my boyfriend claims iraq has the highest number of soldiers coming back with ptss, i don't doubt that most of these soldiers coming back are having a hard time adjusting to "normal" life in america. i tend to think that vietnam would've had a higher number though. which is it? or can we even not tell yet since this war is not over?
2006-07-21 14:07:03 · 6 answers · asked by Jessica B 4 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
also, my boyfriend claims that 85% of the soldiers from iraq have ptss. is that true? was vietnam higher?
2006-07-21 14:08:19 · update #1
Around 15% of American soldiers serving in Vietnam have suffered from PTSD, while it is projected that 18% of Americans serving in Iraq will exhibit symptoms of the mental complication. Therefore, it looks as if Iraq will prove to be more stress-inducing than Vietnam, which is possible considering the hot desert climate and various other factors, which are quite drastically different when compared with the dense jungles and thick vegetation of Vietnam. However, as you said, the war has not yet ended, and I expect the projected numbers for PTSD in American soldiers serving in Iraq to be significantly lower than expected. We shall have to wait and see.
You might find the sources of interest; they provide quite a bit of information on PTSD, if you are interested.
Just to clarify, the complication is correctly termed as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is because syndromes generally require symptoms that are constant throughout all cases, whereas PTSD is more varied in the way it is exhibited.
2006-07-21 14:18:48 · answer #1 · answered by Dan 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I am not sure, but I would suspect that Vietnam has the highest number. Also, many Vietnam Vets still suffer and never received help. The government was much less responsive and we were much less aware of the problems in the 1960s/1970s.
According to MSN only 1 in 8 soldiers have post tramatic stress. See http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5334479/
2006-07-21 14:11:01 · answer #2 · answered by The Big Shot 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
30% for men and 20% for women had Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder from the Vietnam War. This is from the VA report of this problem.
2006-07-21 14:41:53 · answer #3 · answered by Vagabond5879 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The rate of PTSD for combat veterans is 15%. This rate has remained consistent from the US Civil War to the Iraq war.
2006-07-22 06:53:39 · answer #4 · answered by MikeGolf 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well i do believe it is true 85%...because it is very hard to just "block it out" and that's basically what you have to do...you cannot work through it......i mean my God...how would you work through it?...the best thing i have heard from successful Vietnam Veterans is to just block it out...because it is something that you can do nothing about....Try not to re-live it,,,...and if someone says..."how was it?"" just say kindly if possible..."i don' t re-live it...and walk away,...they would not be able to even understand war!!! a license to kill...whew!!so do not explain ...that will make it worse for YOU!!!
2006-07-21 14:13:54 · answer #5 · answered by sweet 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm sure you can search this and find any one of dozens of studies that have been done on it.
2006-07-21 14:18:48 · answer #6 · answered by christopher s 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