Today's Article
Yet only about half
have received even
'minimally adequate'
treatment for their
illnesses.
have received even
'minimally adequate'
treatment for their
illnesses.
The American Spark
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
One In Five Iraq, Afghanistan Vets Endure Shell Shock, Depression
Cliff Montgomery - July 11th, 2008
Almost 20 percent of U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan--about 300,000--have reported
symptoms of either "post-traumatic stress disorder"--shell shock--or suicidal depression. Yet just over half have
requested professional treatment, stated an April study by the RAND Corporation, a top think-tank.
Numerous service members told researchers that they avoid treatment for their mental ailments, "because
they fear it will harm their careers," according to a RAND news bulletin on the study, also released in April.
Worse still, only about half of those seeking help for shell shock or major depression have received even
"minimally adequate" treatment for their illnesses, according to the report.
The RAND study calculated that U.S. soldiers' mental illnesses developing in the first two years after
deployment will cost up to $6.2 billion--a quantity that includes such disparate costs as direct medical care to
losses from decreased productivity or suicide.
"Investing in more high-quality treatment could save close to $2 billion within two years by substantially
reducing [such] indirect costs," stated the 500-page report.
"There is a major health crisis facing those men and women who have served our nation in Iraq and
Afghanistan," Terri Tanielian, the study's co-leader and a RAND researcher, stated in the news release.
"Unless [U.S. soldiers] receive appropriate and effective care for these mental health conditions, there will be
long-term consequences for them and for the nation. Unfortunately, we found there are many barriers
preventing them from getting the high-quality treatment they need," added Tanielian.
The RAND study is the first full, independent account of the psychological needs of American troops who had
at least one tour of duty in Iraq or Afghanistan during the last six years.
Over 1.6 million U.S. soldiers have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since October 2001. The two
separate engagements have severely strained the American military, exposing troops to overlong periods of
both war-related tension and intensely traumatic events.
"The pace of the deployments in these current conflicts is unprecedented in the history of the all-volunteer
force," according to the study.
"Not only is a higher proportion of the armed forces being deployed, but deployments have been longer,
redeployment to combat has been common, and breaks between deployments have been
infrequent," added the RAND report.
"Early evidence suggests that the psychological toll of these deployments--many involving prolonged exposure
to combat-related stress over multiple rotations--may be disproportionately high compared with the physical
injuries of combat.
"With the increasing incidence of suicide and suicide attempts among returning veterans, concern about
depression is also on the rise..
"Many recent reports have referred to these as the signature wounds of the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts,"
stated researchers in the report.
Half of the soldiers taking part in the study told researchers of at least one friend who either was horribly
wounded or killed. A full 45 percent said they saw seriously injured or dead non-combatants, and more than 10
percent disclosed that they themselves were injured and needed hospitalization.
The report further discovered that "many treatment gaps exist for those with [shell shock] and depression,"
according to the news release.
Forty-seven percent of U.S. troops with psychological trauma refused to seek help for their condition in the
past year--and only about half of those who looked for treatment received "minimally adequate" mental health
care.
"If [shell shock] and depression go untreated or are under-treated, there is a cascading set of consequences,"
RAND project co-leader Lisa Jaycox was quoted as saying in the news release.
"Drug use, suicide, marital problems and unemployment are some of the consequences. There will be a bigger
societal impact if these service members go untreated. The consequences are not good for the individuals or
society in general," she added.
The RAND study called for a major U.S. effort to improve and expand the part played by our mental health
system in providing total care to soldiers and war veterans. Such assistance must be a partnership between
the Pentagon, veteran and civilian mental health systems, and should work on providing the best-trained health
providers and the most current, evidence-based methods of treatment.
Lastly, all groups must do more to encourage both veterans and soldiers to seek much-needed care.
"We need to remove the institutional cultural barriers that discourage soldiers from seeking care," stated
Tanielian in the news release.
"Just because someone is getting mental health care does not mean that they are not able to do their job.
Seeking mental health treatment should be seen as a sign of strength and interest in getting better, not a
weakness.
