Fear That Suicides May Top War Deaths

[unhappycamper]

Fear That Suicides May Top War Deaths
May 06, 2008
Agence France-Presse

Suicides and "psychological mortality" among U.S. Soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan could exceed battlefield deaths if their mental scars are left untreated, the head of the U.S. Institute of Mental Health is warning.

Of the 1.6 million U.S. troops who have been deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, 18-20 percent -- or around 300,000 -- show symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression or both, said Thomas Insel, head of the National Institute of Mental Health.

An estimated 70 percent of those at-risk Soldiers do not seek help from the Department of Defense or the Veterans Administration, he told a news conference May 5 launching the American Psychiatric Association's 161st annual meeting here.

If "one just does the math", then allowing PTSD or depression to go untreated in such numbers could result in "suicides and psychological mortality trumping combat deaths" in Iraq and Afghanistan, Insel warned.

~snip~

"It's predicted that most Soldiers -- 70 percent -- will not seek treatment through the DoD or VA," Insel said at the meeting, at which the psychological impact of war is expected to top the agenda over the next four days.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/fear-that-suicides-may-top-war-deaths.html

[global1]

1. Has Anybody Analyzed Why This War Is Generating Such A High Level Of PTSD?.........

Why this war? Why are our soldiers walking away from this one with such 'mental scars'? Could it be that it is an unjust war that didn't need to be fought? Could it be our governments sanction of 'torture'? Why this war?

[unhappycamper]

2. I suspect the internets is the answer to your question.

In prior wars, veterans stories of post-combat stress got out to the public via local newspapers. The major news organizations would aggregate the local stories and make them available to the news organizations they fed. The local editors would take what they wanted and the rest would fall to the floor.

Now add the internets.

Local folks read local stories and post them to a place where many folks can see the stories. After a while, your view of doins expands because you are no longer limited to what the news organizations want you to know. You can get it off your favorite web site.

I know GWI vets have suffered PTSD. Fully 1/3 of them are disabled with PTSD, depleted uranium and chemical poisoning.

I know Bosnia vets suffered PTSD - I know a few.

I know Vietnam vets have suffered PTSD - we just didn't have a name for it back then.

I know Korea vets have suffered PTSD - my uncle came back a vegetable and spent the rest of his short life in a VA facility.

I know WWII vets have suffered PTSD - you'll hear stories about your uncle/dad/cousin who was never the same after they returned from combat.


Keep in mind that over 6,000 veterans of all wars off themselves every year.

Fully 1/3 of the homeless population of this country are veterans (yet they only represent 11% of the adult population).

PTSD is bad news.