Nearly 1 In 5 Troops Has Mental Problems After War Service

From Yahoo News:

WASHINGTON - Roughly one in every five U.S. troops who have survived the bombs and other dangers of Iraq and Afghanistan now suffers from major depression or post-traumatic stress, an independent study said Thursday. It estimated the toll at 300,000 or more.

As many or more report possible brain injuries from explosions or other head wounds, said the study, the first major survey from outside the government.

Only about half of those with mental health problems have sought treatment. Even fewer of those with head injuries have seen doctors.

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My Comment: A personal story. My father served in the Russian Army during the Second World War. His tour of duty started from July 1941 to the fall of Berlin in 1945. My godfather who also served also experienced the worse that war can bring .... ending his life by committing suicide 15 years after the end of the war.

Living with family members who suffer from post-traumatic syndrome is very difficult and hard to understand (especially from a child's point of view). I learned that the best way to confront this illness is to always keep an open mind, to give the soldier the benefit of the doubt when it comes to his war experience, and to always be available to be an open ear when they start to talk about it.