[Reactor]

This is pretty grim.


The problems include anxiety, depression, nightmares, anger and an inability to concentrate, according to Lt. Gen. Kevin Kiley and other military medical officials.

A smaller group, usually with more severe cases of these symptoms, is diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.

The 30 percent figure is in contrast to the 3 percent to 5 percent diagnosed with a significant mental health issue immediately after they leave the theater, according to Col. Elspeth Ritchie, a military psychiatrist on Kiley's staff.


Full story at Mental health worsens after troops return

 

[dvasis]

****.

 

[rooftest]

The 30 percent figure is in contrast to the 3 percent to 5 percent diagnosed with a significant mental health issue immediately after they leave the theater,

Wait a second! "significant mental health issue" after leaving a frickin' movie theatre??? I think you need to consider the source here.

If 5% of people are crazy after a movie, it seems almost rational that 30% are crazy after being in danger.

 

[DHanamal]

When he said theater he ment theater of war. Such as the European Theater or Pacific Theater during WWII. Once a soldier leaves Iraq and the region entirely then they are out of theater.

 

[rooftest]

I'm gonna stick with my dissatisfaction with the source - with all the recent bombings, hurricanes, and the war still going on - CNN has maintained near 24-hour coverage of that missing girl from Aruba. :mumble:

 

[Changleen]

Wait a second! "significant mental health issue" after leaving a frickin' movie theatre??? I think you need to consider the source here.

If 5% of people are crazy after a movie, it seems almost rational that 30% are crazy after being in danger.

Sorry, but I am laughing at you right now. I hope you were joking!

 

[Changleen]

I'm gonna stick with my dissatisfaction with the source - with all the recent bombings, hurricanes, and the war still going on - CNN has maintained near 24-hour coverage of that missing girl from Aruba. :mumble:

I can agree with that! CNN =

 

[ito]

We had a returning soldier stop by the bike shop the other week. Had us build him up a nice Candy Apple Green Santa Cruz Chameleon and then put a gold king headset on it. You gotta have mental health problems to think those two things match.



The Ito

 

[hooples3]

Sorry, but I am laughing at you right now. I hope you were joking!

yeah that was pretty funny

 

[BuddhaRoadkill]

Wait a second! "significant mental health issue" after leaving a frickin' movie theatre??? I think you need to consider the source here.

If 5% of people are crazy after a movie, it seems almost rational that 30% are crazy after being in danger.

Ignorance is bliss, no?

 

[MMike]

Crappy movies like Open Water left me with mental health problems. What a stinkfest.

 

[Changleen]

We had a returning soldier stop by the bike shop the other week. Had us build him up a nice Candy Apple Green Santa Cruz Chameleon and then put a gold king headset on it. You gotta have mental health problems to think those two things match.



The Ito

Dude, you gotta love green and gold! Especially with black wheels! Although dark green probably works better than candy apple....

 

[Changleen]

More seriously, it's interesting that US troops come out of this with mental problems. It makes it easier to understand why the people on the receiving end of the invasion come out of the experience as occasional suicide bombers. Imagine the hopelessness you would feel under prolonged ariel bombardment and general military aggresion by a force so far advanced than your own, especially that of another race and religion.

 

[MudGrrl]

May I remind you all about Fort Bragg......Fort Bragg Killings Blamed on Stress

The military says that they are trying to help.. putting 'Combat Stress Teams' together to talk to the soldiers after they return... it's like putting a Band Aid on an amputated leg... the help isn't really help.

What the military is 'good' at:
Bombing small villages

What the military is not good at:
any sort of mental health care

 

[Changleen]

What the military is 'good' at:
Bombing small villages

What the military is not good at:
any sort of mental health care

LMFAO

 

[valve bouncer]

You only have to read Shirley's posts to realise what effect the military has on a persons mental health.

 

[PonySoldier]

You only have to read Shirley's posts to realise what effect the military has on a persons mental health.

His are also compounded by the fact he was a Marine..

 

[MMike]

This is what he became

 

[golgiaparatus]

We had a returning soldier stop by the bike shop the other week. Had us build him up a nice Candy Apple Green Santa Cruz Chameleon and then put a gold king headset on it. You gotta have mental health problems to think those two things match.



