Troops' Mental Distress Tracked

[G_j]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/13/AR2007111301459.html?nav=rss_nation/special

Troops' Mental Distress Tracked
Early Checkups Find Fewer Problems Than Later Ones

By Ann Scott Tyson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 14, 2007; Page A03

Soldiers who have served in Iraq are suffering substantially greater mental distress several months after leaving the combat zone than when they first return home -- with one out of five active-duty Army soldiers and more than 40 percent of Army reservists needing treatment, according to a study by Army researchers published yesterday.

The study is the first to examine over time the psychological struggles of soldiers who have been deployed to Iraq, the vast majority of whom have seen people killed and wounded and have themselves felt being in danger of dying.

Soldiers were far more likely to report mental health problems -- such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression -- in a military screening three to six months after returning from Iraq, compared with a screening done immediately after they came home, according to the study appearing in the Nov. 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Particularly pronounced was the four- to fivefold rise in the proportion of soldiers reporting conflicts with family members and friends, mirroring trends from past wars.

Timothy Bredberg, 26, of Springfield, Ill., returned in 2004 from a tour as a front-line medic in Iraq and said he felt he had to hide his psychological symptoms to stay in the Army. "Commanders were standing there saying if you check the wrong thing, you will be considered crazy and get kicked out," said Bredberg, a corporal, who was soon having nightmares and severe anxiety, and showing up drunk at formations.



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[silverojo]

1. The fact that he wanted to stay in the Army and go back

Is pretty much proof that he has major mental problems.... :scared: