Running head: MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE MILITARY

Mental Illness in the United States Military

Kaitlin B. Bales
University of Kentucky

MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE MILITARY

The Department of Veteran Affairs has proven that of the 1.5 million veterans of Iraq and
Afghanistan, the second most common diagnoses is mental health disorders. As one could
imagine, serving as a soldier in the United States Military can cause extreme stress to a persons
mental health. Men and women both tend to take their experiences deeply personal, the things
they see tend to haunt them for the rest of their lives. Bombings, brutal killing of innocent
people, specifically women and children, rape, and other combat exposures are just a few things
those in the military can experience. Many soldiers and veterans feel a loss of control in
traumatic situations. As a result they are strongly impacted mentally, but often receive little to no
help. This usually leads to a mental illness called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, a controversial
illness becoming more and more well-known in the media, which I will be focusing on. I believe
it is the United States Militarys job to educate American people about Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder in order to avoid the hate and stereotypes which surround the illness.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is one of the major consequences to mental health
of those who work in the United States Military. It is defined as a real illness which you can get
after living through or seeing a dangerous event, such as a war, a hurricane, or a bad accident.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder tends to lead to feelings of stress and fear after the danger is over.
It affects your life and the lives of the people around you. Many soldiers that are also survivors
experience a phenomena called survivor guilt, a facet of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder which
leads them to question why they lived and why the others did not. It is common in soldiers
without Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as well. They also commonly tend blame themselves for
things they see or experience, which is referred to as irrational responsibility, much like survivors
guilt, those without Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can develop this. The Department of Veteran

MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE MILITARY

Affairs and the Department of Defense have proven that since October 2011, 239,174 veterans
are diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder compared to 50,409 that have been wounded
in action. Nearly $600 million dollars was spent by the Department of Veterans Affairs for Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment (Lee, 2014). Treatment includes mental therapy and also
awareness and educational treatments. It is becoming more and more prevalent now that more
veterans are coming forward to receive treatment.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a very difficult illness to diagnosis, which causes much
controversy. Not every soldier or person who worked in the military has Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder, just like not everyone who experienced a traumatic event develops the disorders.
Anyone can develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder when going through a traumatic event.
Typically the symptoms begin within the first 3 months of the incident but may not emerge for
many years after. To be evaluated for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, you must meet with a
psychologist or psychiatrist, and usually have symptoms that cause significant mental distress or
problems with home or work life. You must have had at least one re-experiencing symptom, at
least three numbing or avoidance symptoms, and at least two hyper-arousal symptoms for at least
one month. A re-experiencing symptom is considered reliving the traumatic experience in some
way, like getting upset when confronted with a reminder or thinking back upon about the trauma
when you are trying to do an unrelated activity. A re-experiencing symptom can also be
identified about how one reacts triggers; many veterans and soldiers who suffer Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder will hear normal noises, such a car backfiring or construction, and feel very
alerted or scared because they relate these sounds to gunfire or combative experiences. These
reactions, classified as flashbacks, typically can incite an emotional or physical reaction. A

MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE MILITARY

numbing or avoidance symptom can consist of avoiding people or places that remind you of the
trauma, feeling numb, distant, or depressed, and isolating yourself from others. An example
would be trying to distract themselves from thinking about the traumatic experiences, lack of
enjoyment in activities they were previously interested, feeling lost, distancing themselves from
their spouses, families, close friends, or others that went through the same event. Lastly, hyperarousal symptoms can be things such as feeling constantly on guard, extremely irritable, or being
easily startled or shaken. Examples of these are being extremely anxious or irritable, emotionally
unstable, and difficulty sleeping and concentrating. These symptoms can worsen the feeling of
reliving the experience, cause sleeping disorders, intense nightmares, hallucinations, flashbacks,
feelings of depression, estrangement, or detachment. Soldiers often experience these symptoms
in such a way that it significantly impairs their every day life. The picture to the left is an
example of an awareness poster from
MotherJones.com to show how common Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder is in the United
States Army (Lee, 2014). Leaving Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder unresolved can lead to homelessness, alcohol or substance abuse,
marital problems, family issues and estrangement, divorce, and instability to function in social or
familial situations. It has been proven men with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder struggle most
commonly with alcohol or substance abuse, and women with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
struggle with extreme depression. Treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder usually depends
on the extremity of the illness. Some find relief with psychotherapy and antidepressants.
However, many of those who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder may not recognize it

MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE MILITARY

and fail to seek treatment, leading to worsening of symptoms. Treatment can also be ignored for
societal reasons, it may not be considered masculine to obtain treatment, so many turn to
alcohol. It has been shown that earlier that those who experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
are treated lessen long term symptoms they experience. Treatment is not the same for everyone,
but a mental health professional will be able to guide the patient in a way that works best for
them. There is not a set amount of treatment those with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder receive,
some need a few weeks or months, and others need years of therapy and treatment.
Although Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is the most common mental health problem in
the military, suicide is another major problem. Suicide is also extremely prevalent among those
who have served in the military. The Department of Veteran affairs found that veterans make up
7 percent of the American population but account for 20 percent of suicides in America.
According to the Washington Post, in 2012 suicide was the number one cause of death among
United States military troops that year, which means more died by their own hands than at war.
Veterans Department has found that every 80 minutes a veteran dies by suicide (Lee, 2014).
Combat stress and sexual assault are two main reasons vets commit suicide. They often have
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and do not get any type of treatment, leading to depression and
isolation and unfortunately, suicide. Suicide seems to be the only solution for those suffering
with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Suicide also seems to be the only resort when veterans who
have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder have pushed away family, lost jobs and status. They become
extremely depressed and commit suicide. Although people are now starting to spread awareness
about this tragedy, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to prevent veterans from
taking their lives.

MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE MILITARY

Due to the fact that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is very

hard to diagnose, it has been creating much controversy
among mental health professionals and veterans themselves.
Like previously mentioned, although it is becoming a more
well-known issue in the media, many stereotypes and
hateful stigmas exist surrounding Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Many view Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder as an excuse to gain perks. The picture to the left is another awareness poster
from MotherJones.com to show that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is not a type of political
agenda or a social opinion, but a real physical injury (Lee, 2014). Like all mental diseases, there
will be those that fake Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, however most of those diagnosed do have
the illness. A reason to fake Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is for those who just want to collect
disability and life easily. It is not fair to extort and make a mockery out of those with a serious
mental condition like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Some veterans believe that it is not an
illness but a reaction to what you see. They believe people diagnose themselves with an illness
when in reality it is a natural defense mechanism. Sometimes people might demonstrate the
symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder without having this disorder, thus making it hard to
definitely call it an illness. A Medal of Honor winner and United States Military Staff Sergeant
Ty Carter, argues that it is a reaction to stress and experience but not an illness, and that those
who are diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder become stigmatized. Stigmas do not just
arise from society, stigmas arise from others in the military. They become stereotyped as weaker
than their other soldiers and aren't seen as qualified. Many in the military keep it a secret that
they are struggling. This suppression of mental problems leads to worsening the conditions. The

MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE MILITARY

stress of keeping it their illness as secret and maybe blooming Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
often results in suicide. These men and women have lived and served through too much to have
to resort to such a tragic death. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is not a new illness by any means,
but more and more is being researched and discovered on it. Psychiatric units and VA Hospitals
are seeing an influx of cases due to the discovery of knowledge and education veterans and their
families are receiving. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder hit just as many people in past wars, but as
previously stated, stigmas and stereotypes are among two of the many reasons veterans did not
seek help. The lack of education and lack of respect for those with Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder leads to these unfair stigmas.
The United States Military, veterans, and mental health care professionals have started
multiple initiatives to help veterans suffering with mental illnesses. Many have been featured on
social media and television, and recently A&E Networks launched a show called Dogs of War,
featuring a nonprofit organization that pairs dogs without homes with veterans diagnosed with
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to train them as their service animals called Paws and Stripes.
The veterans who receive dogs use them as service dogs, just as those with epilepsy or diabetes.
The dog will sense when the veteran is having trouble with their Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
or other mental trauma and bark to alert others. The dogs form a sense of trust and bonding
between the suffering vet and the dog. They also aim to educate people about Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder and other issues vets face to gain support and awareness. The dogs are not just
for fun, they are real service dogs with permission by the American with Disabilities Act.
Veterans do not have to pay to enroll in the program, however they take donations. The United
States Military offers services and disability funds to help treat those with Post Traumatic Stress

MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE MILITARY

Disorder, or those who need any kind of mental counseling. They provide online and paperpamphlet information to veterans and their families about ways to deal with Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder. The United States Military has realized the amount of support their veterans
need and every year they begin new initiatives to help.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is not a new illness, it has been around since the
beginning of time, but it is only recently becoming recognized. Ron was not a soldier, he was a
combat engineer. He would build roads and infrastructures for troops to travel on during the
Vietnam War. Although he was just building, he was subjected to front-line combat every day. He
was not directly on the front lines fighting but still got the repercussions of the war, he was
subjected to constant rocket and gun fire. After leaving Vietnam, Roy took a job as a successful
broadcast journalist. He ended up in San Diego about 20-years-after the Vietnam war; that is
when he began to experience serious Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He became depressed and
couldnt function. Eventually, with supervision of friends, he moved home to Massachusetts. But
once returning home, he became a recluse and an alcoholic. After 8-years of living this way, he
contemplated suicide but decided to get help instead. He went to the nearest VA for therapy and
medication. After a few years of serious treatment, Roy graduated from University of
Massachusetts Amherst with a degree in broadcast journalism at the top of his class. When
looking back, Roy recalls that soldiers from Vietnam were more susceptible to Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder to due the extremity of their isolation. He also believed that losing fellow
soldiers contributed to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to due the family type bonds the men
shared. He believes that a majority of the men think they can handle Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder and other mental illnesses by themselves, but it is nearly impossible, so he is spreading

MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE MILITARY

awareness in education and wanting veterans to know that they should not try to fix themselves
alone. Roy was once anti-medication, but after receiving therapy from the VA, he realized that is
a necessity and encourages other veterans to look into medication more and understand that it is
not as a negative as they think. Roy acknowledges that he will be dealing with Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder for the rest of his life. He now works to produce public service announcements
for a local Animal Rescue League and hopes to help other veterans in recognizing the symptoms
of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
In conclusion, in whatever way you view Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as an excuse or
an illness, it needs to be taken seriously. Education and awareness are two key points that would
help veterans with rehabilitation and help the American people become aware of Post Traumatic
Stress Disorders. Those who consider themselves to have or are diagnosed with Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder need to be treated with respect because they are veterans who have served our
country and seen things normal citizens couldn't handle. Like I previously stated veterans are
strongly impacted mentally due to their line of work, but often receive little to no help leading to
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other mental issues.

MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE MILITARY

10
References

Jaeah, L. (2013, January 17). Charts: Suicide, PTSD and the Psychological Toll on America's
Vets. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
Lynn, O. (2012, May 8). PTSD: The Latest, Hottest, Maybe Most Controversial Diagnosis.
Retrieved November 5, 2014.
National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.). What is Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?.
(DHHS Publication). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved from http://
www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml. Retrieved
November 3, 2014.
Stanek, J. (2014, May 3). Pawsandstripes2014. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
Quartana, P., Wilk, J., Thomas, J., Bray, R., Rae Olmstead, K., Brown, J., ... Hodge, C. (2014).
Trends in Mental Health Services Utilization and Stigma in US Soldiers From 2002 to 2011.
American Journal of Public Health, 104(9), P. 1671-1679. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, What is PTSD? (n.d). PTSD: National Center for PTSD.
Retrieved from http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/PTSD-overview/basics/what-is-ptsd.asp.
Retrieved November 4, 2014.
Vietnam War Veteran, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Military Veteran | Veterans Organizations.
(n.d.). Retrieved November 4, 2014, from http://www.veteransinc.org/services/casemanagement/roy/
Wangelin, B., & Tuerk, A. (2014). PTSD in Active Combat Soldiers: To Treat or Not to Treat.
Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 42(2), P. 161-170. Retrieved October 29, 2014.