Working in the military is a very high stress job. The duties demand a lot from personnel, both psychologically and physically. This is especially so if the troops experience combat. Participating in combat exacts a tremendous toll on the minds and bodies of soldiers. It's not surprising, then, that army veterans returning home after serving in conflicts suffer from a range of unpleasant conditions. The most commonly-reported are stress, family breakdown and substance abuse.
Prolonged periods in conflict are linked to higher levels of post-traumatic stress disorder, psychological distress and problems at home Recent research discovered that the length of duty served was correlated to the severity of the problem.
For example, the study revealed that 5.2% of personnel serving longer than 13 months of duty suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. The figure for those who served less than five months in conflict was just 3%.
Substance abuse problems especially with alcohol were another common result of returning home from combat. The study found that almost a quarter of those serving over 13 months had severe alcohol problems compared to just 10% for those deployed for less than five months.
The researchers also found that uncertainty about when personnel would return home was linked to mental distress.
Other than mental and physical problems, war veterans also often experience social problems including family break-ups, homelessness and unemployment. This is often because they find it hard to adjust from the rigid structure of military life to the freer setup of civilian life
Prolonged periods in conflict are linked to higher levels of post-traumatic stress disorder, psychological distress and problems at home Recent research discovered that the length of duty served was correlated to the severity of the problem.
For example, the study revealed that 5.2% of personnel serving longer than 13 months of duty suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. The figure for those who served less than five months in conflict was just 3%.
Substance abuse problems especially with alcohol were another common result of returning home from combat. The study found that almost a quarter of those serving over 13 months had severe alcohol problems compared to just 10% for those deployed for less than five months.
The researchers also found that uncertainty about when personnel would return home was linked to mental distress.
Other than mental and physical problems, war veterans also often experience social problems including family break-ups, homelessness and unemployment. This is often because they find it hard to adjust from the rigid structure of military life to the freer setup of civilian life