Study Says 1/3 of Iraq, Afghanistan Veterans at VA Hospitals Have Mental Health Problems

[tekisui]

Source: NJ.com

More than a third of veterans treated at Veterans Affairs hospitals were diagnosed with mental health problems -- including post-traumatic stress, depression and alcoholism -- after returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, according to a study released today.

Researchers who tracked nearly 300,000 returning veterans confirmed what many military officials have suspected: The number of soldiers seeking help for everything from depression to marital problems is at an all time high.

Nearly 37 percent of those treated nationwide at Veterans Affairs medical centers for the first time were suffering from mental health problems, according to the study published on the American Journal of Public Health website.

Nearly 22 percent of the soldiers studied were suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, researchers said. Another 17 percent were diagnosed with depression, 7 percent had alcohol problems and 3 percent had drug problems.

"What's really striking is the dramatic acceleration in mental health diagnoses, particularly PTSD, after the beginning of the conflict in Iraq on March 20, 2003," says Karen Seal, the study's lead author, and a staff physician at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

more: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/07/study_says_13_of_iraq_afghanis.html

[babylonsister]

1. Absolutely tragic. nt

[madokie]

2. I'm not sure that us Vietnam Vets fared any better

War is hell. No one should ever send their children off to war, no one. I know I won't. If the war comes to us here I'd be the first but when it's 'over there so they won't get us over here' bullshit I won't. fuck that

[prostomulgus]

3. This is why we can't just bring them all home

God knows how they've been warped by their time in the military but we have to believe that at least some of them should not be simply turned loose on the American public.

Instead, as we withdraw them from Iraq and Afghanistan, we should take them to an isolated locale like Diego Garcia where they can be professionally evaluated. Those that are stable enough can be brought home. Those that are dangerously unstable should be kept offshore where they can be treated.

Safety of the American public must be a paramount concern here.

[G_j]

4. don't agree

here is home, they can be treated here. Our responsibility is to do just that; treat them with all available resources and knowledge.
We must also support their families in any ways we can.

[tekisui]

5. I think providing adequate care for those who we ask all

from is the primary concern. They need treatment and to be re-integrated. Off-shoring them would just add to the stigma. And, of course, we need to quit creating generations of traumatized vets.

[bumbum]

6. That's about average for Americans in general.

The Numbers Count: Mental Disorders in America
Mental Disorders in America

Mental disorders are common in the United States and internationally. An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older — about one in four adults — suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.1 When applied to the 2004 U.S. Census residential population estimate for ages 18 and older, this figure translates to 57.7 million people.2Even though mental disorders are widespread in the population, the main burden of illness is concentrated in a much smaller proportion — about 6 percent, or 1 in 17 — who suffer from a serious mental illness.1 In addition, mental disorders are the leading cause of disability in the U.S. and Canada for ages 15-44.3 Many people suffer from more than one mental disorder at a given time. Nearly half (45 percent) of those with any mental disorder meet criteria for 2 or more disorders, with severity strongly related to comorbidity.1

Mood disorders include major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, and bipolar disorder.
Approximately 20.9 million American adults, or about 9.5 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year, have a mood disorder.1
The median age of onset for mood disorders is 30 years.5
Depressive disorders often co-occur with anxiety disorders and substance abuse.5

Major Depressive Disorder
Major Depressive Disorder is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. for ages 15-44.3
Major depressive disorder affects approximately 14.8 million American adults, or about 6.7 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year.1
While major depressive disorder can develop at any age, the median age at onset is 32.5
Major depressive disorder is more prevalent in women than in men.6
Dysthymic Disorder
Symptoms of dysthymic disorder (chronic, mild depression) must persist for at least two years in adults (one year in children) to meet criteria for the diagnosis. Dysthymic disorder affects approximately 1.5 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year.1 This figure translates to about 3.3 million American adults.2
The median age of onset of dysthymic disorder is 31.1

Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder affects approximately 5.7 million American adults, or about 2.6 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year.1
The median age of onset for bipolar disorders is 25 years.5

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-numbers-count-mental-disorders-in-america/index.shtml

[tekisui]

7. Oh, awesome! Our vets are doing great!

:eyes:

[bumbum]

8. Didn't say that did I. I simply pointed out that the general population is not that far off.

The soldiers are our best and brightest.

Right now we are losing more Marines per day than we did at the worst time in Iraq even though we have far fewer marines in Afganistan.

Where is the outrage? Where is the anger at the micromanaging of the war in Afganistan by the administration? Our Marines are fighting this war in Afganistan with rules of engagement that makes them only 50% effective.