Post-service concerns, such as the challenge of reintegrating into civilian life, marital issues, and the loss of family and social support networks, may exacerbate or even be the root of mental health issues among veterans. In the first two years following their separation from duty, younger veterans had a higher risk of suicide. Homelessness and social marginalization, risk factors for mental illness, are other concerns for ex-service members. Alcohol abuse is also widespread. Military members encounter the same mental health issues as the general public. However, because of their service-related experiences and the adjustment to civilian life, they may suffer many triggers for mental illness. This paper discusses why Soldiers’ lives are more negatively affected by their mental ailments than their physical injuries.
Many military members and veterans have Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and drug misuse. The condition known as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), often referred to as shell shock or battle stress, develops after a very traumatic incident or a life-threatening situation (Levin‐Rector 568-579). After such an occurrence, it is normal for your mind and body to be in shock, but when your nervous system stays “stuck,” this normal response turns into PTSD. Those who serve in the military may be subjected to traumas distinct from those experienced by civilians. Due to the widespread traumatizations experienced throughout the conflict, this may potentially have an impact on their risk. PTSD may result from deployment to combat zones, training mishaps, and military sexual trauma (MST).
In a war scenario, additional elements may increase the already tense circumstances. This might be a factor in PTSD and other mental health issues. These variables include what they do during the battle, the political climate of the battle, the terrain of the battle, and the kind of foes they encounter. Another element that could contribute to PTSD in the military is military sexual trauma (MST). Any sexual abuse or mistreatment you encounter while serving in the military falls under this category. MST can affect both men and women and can happen during times of training, war, or peace. According to several analyses, Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom: In any given year, 9–15 Veterans who participated in OIF or OEF out of every 100 have PTSD (Levin‐Rector 568-579). Additionally, 15% of Gulf War Veterans, roughly 12 out of every 100, experience PTSD each year. Last but not least, the Vietnam War: According to the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study, conducted in late 1990, about 20 out of every 150 Vietnam Veterans (or 16%) had PTSD at the time. According to estimates, 25 out of every 110 Vietnam Veterans will experience PTSD.
Moreover, Veterans who have PSTD have a significant likelihood of also experiencing other psychiatric problems, such as a drug use disorder. According to statistics, more than one-fifth of people seeking treatment for PSTD also have a diagnosable drug use problem (Levin‐Rector 568-579). Imagine all the war veterans who have served our country but are not receiving treatment. Many of them may feel abandoned and turn to alcohol abuse, which may result in aggression, poor physical health, ruined relationships, difficulties maintaining a job, homelessness, suicide, and a host of other issues. It is commonly known that much combat-experienced military personnel experience PSTD symptoms after returning home from battle. To be diagnosed with PTSD, a person must have gone through “a life-threatening incident to which the individual reacted with fear, helplessness, or terror.” (Levin‐Rector 568-579), which has since resulted in persistent reliving, avoiding, and hyperarousal symptoms connected to the trauma. Mental healthcare institutions must emphasize positive transformation and results to assist military combat veterans.
Depression is another major cause of mental illness among soldiers. Both as a pre-existing ailment and a potential side effect of military service, depression can have a complicated connection with service (Abu-El-Noor 48-54). Although people may be considered on a case-by-case basis, having a previously diagnosed mental health issue, such as depression, might be a disqualifying factor for service in the U.S. military. More time and effort must be dedicated to military duty than is typical for the general public. Long distances from loved ones, exposure to trauma, and war situations are all frequent factors that can increase the likelihood that a military member will experience depression. According to statistics, the risk is five times higher than it would be for the overall population for any given 30-day period (Abu-El-Noor 48-54). This amazing research result emphasizes the need to properly diagnose and treat depressive disorders in the military community.
Military personnel may experience a wide range of traumatic incidents while fighting. That makes it more likely for people to experience inferior adult life outcomes and mental health issues like despair and anxiety (Gutierrez et al. 5-23). Up to 16 percent of service members suffer from depression following a deployment. However, given that some military members do not seek treatment for their ailment, this figure may be greater. Furthermore, around 21% of military men claim to have sustained traumatic brain injuries while in battle. Concussions are a frequent example of this kind of injury, which can harm the brain and result in depression symptoms. Multiple deployments, trauma-related stress, and other factors do not only make military members more depressed. Their spouses are also more vulnerable, and their kids are more prone to behavioral and emotional issues.