The Ito

LOL!!

 

[TheMontashu]

inability to concentrate is part of the 30%. I mean come on how many people do have ADD thats such BS, I mean look at me i dont have any serious mental issues but for the life of me i can not pay attention in english.

 

[DRB]

What going into a combat zone and then leaving it is difficult for ones mental health? Who would have ever thought that.

I'd actually bet that the 30% is low for the described symptoms for 3 to 6 months later. I'd actually bet that incidents of anxiety, depression, nightmares, anger and an inability to concentrate are undereported by half.

Put anyone under stress for a period of time to the point they have adapted to the stress and then take the stress away and watch what happens. What's the rate 6 months later? A year?

The failure is not that this happens. The failure is that they don't do a better job of warning you about it. Check the rates for those that are coming back for the second time, (it gets easier as you know what to expect).

 

[Zark]

Compunding this is the fact the VA hospitals are in a serious funding crisis. I guess they planned budgets around 2002 numbers (no war) Now that is foresight!

 

[TheMontashu]

lets not forget clinton cutting the military(and its funding) in half

 

[Zark]

lets not forget clinton cutting the military(and its funding) in half

Which would have been fine unless you REALLY want some regime change in Iraq to cover up you complete lack of domestic agenda

 

[DRB]

Which would have been fine unless you REALLY want some regime change in Iraq to cover up you complete lack of domestic agenda

The classic Chewbacca defense.

 

[genpowell71]

Well I can say from my perspective that after 30 months of Afghanistan and Iraq that loud noises scare the Shait out of me. I get pissed off very easy and I cant watch the news about Iraq anymore because it depresses me. I had counseling for a good 8 months after I got back. I have no shame in admitting it. I did Afghan and Iraq and I saw alot of people die and action. I'm not right in the head.

Besides, I think the green and gold look pretty good...

 

[Changleen]

This is what he became

LMAO Again! That is superb! I have a new mental image of Burly now. Awesome.

 

[Changleen]

Besides, I think the green and gold look pretty good...

Sorry about your trauma, man.

 

[TheMontashu]

Which would have been fine unless you REALLY want some regime change in Iraq to cover up you complete lack of domestic agenda

I'm not sure weather I like bush or not, or wether i support the war or not. But it is a fact that in order to pay off the debt clinton compramised national security (iraq has nothing to do with security)

 

[MMike]

I'm not sure weather I like bush or not, or wether i support the war or not. But it is a fact that in order to pay off the debt clinton compramised national security (iraq has nothing to do with security)

And then Bush handed the budget surplus out in $80 checks to everyone right after he was elected.

 

[TheMontashu]

And then Bush handed the budget surplus out in $80 checks to everyone right after he was elected.

Not saying what bush did was right, infact that was as big if not a bigger mistake than clinton made

 

[sanjuro]

I'm not sure weather I like bush or not, or wether i support the war or not. But it is a fact that in order to pay off the debt clinton compramised national security (iraq has nothing to do with security)

And I am just curious, how do you rate our National Security during the Clinton and Bush years?

I know you wouldn't make a blanket statement with no supporting facts....

 

[TheMontashu]

The fact that we have less troops to defend the country in my opinion is putting national our security at risk

 

[Changleen]

The fact that we have less troops to defend the country in my opinion is putting national our security at risk

From who?

 

[spam16v]

*raises hand*

 

[TheMontashu]

From who?

No one right now but china korea and iran are starting to get realy shady

 

[Changleen]

No one right now but china korea and iran are starting to get realy shady

Iran and North Korea couldn't mount a ground invasion of the US in a million years. China is possibly the only country in the world that could, but simple economics mean that is increasingly unlikely to happen. China is generally getting less 'shady' as their economy grows and they become more and more developed.

 

[ohio]

The fact that we have less troops to defend the country in my opinion is putting national our security at risk

Yup, having fewer troops is certainly putting us more at risk than, say, taking every single one we have, including the reservists, and shipping them 10,000 miles away.

 

[TheMontashu]

that is correct

 

[Changleen]

Yup, having fewer troops is certainly putting us more at risk than, say, taking every single one we have, including the reservists, and shipping them 10,000 miles away.

And using them to very effectivley to stir up anti-US sentiment...