Word: ptsd
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...directed at the enemy, not at prisoners. But with Abu Ghraib under threat of mortar fire, many of those stationed there have said they were in a perpetual state of tension and fear, the well-known antecedents to shell-shock, also known as post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD...
...Over half - 56% - were suffering from more than one disorder. The median was three disorders, says Dr. Seal: "So instead of treating just post-traumatic stress disorder, you're treating PTSD, depression and substance abuse." The most common combination, she says, was PTSD and depression. "That's understandable," says Seal, because soldiers face horrifying events in combat that lead to PTSD while experiencing "a lot of loss and separation that leads to depression...
...Post-traumatic stress disorder affected 13% of veterans in the study. That number is consistent with figures from other conflicts, including Vietnam. But Seal is concerned that the numbers on PTSD and other mental disorders have been rising since the study was completed. "We just did a quick peek at more recent data and the numbers have gone up. They may surpass the numbers from Vietnam." She and her fellow authors attribute the prevalence of mental problems to the stress of guerrilla warfare, the chronic threat of roadside bombs and improvised explosive devices and multiple tours of duty...
...group with the highest rate of mental problems, according to the study, are those between 18 and 24. Young active-duty soldiers were three times as likely as those over 40 to be diagnosed with PTSD and/or another mental health disorder...
...Seal notes that the V.A. has been putting more mental health professionals into primary care facilities, since vets historically have resisted going to mental health clinics. Research suggests that getting them help earlier can prevent PTSD and other problems from becoming chronic...