[Vision2020] PTSD

[Phil Nisbet]

Richard

The question was not if vets coming back from Iraq would suffer from PTSD, 
but the overall effect that it would have on vets in general.  The poster, 
James Reynolds, suggested that all persons who went through infantry 
training were going to end up with no feeling for their fellow man and that 
all persons who underwent combat situations would succumb to PTSD and be 
permanently disabled.

The various vets on this list noted that PTSD is a serious problem but that 
the chronic form of PTSD that requires long term treatment only effects 30% 
of PTSD patients and the malady is not something that causes anybody to be a 
dangerous person or a person likely to become a street bum, which is the 
kind of thing that the ill informed seem to think.

Your figure of 17% is extremely high.  The studies that I have seen put the 
rate at between 8-10% and that for frontline combat troops.  Since 4% is the 
average in the US population and what is also typical of non-combat related 
PTSD's, the figure for Viet Nam Vets and preliminary figures for Iraq War 
vets are pretty near in sync.  There should be around 6000-7000 troops who 
will suffer chronic PTSD that will take treatment for many years to come.  
The rest of the PTSD sufferers will recover within 6 months, some with 
treatment, but the bulk without.

The 7000 cases of chronic PTSD will require care to the tune of $40,000 a 
year per man and the vets on the list noted that they are deserving of 
disability and treatment costs just as those who are physically wounded.  
There are no Purple Hearts for the guys who end up with PTSD, but they are 
as wounded by action as any who took a round.  Regardless of what any person 
feels about Iraq or action in the Middle East, they need to support the long 
term care for those who served.

And critically, people need to treat all the troops returning from action 
with dignity.  The Viet Nam experience need not be repeated and these young 
troops can move more readily back into life if they are given respect.  That 
is especially true of the guys with PTSD.

Phil Nisbet



>From: "Richard Schmidt" <44schmidt at earthlink.net>
>To: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
>Subject: [Vision2020] PTSD
>Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2006 07:48:51 -0500
>
>Within the past couple weeks some misinformed person made the statement 
>that PTSD was not a problem with the servicemen serving in Afghanistan and 
>Iraq. Please read the article at  
>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/01/29/MNGMHGVCEV1.DTL 
>     which ends with:
>
>
>Veterans and stress
>Post-traumatic stress disorder is an ailment resulting from exposure to an 
>experience involving direct or indirect threat of serious injury or death. 
>Symptoms include recurrent thoughts of a traumatic event, reduced 
>involvement in work or outside interests, hyper alertness, anxiety and 
>irritability.
>
>About 317,000 veterans diagnosed with the disorder were treated at 
>Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers and clinics in fiscal year 
>2005. Nearly 19,000 veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were seen 
>for the disorder in veterans' medical centers and Vet Centers from fiscal 
>year 2002 to 2005.
>
>A recent study of soldiers and Marines who had served in Iraq and 
>Afghanistan found that about 17 percent met criteria for post-traumatic 
>stress disorder, depression, or generalized anxiety disorder. Of those 
>whose responses were positive for a mental disorder, 40 percent or fewer 
>actually received help while on active duty.
>
>For more information, contact your local veterans facility, call (877) 
>222-VETS.


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