from Iraq suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. Will the finally be getting the help the need?

From Reuters:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Retired
U.S. Navy medic Charlie Anderson twice thought about committing suicide: once when he feared he would be sent back to
Iraq in 2004 and again last year when a friend and fellow veteran killed himself.

"I can't say that I can't go because we don't do that, I also can't go because I'm putting people in danger if I do," he said of his first brush with suicidal thoughts, which came while he was awaiting his second deployment.

In the end, Anderson was not deployed but it sparked a two-year effort to get help for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), one of thousands of soldiers returning from the wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan facing a battle to re-enter everyday life.

While much of the attention has been on physical wounds like traumatic brain injuries, as well as squalid living conditions for recovering soldiers, doctors, families and lawmakers are expressing growing concerns that veterans are not be getting the right mental health help.

Those worries come as
President George W. Bush has ordered almost 30,000 more troops to Iraq. Already 1.5 million soldiers have been deployed in the U.S.-led war on terrorism, with one-third serving at least two combat tours, which increases the chances of PTSD.

Despite finally receiving treatment, Anderson finds himself in the middle of a divorce and still constantly on edge -- jumpy at loud noises and always eyeing the exits of rooms.

"I have triggers every day, but I'm learning how to deal with them," he said.

The
Department of Veterans Affairs estimates 12 percent to 20 percent of those who served in Iraq suffer from PTSD. A 2004 Army study found 16.6 percent of those returning from combat tested positive for the disorder.

Individuals suffer from PTSD if they relive the trauma, experience emotional numbness, isolation, depression, substance abuse, and memory problems. These often lead to job instability and marital troubles.

posted by nattietodd @ 9:09 AM