"People need to get help as early as possible--not only [after] their symptoms become severe and disabling,"
added Tanielian.
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark
e-newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!
Cliff Montgomery - July 11th, 2008
Almost 20 percent of U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan--about 300,000--have reported
symptoms of either "post-traumatic stress disorder"--shell shock--or suicidal depression. Yet just over half have
requested professional treatment, stated an April study by the RAND Corporation, a top think-tank.
Numerous service members told researchers that they avoid treatment for their mental ailments, "because
they fear it will harm their careers," according to a RAND news bulletin on the study, also released in April.
Worse still, only about half of those seeking help for shell shock or major depression have received even
"minimally adequate" treatment for their illnesses, according to the report.
The RAND study calculated that U.S. soldiers' mental illnesses developing in the first two years after
deployment will cost up to $6.2 billion--a quantity that includes such disparate costs as direct medical care to
losses from decreased productivity or suicide.
"Investing in more high-quality treatment could save close to $2 billion within two years by substantially
reducing [such] indirect costs," stated the 500-page report.
"There is a major health crisis facing those men and women who have served our nation in Iraq and
Afghanistan," Terri Tanielian, the study's co-leader and a RAND researcher, stated in the news release.
"Unless [U.S. soldiers] receive appropriate and effective care for these mental health conditions, there will be
long-term consequences for them and for the nation. Unfortunately, we found there are many barriers
preventing them from getting the high-quality treatment they need," added Tanielian.
The RAND study is the first full, independent account of the psychological needs of American troops who had
at least one tour of duty in Iraq or Afghanistan during the last six years.
Over 1.6 million U.S. soldiers have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since October 2001. The two
separate engagements have severely strained the American military, exposing troops to overlong periods of
both war-related tension and intensely traumatic events.
"The pace of the deployments in these current conflicts is unprecedented in the history of the all-volunteer
force," according to the study.
"Not only is a higher proportion of the armed forces being deployed, but deployments have been longer,
redeployment to combat has been common, and breaks between deployments have been
infrequent," added the RAND report.
"Early evidence suggests that the psychological toll of these deployments--many involving prolonged exposure
to combat-related stress over multiple rotations--may be disproportionately high compared with the physical
injuries of combat.
"With the increasing incidence of suicide and suicide attempts among returning veterans, concern about
depression is also on the rise..
"Many recent reports have referred to these as the signature wounds of the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts,"
stated researchers in the report.
Half of the soldiers taking part in the study told researchers of at least one friend who either was horribly
wounded or killed. A full 45 percent said they saw seriously injured or dead non-combatants, and more than 10
percent disclosed that they themselves were injured and needed hospitalization.
The report further discovered that "many treatment gaps exist for those with [shell shock] and depression,"
according to the news release.
Forty-seven percent of U.S. troops with psychological trauma refused to seek help for their condition in the
past year--and only about half of those who looked for treatment received "minimally adequate" mental health
care.
"If [shell shock] and depression go untreated or are under-treated, there is a cascading set of consequences,"
RAND project co-leader Lisa Jaycox was quoted as saying in the news release.
"Drug use, suicide, marital problems and unemployment are some of the consequences. There will be a bigger
societal impact if these service members go untreated. The consequences are not good for the individuals or
society in general," she added.
The RAND study called for a major U.S. effort to improve and expand the part played by our mental health
system in providing total care to soldiers and war veterans. Such assistance must be a partnership between
the Pentagon, veteran and civilian mental health systems, and should work on providing the best-trained health
providers and the most current, evidence-based methods of treatment.
Lastly, all groups must do more to encourage both veterans and soldiers to seek much-needed care.
"We need to remove the institutional cultural barriers that discourage soldiers from seeking care," stated
Tanielian in the news release.
"Just because someone is getting mental health care does not mean that they are not able to do their job.
Seeking mental health treatment should be seen as a sign of strength and interest in getting better, not a
weakness.
"People need to get help as early as possible--not only [after] their symptoms become severe and disabling,"
added Tanielian.
Like what you're reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of the The American Spark
e-newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be
delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!