Less visible disabilities of our soldiers
In the previous post about the health and social support needs of returning soldiers, Lee commented on the tendency to overlook their mental health needs. I very much agree with Lee that our society has a great deal of difficulty addressing less visible disabilities. Here’s a comprehensive study by Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, reported by the Los Angeles Times, looking at the mental health experiences of soldiers returning from Iraq. It says that more then one-third of soldiers sought "psychological help" in the first year after returning home.
1 comment:
As a member of the Vietnam War generation, I can personally testify to the enormous human cost in the men who came home "uninjured." Physically, that is.
I personally know three of these men who will never be functional because of serious mental and emotional damage resulting from the events in that war. I cannot imagine that the war in Iraq will be any better; indeed, the toll may well be worse.
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