Striking jump in mental illness found in Iraq, Afghanistan veterans

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/07/striking_jump_in_mental_illnes.html

by Julie Sullivan, The Oregonian
Thursday July 16, 2009, 9:50 PM

About two in five Iraq or Afghanistan veterans have post-traumatic stress disorder or depression, abuse alcohol or have other serious problems, such as homelessness, researchers reported Thursday.

A new study showed a striking jump in mental illness from findings reported two years ago and indicates that veterans' problems continue to emerge years after they return home.

The study was also the first to suggest that National Guardsmen and reservists suffer these wars differently than active-duty soldiers. Army soldiers and Marines younger than 25 had the highest rates of PTSD and drinking. That wasn't surprising, given that they're more likely to see combat and deploy multiple times.

But among National Guardsmen and reservists, it's the soldiers older than 30 who suffer, regardless of the combat they saw. Researchers suggested that being called up from established careers, families and communities make older citizen-soldiers less prepared for combat and less able to move between the two worlds.

[babylonsister]

1. Two in five. Sickening. Rec'd for more eyes. nt

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

2. The unseen and discarded victims of "protecting our vital national interests".

In fruitless, unnecessary, wars.

[Mari333]

3. knr

[ConcernedCanuk]

4. Gee, - - who woulda thunk it - illegal wars, slaughter of innocent civilians, Depleted Uranium . .

.
.
.

USA's War-Machine has not yet perfected a method to remove Military men's consciences

or made them invincible to the toxins they spread in other peoples countries.

But they're workin' on it . .

(sigh)

[DefenseLawyer]

5. I doubt that.

A striking jump in diagnoses perhaps. I know too many people who came home from Vietnam with major issues to think this is something new.

[lunatica]

6. Other than that though, war is grand

If that old lie that man is naturally warlike is true then what's this about PTSD?

:sarcasm: = because as sure as I'm posting here some idiot lacking the irony gene will think I'm serious

[RufusTFirefly]

7. War is the gift that keeps on giving

How the architects of these obscenities can look themselves in the mirror each morning is just utterly beyond me.

[mopinko]

8. no shit. a neighbor

in his 50's, an oil and gas specialist, was deployed 3 times to afghanistan. after returning home the 3rd time, his marriage fell apart. he volunteered to go back a 4th time, because, even tho he hated his time in what he called a hell hole, it now made more sense to him than his wife and his job with the gas company.
the blowback from this war is going to be just plain gianormous.

[Wednesdays]

9. K&R

:kick:

[lilytea]

10. I would too

but I don't

[ColbertWatcher]

11. k+r, n/t