Additionally, military service is a known risk factor for acquiring mental health conditions, including depression. As a result, if someone is admitted into the military, keeping their mental health is a difficult goal. People who have often deployed experience depression, especially if they are in battle. However, despite displaying sadness, soldiers are often expected to perform well under pressure and may continue their responsibilities. Due to these and other considerations, assessing and treating depression in military duty presents special difficulties. Suicide instances in the military may grow as depression rates rise. Suicide risk identification among veterans is essential since the suicide incidence among military veterans is 50% greater than that of the general civilian population. Although frequently used screening measures are not very good in predicting suicide risk, their usage can encourage people to disclose their sadness and possible suicidality more thoroughly. Some military personnel show signs of depression, which may be a transitory emotional adjustment to military life (Levin‐Rector 568-579). During the transition, symptoms can be managed with increased social support and environmental changes. Although people with adjustment problems should be watched for symptoms of clinical depression and other mental health illnesses, medication or formal therapy is typically not necessary.
TBI can have many different causes, but penetrating bullet injuries, exposure to explosive devices, and severe head impacts are still considered the main culprits in the military. On the one hand, these three categories of trauma account for most wounds sustained throughout modern combat and other forms of armed conflict. However, because TBI is a descendent of the concept of shellshock and was initially classified as a sort of craniocerebral trauma caused by grenade launchers, it is impossible to resist being impacted by this definition (Gutierrez et al. 5-23). Although there are many potential causes of TBI, penetrating bullet injuries, exposure to explosive devices, and severe head impacts are still considered the main culprits in the military. In modern warfare and other forms of armed conflict, these three categories of trauma continue to be the most frequent causes of damage. TBI’s initial, constrained definition of craniocerebral damage brought on by explosive weapons, on the other hand, is difficult to escape because it was formed from the idea of shellshock.
Between 2005 and 2020, more than 500,000 U.S. service personnel received a TBI diagnosis (Abu-El-Noor 48-54). According to studies, military members and Veterans with TBIs may: have persistent symptoms and co-occurring medical disorders, such as depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Abu-El-Noor 48-54). The difference in morbidity is where the gender effect on TBI is most clearly seen. Although these statistics include both civilian and military TBI cases, it may be inferred that there is a significant gender gap among TBI patients. Males appear to experience TBI at a rate that is typically about twice as high as females. This is because men, who normally constitute the majority of military interventions, are more likely to be dispatched to the front lines of conflict than women (Gutierrez et al. 5-23). According to a study on TBI, women are less likely than males to experience TBI, and emergency craniotomies are likewise less common in women.
In conclusion, the effects of soldiers’ mental illnesses on their lives are more detrimental than their physical wounds. Post-service concerns, such as the challenge of reintegrating into civilian life, marital issues, and the loss of family and social support networks, may exacerbate or even be the root of mental health issues among veterans. In the first two years following their separation from duty, younger veterans had a higher risk of suicide. The two most typical mental health issues experienced by returning service members are depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (also known as PTSD, an anxiety condition that occurs after experiencing a traumatic incident). About 20% of service soldiers claim to have sustained traumatic brain injuries while in battle. Concussions are a frequent component of these injuries, which can harm the brain and result in depression symptoms.
Works Cited
Abu-El-Noor, Mysoon Khalil, et al. “Posttraumatic stress disorder among victims of great march of return in the Gaza Strip, Palestine: A need for policy intervention.” Archives of psychiatric nursing 36 (2022): 48-54. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S088394172100159X
Gutierrez, Ian A., and Amy B. Adler. “Organizational Context as a Predictor of Positive Adjustment among Soldiers Following Combat Deployment.” Occupational Health Science (2022): 1-23. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41542-022-00120-0
Levin‐Rector, Alison, et al. “Predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and any mental health condition among U.S. Soldiers and Marines, 2001–2011.” Journal of traumatic stress 31.4 (2018): 568-578. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jts.22316
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