It's Sick
If we all agree that the greatest sacrifice a person can make for their country is military service, how can we justify treating our veterans so terribly? It disgusts me. From the AP:
Michael O'Rourke, assistant director of veterans health policy for the Veterans of Foreign Wars national organization, said that of the 686,000 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan who have been separated from the service, more than 39,000 have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, a risk factor for suicide, at Veterans Affairs facilities.O'Rourke said there is a potential for far more to be diagnosed, and he worries what will happen when some 700,000 additional veterans mustered out of the service.
The Veterans Affairs system acknowledged in a May report shortcomings in its mental health programs and is bracing for a rise in mental health needs.
Comments
PTSD is pretty controversial as a diagnosis. A recent issue of the Journal of Anxiety Disorders brings up some interesting findings and a review of some of the literature on the subject. For example, the same proportion of people tested for PTSD symptoms were diagnosed with it, whether or not there was a tramatic event that would trigger it. Another study done in the last decade or so (don't remember which study) found that only about 40% of those diagnosed with PTSD actually saw any combat. Several of those diagnosed were clerks, and about 10% completely lied about being in the military yet were being treated at the VA. I have a feeling PTSD criteria will undergo some critical changes in the next DSM.
Posted by: Mark | June 15, 2007 01:24 PM