Article

2008-04-18 Home Front: WoT

Study says 300,000 US troops suffer mental problems

About 300,000 U.S. troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan suffer symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or depression, but about half receive no care, an independent study said on Thursday.

The study by the RAND Corp. also estimated that another 320,000 troops have sustained a possible traumatic brain injury during deployment. But researchers could not say how many of those cases were serious or required treatment.

Billed as the first large-scale nongovernmental survey of its kind, the study found that stress disorder and depression afflict 18.5 percent of the more than 1.5 million U.S. forces who have deployed to the two war zones.

The numbers are roughly in line with previous studies. A February assessment by the U.S. Army that showed 17.9 percent of U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan suffering from acute stress, depression or anxiety in 2007, down from 19.1 percent in 2006.

But the 500-page RAND study, based in part on interviews with more than 1,900 soldiers, sailors and Marines, also said that only half of troops suffering debilities receive care. And in half of those cases, the care is only minimally adequate.

Posted by Fred 2008-04-18 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11135 views ] Top

#1 More than a one in three chance of scrambling your brain (half mental, half physical) if you get sent to Iraq or A'stan? That's scary. Regardless of treatment quantity and quality (or lack of), percentages like this are asking for analysis of WHY the numbers are so high. Or are they 'normal' (and unavoidable) for war, anywhere, anytime? (Or, taking a Lib position, it's a volunteer force and you'd have to have mental problems to sign up in the first place.)

Posted by Glenmore">Glenmore 2008-04-18 06:31|| 2008-04-18 06:31|| Front Page Top

#2 Don't belevie it! (Twitches)
It's just another iteration of the "distrubed/Whacked out veteran" narrative.

(twitches. Mumbles to self)

Posted by N guard 2008-04-18 08:18|| 2008-04-18 08:18|| Front Page Top

#3 Amazing. Stress disorder and depression affects 1 in 5 soldiers.

Normally, depression alone affects 1 in 10 Americans, and situations of extended stress affects as many as 1 in 2 Americans who experience it.

So between the two, it seems that even after tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, or soldiers are far mentally healthier than the bulk of our citizenry.

Obviously, we need a draft to help our citizenry regain its mental health.

Posted by Anonymoose 2008-04-18 09:19|| 2008-04-18 09:19|| Front Page Top

#4 Anxiety disorders affect one in eight Americans. Most of those suffering from anxiety also suffer from depression, because both are responses to brain chemical imbalances (primarily seratonin for both).

Posted by trailing wife ">trailing wife 2008-04-18 09:53|| 2008-04-18 09:53|| Front Page Top

#5 This is Roooooters, the guys I know that have served were anxious when they came home, took a while to re-acclimate, but are back to their old selves now. Of course, most were dicks before they went, so how can you tell?

Posted by bigjim-ky 2008-04-18 10:02|| 2008-04-18 10:02|| Front Page Top

#6 It's a kind of culture shock. They have been in the heat of hell with 40 pounds of gear and sometimes in sand storms, with IEDs and snipers without warning, and they come back to slack couch potatos calling them baby killers from the softest part of the comfort zone.
Hmmmm, why do they get so emotional ?
I can only imagine, but I think I would want heroic recognition. Some kind of applause for an outstanding job and thanks for my efforts. I would want women to kiss me, and girls to hug me, and men to shake my hand and thank me for keeping them safe. I would want respect for my uniform, and familiarity with whatever metals or ribbons I had. I would want smiling, welcoming faces, happy that I am well without even knowing who I am.
Those who don't get any of that should have some kind of post-traumatic stress.

Posted by wxjames 2008-04-18 10:23|| 2008-04-18 10:23|| Front Page Top

#7 These are the same guys who have perscribed Ritalin to every young boy with a cold.

Job security: define illness down, get lots of new clients.

Al

Posted by Frozen Al 2008-04-18 11:31|| 2008-04-18 11:31|| Front Page Top

#8 My dad worked convoy escort for the navy in WW2. Until his death he would jump whenever we had to wake him up. Technically that is an example of permanent stress, derived from combat: re. residual fear of torpedos. However, since that stress didn't hamper normal living, I would file it under: no big deal.

The average person doesn't like to hear this but: many military lifers crave the rush of battle. For them, high adrenalin situations are the spice of life. That is one reason why stop-loss reactivations didn't bother most of the 40,000 soldiers so effected.

However, I question the Iraq theater' omission to execute disproportionate retaliation, in face of IED murders of US troops. Do-nothing should NEVER be deemed an acceptable response to a terror challenge. Where locals have refused to report IED plants, their homes should be destroyed. The planting that led to the "Haditha" retaliation incident, was executed in broad daylight. How many locals would be complicit if they knew their homes would face demolition?

