Most PTSD Cases Under-reported, Under-diagnosed

[babylonsister]

Most Stress Cases Missed

Army Admits Disorder Is Under-Reported

By LISA CHEDEKEL | Courant Staff Writer
August 6, 2007

Only about 3 percent of soldiers who have served in combat since 2003 have been diagnosed by the Army with post-traumatic stress disorder - far fewer than the numbers who have screened positive for PTSD symptoms in recent Army studies, suggesting that the disorder is being under-reported and under-diagnosed.

New figures released to The Courant by the Army's Office of the Surgeon General show a total of 23,788 soldiers, most of them deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, who have been diagnosed by the military with PTSD in the past four years.

The number represents about 3.2 percent of the more than 745,000 soldiers who have been deployed. A recent Army study of soldiers serving in Iraq, based on anonymous surveys, found that 17 percent met the criteria for PTSD, while other military studies have estimated the prevalence of the disorder at 15 to 20 percent.

"We know it's being under-reported," acknowledged Col. Elspeth Ritchie, psychiatry consultant to the Army surgeon general. "That's true with any psychological symptom."

The Army figures do not account for all cases of PTSD among soldiers who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, but instead represent only diagnoses made while soldiers were on active duty. Other diagnoses are made by the Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA, after soldiers are discharged. But even the combined total of Army and VA diagnoses of PTSD - about 76,000 to date - represents only about 5 percent of the more than 1.5 million troops who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan.

more...

http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-ptsd0806.artaug06,0,2250078.story

[Warpy]

1. Vietnam vets in cities formed groups

and those groups of brothers with PTSD did nearly as well as formal treatment would have. Likely the same will be true in this war.

Horror like this needs to be talked out and it needs to be talked out among people who understand. The rest of us can listen, but we'll never get it.

[lazer47]

2. We actually did a better job than the professionals, and

are still doing it, it takes a a very long time for the impact of PTSD to surface, and an even longer time to treat, our pseudo-male beliefs has made a lot of Vets that much harder to diagnose, because the first step in treating PTSD, is to admit to it.

[Warpy]

4. The guys who found each other did the best, IMO

especially if they were anchored by a family.

[lazer47]

5. That is exactly what I said

[UTUSN]

3. K&R #3 n/t