Posted by McZoid 2008-04-18 12:25|| 2008-04-18 12:25|| Front Page Top

#9 Remember? The MSM told that Vitenam veterans had mental problems, high rates of alcoholism and high rates of suicide. In fact they were lower than on average and certainly lower than those of reporters.

Posted by JFM">JFM 2008-04-18 12:37|| 2008-04-18 12:37|| Front Page Top

#10 Iam now suffering from PTSD since reading this article.

(No reflection on those brave individuals who serve tirelessly in the armed forces)

Posted by Skunky Glins 5***">Skunky Glins 5*** 2008-04-18 13:05|| 2008-04-18 13:05|| Front Page Top

#11 Anyone that has been in combat can tell you it changes you and some folks can't deal with that too well. I know I had my issues, but worked through them.

Face it, you cannot face the stress of kill or be killed, and doing the killing, or seeing a buddy killed (or both), and not come out unscathed.

Those are not normal human activities.

I don't really question the numbers, but I do question the severity. Someone parked on a FOB doesn't have nearly the combat stress levels of the average grunt, nor the stress of the drivers running on the MSRs with the ambushes and IEDs.

Posted by OldSpook 2008-04-18 14:59|| 2008-04-18 14:59|| Front Page Top

#12 My dad worked convoy escort for the navy in WW2. Until his death he would jump whenever we had to wake him up.

McZoid, please thank your father from me. If he was in the Pacific, he probably helped keep my mother's first husband safe, if the Atlantic he helped speed the troops that ended the war before my mother was discovered. Either way, without him and his mates, I would not exist.

Not quite separately, Mr. Wife always jumps when awakened as well, ready to fight before his eyes open, the residue of his first black belt, in Kung Fu. Yet the closest he came to military experience was the stories told by his uncles after they came back from Viet Nam, so it can't be blamed on PTSD.

Posted by trailing wife ">trailing wife 2008-04-18 15:38|| 2008-04-18 15:38|| Front Page Top

#13 TW, the startle and suddne jump on waking is common among military types. I have it, and so does my wife, although she never served in combat. I guess it comes from having to respond and be awake instantly for several years. I bet firefighters do the same thing.

Posted by OldSpook 2008-04-18 17:39|| 2008-04-18 17:39|| Front Page Top

#14 I have the same thing OS and never saw anything other than a brief firefight. The floor in my house creaking at night because someone walked on it wakes me up. I know a ex-firefighter that is the same way so I bet that is a common trait. The two cops I know are that way too. Maybe it is from extended stress at anytime that effects the brain.....

Posted by DarthVader">DarthVader 2008-04-18 18:21|| 2008-04-18 18:21|| Front Page Top

#15 I get so tired of this propaganda.

Posted by Woodrow Slusorong7967 2008-04-18 19:03|| 2008-04-18 19:03|| Front Page Top

#16 Don't really believe it. Now if it said 300,000 Kos readers ...

Posted by DMFD 2008-04-18 19:44|| 2008-04-18 19:44|| Front Page Top

#17 I think that many currently serving are going to have an unusual mental health issue. That is, nothing they can do or hope to do back in the US will offer them the same job satisfaction. Not pleasure, but a deep, heartfelt intensity.

That is, in Iraq and Afghanistan, their smallest contribution could mean the difference between life and death. The people there were beyond needy, they were desperate.

But America is a bloated, self-satisfied ivory tower. Ignorant and indifferent to the rest of the world, for the most part. How to return to this world, where even saving someone's life hardly merits a "thank you"?

Where very few people matter.

Posted by Anonymoose 2008-04-18 21:33|| 2008-04-18 21:33|| Front Page Top

#18 I think we will have a new surge: of highly competent, battle-tested, patriotic, intelligent and motivated, political candidates.... and it makes me VERY hopeful for the future of America

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2008-04-18 21:36|| 2008-04-18 21:36|| Front Page Top

#19 Served in Nam 1965-1966..PTSD was defined much later,what ever that is....

Posted by crazyhorse">crazyhorse 2008-04-18 22:44|| 2008-04-18 22:44|| Front Page Top

21:10 newc
20:17 SteveS
18:44 magpie
18:33 Frank G
18:33 badanov
18:26 Hellfish
18:23 Hellfish
17:40 swksvolFF
17:34 Ebbuger Whuque4103
17:30 Ebbuger Whuque4103
17:02 Melancholic
16:27 Gravilet Snanter4154
16:20 Chaise Speaking for Boskone7897
16:02 Skidmark
16:01 Skidmark
15:46 Skidmark
15:41 Skidmark
15:37 swksvolFF
15:36 Skidmark
15:34 Skidmark
15:27 Skidmark
14:48 NoMoreBS
14:31 NoMoreBS
14:16 NoMoreBS